Favorite Products of 2015

The 2015 season has been great for the Huntress View team! Although we believe hard work, practice and determination play the biggest role in harvesting an animal, the products included on this list played a huge part in our success in the field as well. We aren't trying to push these products on you, but just wanted to share with other women hunters what has worked well for us this season! Here they are, in no particular order. 

 ----- SCENT CONTROL PRODUCTS-----

NOSE JAMMER

"I use this every time I hunt and have yet to have a deer smell me this season! I am very particular about being scent free and Nose Jammer gives me the extra coverage to be 100% confident bow hunting no matter the wind direction" - Cara Holland, HV team member

SOUTHERN RACKS

"Absolutely LOVE this scent free shampoo, conditioner, and body wash! I have tried several different kinds and I am shocked at how AMAZING this product is! My hair in the picture is after using Southern Racks (of course I wouldn't curl my hair and nonsense to go in the woods ) This stuff doesn't dry out my hair and I don't have to use a boat load of conditioner to get a comb through my hair. It leaves my hair still heathy and soft! And FRIZZ FREE!!!!!!!! Not trying to sell the product.. Just being honest,, I was shocked myself! LOVE it! A little goes a long way!" - Britini Dunham, HV team member

----- BROADHEADS -----

AFFLICTOR HYBRID-EXT

"First time using the Afflictor broadheads and I couldn't be happier with the results! These babies did some major damage tonight dropping my deer about 70 yards from where I shot it, not to mention how true they fly to a field tip! These 2 blade steel broad heads are rear deploying and are extremely effective with bleeder blades leaving a 1.5" hole! Afflictor blades are super advanced arnd are a fixed and mechanical blade in one! Try out these Hybrid EXT's!" -Kinsey Edmunds, HV team member

FLYING ARROW ARCHERY - TOXIC BROADHEADS

"These Broadheads are amazing it leaves an amazing blood trail the hole you see in the packaging is literally the exact cut that you'll see after you shoot your animal with it" -Liz Adams, HV team member

----- APPAREL -----

FIRST LITE LARKSPUR BOTTOMS & LUPINE CREW BASE LAYERS

"The First Lite Women’s Base Layers have played a crucial role in my hunting success this season. I’ve been able to hunt more comfortably in both the cold and the heat, and have even noticed a big decrease in the amount of times I have been winded by deer thanks to the merino wool’s natural resistance to odor. I highly recommend these for any female hunter looking to extend their time in the field!" - Andrea Haas, HV Founder

PROIS HIGH PLAINS BRUSH PANTS

"The Prois Brush Pants played a huge part in my upland hunting success over the last couple of years. They are extremely comfortable and easy to move in and they do an excellent job at keeping the burrs & stickers off!" -Andrea Haas, HV Founder

FIRST LITE TALON FINGERLESS GLOVES

"The gloves have open fingers, which I prefer for bow hunting, and have worked great for me all season long. In late season when it gets colder, I recommend either a full glove, or adding a hand muff for added warmth." -Andrea Haas, HV Founder

----- DECOYS -----

AVIAN X TURKEY DECOYS

 "I love our Avian X turkey decoys. They worked amazing and are available in several different options. They look so realistic" -Heidi Swonger, HV team member

----- ARROWS -----

BLACK EAGLE OUTLAWS WITH LIGHTED NOCKS

"Black Eagle Outlaw Arrows with Nock Out lighted nocks! I have never had a better flying shaft.. So true to the definition on their site, great for any Hunter!! These lighted nocks allow me to practice without activating the light and losing battery. A simple ring on the nock will allow the nock to be off for practice or active for when you want it to light up when you let lose on any game! Then simply pulling up on the nock will turn the light off after you retrieve your arrow" -Britni Dunham, HV team member

----- ACCESSORIES -----

FIREFIELD FACE PAINT

"I've tried out a couple different brands now of face paint, all which have worked but what I really like about FireField face paint was how easy it was to apply and how well it stayed on my face! I had no problems with it breaking me out or irritating my skin. Each color comes in its own stick, making it easy to apply as much or as little of once color as you want!" -Kinsey Edmunds, HV Team Member

LAKE OF THE WOODS HANDWARMER BY BEMIDJI WOOLEN MILLS

"I have always had a hard time keeping my fingers warm while hunting but combined with my First Lite Talus gloves, Hot Hands hand warmers, this handwarmer from Bemidji Woolen Mills has done a great job this season!" -Andrea Haas, HV Founder

Women's First Lite Merino Wool Base Layers Review

By Andrea Haas

When I first started hunting about 10 years ago, my hunting attire consisted of bulky men’s camo over a couple pairs of long johns as base layers, depending on the weather. Needless to say, that system just didn’t work for me and I was happy to see that soon women’s hunting apparel companies started to appear, like SHE Outdoor Apparel and Prois. But one thing was still lacking for me: good quality women’s base layers.

