Hi Girls! I am excited to be working with so many wonderful women who share my interests. Women who want to promote and encourage the growing number of women and girls who love to hunt and shoot competitively.
My husband Jerry and I were married in 1984 on opening day of Rifle Elk Season here in Colorado. A fact my rifle hunting father still mentions. My bow hunting husband never had a problem with it. Most of my married life has revolved around children, hunting and taxidermy.
For several years I fought Jerry every time he went hunting being a true "hunting widow."
He invited me every year for about five years and finally asked me to go duck hunting with him. He was completely shocked when I said yes I would go if I didn't get cold. His excitement turned to dismay when I pulled out a thick hunting catalog and started shopping. He hadn't taken into consideration three things. 1), that he had collected his hunting wardrobe over many years, 2) I was serious about not getting cold and 3) I love to shop! He was a trooper though and I began duck hunting with him and was hooked. I really enjoy bird hunting and I will be working into large game this season.
We have been blessed with four gorgeous children. Casey age 19 who has hunted and shot with her father since she was a tiny girl. She was a Colorado 4-H archery competitor for several years as well as on her high school ROTC shooting team. Kelley age 16, who has bagged two large bull elk and an antelope in her career, is a country music fanatic and beauty pageant contestant who almost had her pageant gown sponsored by a major camouflage company. Tony age 13 loves to hunt anything he can and is soon to be testing for his black belt in karate. Jenny age 12 is learning to hunt and is thrilled to be eligible for big game this coming season. We live on a small farm with way too many horses, three dogs and one cat who adores me.
In 1989 Jerry came home from his construction job and said he wanted to go to taxidermy school. I was shocked and mentioned the fact that we had children and we would all starve if he decided to do this because people really didn't earn a living doing taxidermy. Boy was I wrong! After much prayer and having confidence in my husband, I agreed that he should try it. He graduated from the taxidermy school he attended, and was immediately asked to become an instructor there. Jerry has a gift for taxidermy that I have not seen equaled by many. A couple of years later we became the proud owners of what is now The Colorado Institute of Taxidermy Training Inc., one of the top taxidermy schools in the country. Our school is located in Canon City Colorado. The Colorado Institute of Taxidermy Training Inc. has trained men and women from all over the world and has seen many changes in the taxidermy industry. The growth of women taxidermists is one of the most exciting changes we have seen.
I have been writing for outdoor magazines such as Sportsman's News and Hunting Lease Magazine for about a year now and have also been working on a book about taxidermy, which I hope to have published in the next year.
I am also working on a new venture; helping hunters from all walks of life design their trophy rooms and spaces. I have found through the years that people love to have their trophies mounted, but sometimes are very frustrated when it comes time to design the space in which they will stay. I enjoy helping people achieve the look they are striving for as well as protect the mounts they have spent so much time and money to get.
I look forward to meeting and getting to know you all.
