KANE — The Ruffed Grouse Society is proud to announce the 12 graduates of the introductory “Women’s Introduction to Wingshooting” (WIW) program led by the Allegheny Chapter and hosted by the Mt. Jewett Sportsmen’s Club in McKean County. The 12 graduates of the four-day course on wingshooting and hunting birds were: Louise Avery of Wilcox, Elk County; Lori Gideon of Smethport, McKean County; Vicki Gilchrist of Belle Vernon, Fayette County; Christine Haibach of Wattsburg, Erie County; Mary Hosmer of Johnsonburg, Elk County; Ratchel Huss of Smethport, McKean County; Amy Lesher of Tidioute, Warren County; Ally Strother of New Salem, Fayette County; Alisha Tomac of Wheeling, WV Brenda Walker of Clermont, McKean County; Mary Wirth of Port Matilda, Centre County; and Liz Young of Mt. Jewett, McKean County.
The 12 graduates started off Sunday, Aug. 26 the last day of training, by receiving their complementary “Women’s Introduction to Wingshooting” orange hunting vests, and crowding around the “Welcome Women” banner donated by Perry Burdick of McKean County E-Sales of Smethport for their group graduation photo.
These women proudly join the ranks of hunters and shooters. They leave the course complete with vest, hat, shooting glasses, and ear protection – ready to participate in future shooting endeavors.
“I think it is significant,” said Bonnie Orr, Leader of the WIW Program, “that five of these women have already gone out and purchased shotguns. That tells us that we were successful in getting these women to enter the ranks of shooting, hunting, and conservation.”
Sunday morning started off with a real treat as Bonnie Orr brought her Brittany (a pointing dog) Belle to show the women how dogs point a bird; this allows you to find more birds than if you were hunting by yourself. Bonnie started the program by showing the women what it takes to get a bird dog ready for hunting in the fall. “It’s really a year-long love affair with your dog,” said Bonnie. “You can’t leave the dog alone for most of the year and then expect them to hunt for you. They are part of the family and will hunt better if they receive year-round attention and training.”
Ally Strother, a dog trainer from West Virginia and attendee of the course, also brought her dog, a young Labrador retriever, to show the women the other side of hunting with dogs.
“Labrador retrievers are ‘retrievers’, explains Ally, “so they will flush the bird for you and then retrieve the downed game if you hit the bird.”
All of the women got to enjoy the dog training demonstrations and more rounds of shooting at clay pigeons.
Shooting instructors for Aug. 26 were Steve Peterson of the Mt. Jewett Sportsmen’s Club and Terry Gerner of the Black Forest Conservation Association in Potter County. Trap pullers were Roger Roesch of the Mt. Jewett Sportsmen’s Club and Jonathon Wirth of Jonathon Wirth Forestry Consultant. The women finished off the afternoon with Kombucha (furnished by Earth Below Kombucha of Emporium) and cheese and crackers furnished by Brenda Walker of Wilcox.
“We’re excited about the future of this program,” said Brenda Walker, “as we already have 15 women signed up for next year.”
Any organization or business willing to support a woman to attend this program can contact Mary Hosmer at 1016 Long Level Rd., Johnsonburg, Pa. 15845, or wlhab@windstream.net.
Sportdog, Federal Ammunition, and Purina are the national sponsors for this event. The following local sponsors underwrote the cost of attendance for women to the course: Centre County – Jonathon Wirth Forestry Consultant from Port Matilda; Cumberland County – Mummert Environmental Consultants from Mechanicsburg; Elk County – Horton Township Sportsmen Club from Brockport; Habitat for Wildlife from Johnsonburg; Vernon Ordiway from Ridgway; Jeff Yeager from Ridgway; and Jane Bryndl from Ridgway; Erie County – Sesler and Sesler, Atty at Law from Erie; McKean County – Mt. Jewett Sportsmen’s Club; Breese Taxidermy from Bradford; Dick McDowell from U-Pitt at Bradford; Dean Construction of Smethport; and Perry Burdick of McKean County E-Sales of Smethport.