Base layers are crucial when the temperatures really start to drop in the winter and can either make or break a hunt. I spend hours in the tree stand and need to be able to withstand the elements, rather than being forced to pack up and head home at prime time because I’m too cold. This happened to me last season and cost me a very nice 9 point with my bow.

Thankfully in 2015 First Lite came out with new Merino Wool base layers specifically for women and I was able to put them to the test. Over the years I have tried a few other brands of base layers but I feel none of them performed as well as the First Lite base layers did in regards to thermoregulation, scent control and moisture wicking ability, which is exactly what Merino Wool is known for. They were soft and comfortable without any itching like what you may think of when you hear the word “wool”. Not only did they perform well in the cold, they did just as well in temperatures over 80 degrees by wicking away moisture; I didn’t sweat at all while walking to my tree stand. I was extremely impressed!

Base Layer Options

Lupine Crew Top and Larkspur Full Lenth Bottoms in Sage Green

The top layers consist of the Lupine Crew Top and Artemis Hoody, and the bottom layers consist of the Larkspur Full Length Bottoms and the Syringa Short. If you are considering purchasing the base layers, I would at the very least, recommend the Lupine Crew and Larkspur Bottoms.

The Syringa Shorts can be worn underneath your full length bottoms as undergarments, or can be worn alone as a base layer in warmer weather under your outer layer pants.

The Artemis Hoody can be worn as a base layer top, or over the Lupine Crew top as a mid layer.

Artemis Hoody with Lupine Crew Top underneath, and Syringa Shorts

Sizing/Fit

I used the sizing chart on the First Lite website to determine what size I needed based on my measurements. I am 5’3”, 110 pounds and I went with an XS in the Larkspur Full Length Bottoms and the Syringa Short, and a Small in both the Lupine Crew Top & Artemis Hoody. I originally ordered an XS in the Lupine Crew top but it was just a little smaller than what I like so I ordered a small instead and it fit perfect. 

I found that the bottoms fit best when I went down a size smaller than what I would normally wear, and that the tops fit best when I went up a size larger. The bottoms seemed to stretch out just a tad after being worn a time or two, but shrink back to normal after being washed. I love that the waistband on the bottoms stretches with you and does not dig in too tight on your hips or mid section, creating the dreaded "muffin top". Both of the tops have thumb holes in the arm cuffs for added warmth and concealment, and helps keep them from rolling up whenever you put on your outer layers. 

These are available in sizes XS to XL.

Color Options

There are 3 solid colors available (Black, Golden and Sage Green) and 4 camo patterns (ASAT, RealTree Xtra, RealTree Max-1 and First Lite Fusion). I ordered my base layers in Sage Green and the Artemis Hoody in the new First Lite Fusion camo pattern. 

Artemis Hoody in First Lite Fusion

First Lite Accessories

Talus Fingerless Merino Glove in Dry Earth

There are several other First Lite apparel items that have became my hunting staples, the Talus Fingerless Merino Gloves, the Mountain AthleteCold Weather Sock and the First Lite Beanie. The gloves have open fingers, which I prefer for bow hunting, and have worked great for me all season long. In late season when it gets colder, I recommend either a full glove, or adding a hand muff for added warmth. The socks work great to wick away sweat which is great for both warm and cold temperatures. The beanie is fairly lightweight & what I like to wear during early bow season when it is still pretty warm.

First Lite Beanie and Lupine Crew

Success In The Field

The First Lite Women’s Base Layers have played a crucial role in my hunting success this season. I’ve been able to hunt more comfortably in both the cold and the heat, and have even noticed a big decrease in the amount of times I have been winded by deer thanks to the merino wool’s natural resistance to odor. I highly recommend these for any female hunter looking to extend their time in the field!

