CLARKE COUNTY, Iowa (KMTV) — I met up with a small group from Women on the Wing, a charity connected to Pheasants Forever with the goal of teaching women to pheasant hunt.
- This is the 100th year of pheasant hunting in Iowa.
- The birds — native to China — were accidentally released into rural Iowa at the turn of the 20th Century. Their numbers, though, have dwindled over the last few decades.
- "It's really cool with this 100 years of pheasant hunting that we're getting to enjoy, we get to highlight the habitat work getting more women and young people involved," said Women on the Wing chapter president, Amy Buckendahl.
Learn More | PheasantsForever.org
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Addie, age five: "Sophie, the little one..."
It's the second weekend of pheasant season in Iowa, I'm in Clarke County. It's about 7:30 in the morning. I'm Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter Katrina Markel and the dogs, and some of the other ladies who are connected to Women on the Wing, have just arrived. So, I'm going to go meet up with them.
Addie "Sit!"
Five-year-old Addie and her mom, Katie, are heading out to hunt — a family tradition.
Katie Jolliff: "And then, when I was ready, I started carrying my own shotgun and just watching and taking it all in."
Katie is part of Women on the Wing, a charity associated with conservation group, Pheasants Forever.
"We definitely don't want to hunt them super hard to where you don't ever see them again, but we do like to get out and hunt, too," she said.
Amy Buckendahl is a wildlife biologist, passionate about mentoring women pheasant hunters; showing the sport is for everyone.
"Time after time, when we do these surveys after our programs, women say ‘I didn't feel like I had a really supportive person to take me out,’" she said.
That includes male relatives.
"But it's different when you go out with somebody you're not in a relationship with and you're able to just go out and learn," said Buckendahl.
Men are allies, though. Buckendahl and her husband Dave brought a few pen-raised pheasants. A demonstration for me and practice for the dogs and hunters.
Amy, whispering: "Okay, I think we got it..."
(Gunshot. Bird falls.)
This is the 100th year of pheasant hunting in Iowa. The birds – native to China – were accidentally released into rural Iowa at the turn of the 20th Century. Their numbers, though, have dwindled over the last few decades.
"It's really cool with this 100 years of pheasant hunting that we're getting to enjoy, we get to highlight the habitat work, getting more women and young people involved," Buckendahl said.
Amy is the president of the Iowa chapter of Women on the Wing. I'll include a link to the organization in my web story for neighbors who want to learn more.
