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Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Elk Camp |
Test Flights 2011
See the Archery Buisness magazine story MAKING WOMEN WELCOME: FOCUS ON THE FAMILY by Patrick Durkin. This is a wonderful story that includes Shoot Like A Girl's CEO, Karen Butler.
Test Flights 2010
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Elk Camp
Day 1 - This year we decided to take Shoot Like A Girl on the road to Reno for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s National Elk Camp. Although I have been a Life Member of the RMEF for many years and am a lifelong elk hunter this was the first time I had been to Elk Camp. It was a grand experience.
On Wednesday morning Karen and I flew out of Huntsville leaving behind the winter storm warnings and the snow on the ground…or so we thought. As we were beginning our approach into Reno the plane experienced severe turbulence and snow was swirling as we looked out the window. Once on the ground we moved to the convention center and began setting up for a show we had been looking forward to for a long time. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is an organization very near to my heart having grown up in Oregon and been exposed to elk hunting my entire life. Both Karen and I believe passionately in the RMEF mission and were very excited to be a part of the National Elk Camp. Once we finished setting up the booth, the bows and the test flight area we grabbed a quick dinner and went to bed. It had been a long but exciting day.
Thursday-The first day of the show and it was an exciting one. The booth was very busy. We continually heard from visitors that they were glad to see a booth specifically for women. We were not the only one as Kirstie and Steve Pike from Prois Clothing were also exhibiting just down the way from us. The big event during the day was the Ladies Luncheon; Karen attended and had a great time talking to the women about Shoot Like A Girl, hunting and elk. The high point of the day’s events was the Opening Banquet and ceremonies at the Peppermill Casino. The food was good and the conversation enjoyable. During the opening ceremonies the Dale Earnhardt Land and Wildlife Initiative was launched. (http://www.rmef.org/NewsandMedia/NewsReleases/
2010/DELWL.htm)
It is a new partnership between the Dale Earnhardt Foundation and the RMEF. During the announcement his widow Teresa Earnhardt, his oldest son Kerry and daughter Taylor were on hand. During the unveiling they had a chance to speak about the Intimidator’s dedication and love of hunting. Taylor in particular talked about increasing the number of women participating in the outdoors and hunting. Karen was very excited by this and began discussing the possibility of meeting the Earnhardt’s. The evening was topped off by a performance by comedian Jim Gaffigan which we enjoyed immensely.
 Day 2 - Friday-The morning began at 6 am with the sound of an elk bugling just outside the hotel. Unfortunately it wasn’t a bull, just some of the boys from Bugling Bull Calls practicing in anticipation of the upcoming Elk Calling World Championships on Saturday. No elk but still a great way to wake up. It proved to be a fore shadow of the great day to come. As the doors opened for the second day of the trade show we began getting lots of women coming to the booth for Test Flights and to browse the selection of women’s hunting clothing. After an hour or so I was amazed to see Taylor and Kerry Earnhardt walking towards our booth. As Karen was busy conducting a test flight, I introduced myself to them and talked to them about Shoot Like A Girl and what we are all about, but both Taylor and Kerry had visited the website and knew all about Shoot Like A Girl’s mission. Both are avid hunters and are very supportive of women in the outdoors. Taylor was eager to try out the bows in the Test Flight. It was obvious that both of them are very committed to preserving their father’s legacy as an outdoorsman and believe in the participation of women in hunting. Kerry’s wife is a dedicated shooter and his young daughter now sports one of our t-shirts. Eventually we had an opportunity to speak with Teresa Earnhardt about Shoot Like A Girl and the mission to increase women’s participation in the shooting sports and the outdoors. The Earnhardt’s are very supportive of the concept and we are looking forward to a possible collaboration between our organization and theirs. Karen put Taylor through the Test Flight. She has exceptional breath control which Karen commented on. Taylor’s response, “My dad taught me.” Apparently he was a great teacher because she has an excellent shot.
 Day 3 & 4 - Saturday-So many booths, so little time! The number of exhibitors at the Elk Camp was amazing and there were so many great products to look at. Unfortunately we were so busy we were only able to break away for very short periods of time. During the day they conduct numerous seminars and auctions. Seminars this year included horse packing, calling, dutch oven cooking, bullet selection/handloading, hunting optics selection and skinning an elk. In addition there was a “Becoming An Outdoorswoman” seminar and a Kids Camp. Among the items auctioned this year was a mule, which went for $31,000 and a Silver Lab puppy, named Reno, who sold for $7,000. You read that correctly a Silver Lab!!! They are now being bred and are beautiful. Reno was the superstar of the event, by the time he was presented for auction he had quite the fan base and boy did he know he was a star. Congratulations to Lori and Roger Young of Lori’s Labradors from Whitehall, Montana (www.lorislabradors.com). Over the years they have donated 14 pups to RMEF and Ducks Unlimited.
One of the best things about a show like Elk Camp is the opportunity to meet people from all over the country. Among the people we got to know were Donna and Jake McDonald, Upper Canyon Outfitters, of Alder, Montana. They are great people and are doing wonderful things to promote women in the outdoors. Donna is a true pioneer, having recently finished her term as the president of the Montana Outfitters Association. She is the first woman to hold the office in the organization’s long history. She has held an outfitters license since the early 1980’s. The final event of Saturday was the Grand Banquet. The featured performer for the evening was country superstar, Sara Evans.
Sunday-Final day of the Elk Camp! Wow hard to believe it went so quickly. By the time it was all over Karen had conducted over 60 test flights and we had sold almost all of our Shoot Like A Girl logo wear and most of our women’s hunting clothing. One of the high points of Sunday was one of the women who shot her very first bow on Friday coming back with a brand new bow from one of our sponsoring manufacturers, now that is real excitement.
This year’s RMEF Elk Camp was a memorable event for many reasons, good times, good friends, new opportunities but most of all it was a chance for us to expand the number of women participating in the shooting sports. We reached many women who already serious hunters and were able to reach some who haven’t been yet but now have the dream and realize that it is not only possible but very normal for women to shoot and to hunt. Shoot Like A Girl will be there again next year and we hope you will too!
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Louisville Test Flight 2009
Shoot Like a Girl has put nearly 150 women through their first two Test Flights for women! Of these women approximately 27 percent were brand new shooters! The Test Flights are designed to give women the opportunity to test multiple bows and see which bow is best for them. The company has partnered with BowTech, Diamond by BowTech, Hoyt, Mathews, Martin Archery, Alpine Archery, Limbsaver and Lancaster Archery Supply to bring women a large selection of bows to shoot and empower them to purchase their equipment with confidence.
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Vegas Test Flight 2010
Thanks to everyone who visited our booth at the World Archery Festival in Las Vegas! We were humbled by the warm reception and gratitude we received from all the ladies who stopped by. We are definitely on the right track. Top
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