Pheasant Hunting: I wore the Lupine Crew & Artemis Hoody

Rifle season doe: I wore the First Lite Lupine Crew top, Larkspur Bottoms & Talus Fingerless Gloves

Duck Hunting: I wore the Lupine Crew, Artemis Hoody and Larkspur Bottoms

Smothered Pheasant In the Dutch Oven - Recipe

By Andrea Haas

Sorry I didn't take better pictures while making this recipe. It was kind of an experiment, but it turned out to be one of my favorite ways to make pheasants. 

The original recipe I found on www.allrecipes.com, titled Smothered Pheasant. I used that recipe and added my own twist to it by adding different spices & seasonings. I also added the chopped green chiles, which I feel really made the recipe. You could also use mushrooms instead. Either way would be great! 

The original recipe calls for 6 pheasant breasts and 2 cups of half and half. I only used 3 breasts and I thought the 2 cups half and half was perfect for that amount. 

Ingredients

-6 skinless, boneless pheasant breast halves

-garlic salt and black pepper, to taste

-1/2 cup all-purpose flour

-1/2 cup butter

-2 cups half and half cream

Directions

-Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

-Add flour to a plate or bowl and mix in garlic salt and black pepper.I was pretty generous with the garlic salt. Press the pheasant breast into the flour until completely coated. Shake off excess flour and set aside.

-Melt the butter in a cast iron Dutch Oven over medium heat. Cook the pheasants in the hot butter until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Careful not to overcook.

-Pour in the half and half and bring to a simmer. Add chopped green chiles.

-Cover the Dutch Oven and bake in the preheated oven until pheasant breasts are tender and no longer pink, about 1 1/2 hours. I baked my 3 breasts for just an hour and they were done. 

Hunting Together

By ProStaff Bailey Jones
Originally posted on Bailey's blog: baileyfett.blogspot.com

As I sat and thought about what topic I would write my first blog entry on, there was one topic that instantly came to mind: Hunting with your significant other. I thought about my girlfriends who hunt, as well as, other members of my Huntress View Pro Staff team and realized that a majority of us all started a real passion for hunting after being introduced or reintroduced by our significant other. I also have several male friends and family who will not take their significant other hunting with them because they think it will take away from their alone time or they aren’t interested in being with a woman who hunts. I’d like to share a couple reasons why I feel it can be beneficial to your relationship to share in the sport of hunting.

A Good Way to Spend Quality Time

As life continues to bring more work and responsibility to your plate, you may find you aren't setting aside quality time to spend with your significant other. When hunting season comes around, you know you are going to be out in the duck blind or up in the tree stand. So, why not bring her along? Spending quality time together can help strengthen the bond you share and in turn strengthen your relationship/marriage. There is nothing more rewarding than sharing in an amazing hunting experience with your other half.

Aarika Feathers and her boyfriend, Mike

                                               You Always Have A Hunting Buddy

Some people may prefer to hunt alone. This may be feasible when it comes to hunting deer or other game, but when it comes to waterfowl I do not know anyone who wants to setup their entire decoy spread by themselves. Not only would that be extremely tiring, but it would take much more time which means the later you can get setup in your blind and start looking for birds. Not only does having a hunting partner help with setup and take down, but you know it is always nice to have someone to share in your experience and take pictures of you and all of the rewards you hope to bring home :). Friends can back out at the last second, but you always know you have someone who is willing to get up and go when you need a buddy. No cancelled hunting trips in our house!

Huntress View ProStaff Kaitlyn Harris and her fiance Aristotle

You Can Learn From One Another
There is always something new to learn with hunting. For example, a new shot or a new decoy pattern. There is always room for improvement and advancement. If both of you share in the passion, you can bring what both of you have learned or heard to the table and help each other grow in to better hunters. Talk about it and teach each other. Increase the knowledge you both possess. I have loved being able to grow and improve with my fiancé and I know he has enjoyed being my teacher. It can bring a feeling of accomplishment to both of you. Whoever taught will feel they have done well and so will the one who successfully executed a new tactic.

Me and my fiance Kyle

You Have Someone to Talk to Without Being Judged
It's easy to get embarrassed if you miss a shot or come home empty handed, even though there is never a guarantee when it comes to hunting. Having a person who you can talk out your frustration with is important. Let's face it, you don't want to talk to someone you think will judge you as a "bad hunter" or "lousy shot". I've read articles where it states that you may actually end up blaming one another for your miss or bad luck. I have never personally had this problem. We are a team when we hunt together, if he misses...I miss. We pout for about five seconds and then prepare ourselves for the next flock.

