Women Keeping It Wild
This October will mark the fourth year Vance Outdoors has had the pleasure of holding Women Keeping It Wild, at the Buckeye Lake Winery in Thornville, Ohio. This location sits right on Buckeye Lake and helps provide a nice relaxing tone for the women. The founder, Regina Vance, started this event to bring women who hunt, and women who are interested in hunting, together. In doing this, she gave us all a place to feel comfortable enough to ask the hard questions and get tips and tricks from the experts. Sharing our experiences and passion for the outdoors really makes this event special. Upon arrival you are greeted with a bag full of goodies from various companies. We couldn't do this event without our sponsors, so I'd like to give a huge shoutout to them! The sponsors have included Ten Point Crossbows, Ravin Crossbows, DSG Outerwear, Easton, Hoyt, Vortex, Candleberry, Duke Cannon, Ani Logics, Trophy Ridge, Danner, Scentless Huntress, 5.11 Tactical, Code Blue, Girls With Guns, and many others.
We've been lucky enough to hear from some incredible women in the industry, such as, Rachelle Hedrick, Becky Bowen, and Jaci Wells. We have also had some guys from Tenpoint Crossbows, Ravin Crossbows, and Pradco including Barry Burnett, Dustin Youtz, and Matt Hogan. They came and gave demonstrations on bows, and talked about Moultrie cameras and Summit climbing stands.
Rachelle Hedrick
It only seems appropriate to give you a little background on the women that have been a part of this adventure. Rachelle Hedrick is a mom, wife, avid angler and hunter, and an all-around wonderful person! Not only does she work for the popular women's brand clothing line, DSG Outfitters, she also owns Smoke Hole Outfitters and runs Smoke Hole Resort, alongside her husband. There they spawn and release their own trout and give lessons on fly fishing for beginners. They also take pride in raising, training, and hunting some of the best bloodlines of bear hounds in the Appalachians. I'm so thankful I had the chance to meet and chat with someone as awesome as Rachelle. One of these days I'm going to make it down there to her resort for some fly fishing and just overall relaxation!
Becky Bowen
Becky Bowen shared her experiences in hunting and shooting with her stories and tips included. She brought 52 years of industry knowledge to the event, as she has worked for some of the industry's top companies such as, Vortex, Leica Optics, Bushnell, Hodgdon Powder, and Walther Arms. I will have to say that I laughed the hardest at her stories and she was a hoot to have!
Jaci Wells
Lastly, Jaci Wells, is a mom, wife, avid hunter, angler, and lover of all things outdoors! Her hunting and angling experience began as an adult in the rural panhandle of Florida and shapes who she is today. Ethical hunting, eating, and conservation are at the forefront of her lifestyle and what she teaches to her children. Her and her husband are some of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
Nicole Miller
This year we are excited to welcome Nicole Miller. She is an outdoor enthusiast with over 20 years of hunting experience. She also enjoys fishing, hiking, kayaking, and wildlife photography. Recently featured on the cover of the North American Whitetail magazine, she will be telling her story about her hunting quest and harvesting her deer "Woody".
During this event we have been given the opportunity to try some amazing wild game dishes. Some of the wild game that has been on the menu include alligator, boar, elk, rabbit, duck, and venison. Each year we hand out the recipes to the ladies, in case they would like to try recreating the dish at home. The dinners have always been amazing!
In the previous years, we have done fashion shows and had bow demonstrations. The fashion shows, of course, are always a hit! We give you an up close and personal look at some new hunting gear that Vance Outdoors has to offer, with the opportunity to see how you might enjoy it on your next hunt! We have also showed off some of our non-hunting related pieces for just casual everyday wear. Laughter and fun are always guaranteed during this part of the event!
Our bow demos have been successful every year, however, this year we are going to switch it up and test drive the Predator 750 Watt Electric Bike. We all know the obvious reasons to have a bow, but do you know why you should invest in an electric bike? Make sure to come to the event to learn more!
After the demos, guest speakers, and dinner, the excitement of prizes takes over the room. In past years we have given away bows, DSG gear, boots, treestands, trail cameras, turkey decoys, binoculars, broadheads, rifle cases, and a ton of other great products! This year we are excited to be giving away a Savage Axis II 350 Legend Rifle to one lucky lady! The other main giveaway is Bear Archery Cruzr G2 "Ready to Hunt" Bow Package. Obviously, we will have some other amazing prizes for the rest of the ladies, just like the previous years. I'm excited to see everyone who is able to attend, as I will be the Vance Outdoor host this year.
Again, if you are a lady hunter or are interested in hunting, this is the perfect event for you! This night will be packed full of hunting stories, tips, fun, and prizes. Make sure you grab your ticket by October 4th so you can submit your size for a special WKW shirt, space is limited to 50 ladies!!