Natalie is a Jesus-loving midwest gal who likes to shoot ducks, reel in fish, & ride barrel ponies.
This Female Hunter Feature is for Natalie Sours. Here we go!
Why do you hunt?
I hunt because I am in love with the sport. I love getting to watch the world God created wake up and it is even better when you are surrounded by your closest family and friends. Hunting to me isn’t just about the harvest, it’s about the memories I make sitting in the blind. It’s getting to watch those birds drop in on a spread my family and I created and knowing that all our hard work paid off. It’s knowing that every single day we hunt with a purpose towards conservation efforts for wildlife and the land. Every time I take a seat in the blind I learn something new about myself and the sport and it is the growth that fuels me to continue to get better. For me, there is more to hunting than the limit that day.
When was your first hunting memory, and how old were you?
My first hunting experience was when I was 7 years old and I went deer hunting with my mother. It was bitterly cold but we couldn’t have asked for a better day. Unfortunately for us, we left without a deer, however, that moment was pivotal for me later in my hunting career. My mother's determination to stay out for as long as she could to try and harvest a deer is what I keep in the back of my head at all times. If she can do it, I can do it.
What do you love most about hunting?
I love the togetherness the sport brings and the memories you make with friends and family. Those memories and lessons last a lifetime in and out of the blind. The ducks are just a bonus.
What’s your most memorable hunting experience?
Last year my boyfriend Dalton Selman and I went into a local public land walk-in for Teal Season. It was my first time on this land and I wasn’t too sure what to expect. My expectations were blown out of the water! I had never seen that many ducks in my entire life! We had multiple groups of 10-20 Teal fly directly above our heads before shooting light. I swear we could have jumped up and caught one. I will never forget that hunt and how good it was. Experiencing moments like that makes one incredibly blessed to live this lifestyle. That was the hunt that made me truly fall in love with the sport for other reasons than just the harvest.
Do you have a favorite wild game recipe?
Unfortunately, I was not given the gift of cooking. I leave that up to my boyfriend. I’m known to burn water.
Do you have a dream hunting excursion?
Honeybrake with my boyfriend and our dearest friends. I don’t need to say anything more about that because y’all already know!
What would you say to other women who haven’t tried hunting yet?
The ducks don’t work unless you do, and they don’t care if you’re a man or a woman. Women have the talent and ability to do anything a man does and don’t let anyone tell you differently. Just go for it girl! There are plenty of female hunters to learn from and look up to. We all were beginners once!
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