One More Thing You Have In Common
If you don't have anything in common with one another, you are never going to actually enjoy doing things together. (Not both of you at the same time anyways.) One person might have a good time, while the other is compromising and just trying to get through it because he/she knows it makes the other one happy. Don't get me wrong... There is nothing wrong with doing something you might not be a huge fan of just to keep your other half happy. However, if she wants to go hunting with you, why not? It can be one more thing you have in common. What's better than doing something you both want to do and enjoy? Nothing in my opinion. Sure you can have other things in common that you enjoy doing with one another, but having one more common interest is never a bad thing.

These are just some of the many reasons why I feel hunting with your significant other can really nurture your relationship.  Now guys, this is not to say that if you introduce your other half to hunting that you are never going to be able to enjoy another hunt without her again. I feel it is important to go on your own hunts, as well as, your joint hunts. This goes for both men and women. My fiancé and I hunt together and apart. We have our hunts, but he also has his “guy hunts” and I have my “girl hunts”. So next time your other half asks if she can go hunting with you, don’t shoot her down without thinking about how it can benefit the both of you.

Sporting Clays: How To Get Started

By Andrea Haas, Huntress View Founder
Originally Posted on TheHuntersFeed Blog by EvoOutdoors

I shoulder my shotgun and yell “pull”! 

Shooting at the last station in the competition
Prois Competitor Shooters Vest

I take my aim and miss the first two clays. I’m at my very first sporting clay competition and to say that I’m nervous is an understatement. I hear encouraging words from the other competitors behind me as I shoulder my gun again and prepare for the next two clays. Again, I yell “pull”, but this time I bust both clays! The other competitors in my group start cheering for me and giving me high fives, easing my nerves as we walk to the second station.

I recently shot at the 16^th Annual Women’s Charity Shotgun Event hosted by the Ozark Shooters Sports Complex in Branson, MO. The proceeds from this shoot went to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children, a hospital that provides high quality care to children in need, regardless of the family’s ability to pay.

Before now my only experience in this area was shooting trap in my backyard a few times, as well as hunting doves, pheasants and crows. One thing that I truly believe is that you learn the most by forcing yourself to get out of your comfort zone. Going into this sporting clay competition by myself, not knowing what to expect was definitely a little uncomfortable for me, but I am so glad that I did it! 

The women competing in this event were not only very friendly and encouraging, they were excellent shooters and I was happy that they were willing to give me some pointers. One tip was to lift my right elbow up just a little higher & keep it parallel to the ground. This creates a “pocket” in your shoulder that the shotgun fits into better which helps with recoil, especially after shooting 50 shells. I learned that other shooters really want to help you and want to see you succeed. Sure, it’s a competition, but it’s all in good fun and for a great cause.

For those like me that are new to sporting clay shooting, here’s a basic run down on what to expect:

How It Works

Out of all shotgun sports, sporting clays is the closest thing to actual field hunting. With skeet and trap you have clays thrown at generalized distances and angles each time. Sporting clays are designed to simulate actual wing shooting of ducks, pheasants and other upland birds. The clays can be thrown from any direction, at any speed and any angle. Some clays even vary in size, giving you the next best thing to real world hunting conditions.

Sporting clays are usually shot in squads of 2-6 people and is played over a course of about 10 different shooting stations throughout fields and the natural features of the land. Being from the Ozark Mountains, our stations overlooked some beautiful scenery and was naturally, very hilly. Each person in a squad shoots a determined number of clays, usually around 4-6, before moving on to the next station.

Safety

Like all shooting sports, safety comes first in sporting clays. As soon as you remove your gun from the vehicle, make sure the breech is open and the gun is not loaded. If you shoot an over/under shotgun, make sure you break it open and the barrel is pointed down or up towards the sky. Even if you know the shotgun is not loaded, always treat it as if it is.

Ear and eye protection are also a must any time you are on a sporting clay course.

Shooting a Round

Once each squad is at their designated first station, hand the score cards to the referee. Before anyone shoots, the referee will show you the targets so you can see how they are being thrown.

Step up to the station when it’s your turn to shoot and load your shotgun. Point it safely towards the firing area and yell “pull” once you are ready. The target is considered a “dead bird” if any part of it is broken. When you are done shooting, make sure the breech is open and exit the station. Remain behind the station until everyone in your squad has finished shooting and is ready to move on.

Shooting sporting clays is a great way to sharpen your shooting skills and “extend” your hunting season. If you feel sporting clays is something you would like to get involved in, here are a few ways to get started!

Join a Local Club. Check out the National Sporting Clay Association (NSCA) website to search for clubs in your area: http://www.nssa-nsca.org/index.php/nsca-sporting-clays-shooting/clubs-associations/club-search/

Once a member, you can use your clubs facility on a regular basis and meet other shooters. Like I mentioned above, my experience with meeting other shooters was a positive one. They were very helpful, encouraging, and these ladies could shoot very well!

Join the NSCA. The NSCA is the ultimate resource for all things sporting clays. They are dedicated to getting more people involved in shotgun sports, no matter what level they are at, and promoting healthy competition within its membership.

Shoot In a Competition. I think one of the best ways to improve your shooting skills is to actually shoot in a competition, like I did. You can watch other great shooters and learn from them. Don’t worry about “not being good enough”. You only compete within your own class, so you’re only competing against others that are at the same level as you.

Keep Practicing! Shoot, shoot, and shoot some more! Experience really is the best teacher. Also, if any upland seasons are open, get yourself a tag. I ended up getting 1^st place in my class and I feel that my experience with hunting live birds prepared me the most for sporting clays.

Andrea Haas

Huntress View Founder

Huntress View Community - New Blog For Women Hunters

We are excited to announce we started a new blog, the Huntress View Community, where women can share their hunting stories, experiences, tips & photos! We've had our original Huntress View blog going for about a year now & thought this additional blog would be a great way for women hunters to interact more with one another and share their own hunting experiences.

Our goal is to create a community for women to learn about hunting, shooting & the outdoors from a woman's point of view. We hope to educate & inspire women, whether they are new to hunting or have been hunting for years, and to grow the number of women hunters & outdoor enthusiasts!

So what do you need to do now? All you need to do is send the hunting related content you would like shared on this blog to Andrea & Samantha at huntressview@gmail.com. The content can be anything hunting or shooting related such as product reviews, wild game recipes, hunting/shooting tips, even a story about your favorite hunt. Once received we will add the content to our blog & possibly share it on our social media sites as well!

-Andrea & Samantha

Huntress View

For the Love of Bird Hunting

As my love for deer hunting has grown considerably over the years, so has my love for hunting birds. Most recently I have taken up pheasant, dove and crow hunting and found that I enjoy that just as much as I do hunting deer.  Not only has it expanded my time in the outdoors, it introduced me to a much more relaxed and carefree hunting atmosphere, which I found is much needed after months of being so serious about deer hunting.

Last November I went on my very first pheasant hunt in Kansas.  I didn’t really know what to expect but to prepare myself I shot skeet as often as possible throughout the summer and weeks leading up to opening day. Looking back, I feel that it was a good way to prepare and found that pheasants fly very similar to a clay pigeon being thrown out of a skeet thrower, starting at the ground and flying up. Not many birds were shot due to the previous years’ drought taking its toll on the population, but this will be a hunt I look forward to each November from now on. 

Dove hunting was a slightly different story for me.  They are much smaller, much faster, and fly totally different than a pheasant. The best way to prepare myself for dove hunting was to actually go dove hunting. I will admit that I spent a lot of time in the dove field last season and came home each time without a single dove.  I feel my biggest mistakes were not swinging through the shot & leading the dove, and just getting too anxious & forcing a bad shot.  Dove season starts this Monday and I feel much more prepared this season after my experience with it last year!

A less common type of bird hunting that has quickly grown to be my favorite is crow hunting. Like pheasant and dove, I also began crow hunting last year. Crows can be brought into shooting distance fairly easily with an electronic call and some crow decoys. I’ve found that crows are easier to hit than other game birds because they tend to fly slower, therefore you don’t have to lead them too much with your shotgun. Not only is crow hunting a blast, I feel it has helped me the most in becoming comfortable with my shotgun and learning how to handle it.

As a deer hunter, I have learned patience, appreciation, and determination. As a bird hunter, I learned each of those all over again. I set my rifle and bow & arrows aside, something I had become comfortable with, and learned my way around a different weapon.  I’m glad I stepped outside of my comfort zone and tried something new last season. By doing so I not only learned the above skills again, I gained a whole new perspective on hunting.

-Andrea Haas