Hello! I'm Kristin Alberts, and I'm here to share my passion for the outdoors with you. I grew up on a farm in the Midwest, and the Whitetail season was one of the greatest weeks of the year. It meant not only harvesting meat for winter, but also spending quality time with family, enjoying nature, and becoming part of the land that has been in my family since they came from Belgium. There's no better way to grow up.
In addition to pursuing deer, we also regularly hunted small game for the table and spent many days on the waters of Lake Michigan and Green Bay fishing Perch, Salmon, Trout, and Walleye. From there, my love of the wild has grown into a career in the firearms and outdoor media industry.
This Female Hunter Feature is for Kristin Alberts. Here we go!
Why do you hunt, fish, and spend time outdoors?
While the majority of my time is now spent either hunting or reviewing firearms, I can never get enough fishing time. The reasons I spend time outdoors are many. I hunt for the love of the wild, as well as for the conservation of game animals and the land.
Hunting has provided some of the greatest moments with family, and the hunting lifestyle has given me some of the best lifelong friends. I hunt for the challenge of the pursuit. I hunt for meat and self-sufficiency. Harvesting a trophy-sized animal is always an added bonus, but that's not what drives me. Hunters and outdoors folks enjoy the best views and moments in the outdoors because we're out there in the early mornings, late evenings, in inclement weather, in remote locations, and often, in solitude.
When was your first hunting memory, and how old were you?
My first memory of the hunt came with my Grandfather–my Papa. When I was young, I followed him around on the farm. When chores were done, we'd take walks in the woods, and he'd teach me the plants, trees, and regale me with stories of the Native American camps he learned of from his father and grandfather.
When I was old enough, around seven or eight, he gave me my first “real” gun–a single shot .410. We took that old gun out on a squirrel hunt, and I remember the day like it was yesterday. We stalked and called squirrels and soon had one working in a big old Maple tree. With him watching over my shoulder, I made my first game harvest and I was hooked. It was a rush of emotions–thankfulness for the harvest, pride in providing meat for the family, joy in sharing that moment with my Papa, and so much more. We took more squirrels that day, but that's the one I'll never forget.
I've since spent many wonderful hunts with Papa and with my father as well. Those are the best kinds of memories, and memories make us rich!
What do you love most about spending time outdoors?
What's not to love about hunting and the outdoors? It gets us outside. It provides a personal challenge. As sportsmen and women, we are stewards of conservation. I also love the challenge, the pursuit, the adrenaline rush, and the accomplishment. Success is not always measured by the harvest, but rather, by the joy the day brings. Hunting and fishing are some of the things that never fail to make me happy.
What’s your most memorable hunting experience?
There are so many great memories in the outdoors that it's impossible to choose only one. My first squirrel hunt is an obvious choice. Then, there's the first turkey I took with my Papa's Belgian Browning A5 Sweet Sixteen that he bought new as a young man.
I also had an exceptionally memorable up-close-and-personal tangle with a monster Water Buffalo in Texas that resulted in an ER visit, a shoulder mount for the wall, and one heckuva story that I'd be happy to share around a campfire sometime!
Do you have a favorite wild game or fish recipe?
I have favorite recipes for just about every type of wild game and fish we harvest. That's one of the joys of hunting–enjoying the fresh, organic proteins that you harvested! I regularly share some of my favorite wild game recipes on Guns.com:
Do you have a dream hunting excursion?
I have plenty of “bucket list” excursions in mind. Hunting and fishing take you to some of the best locations! Just a few that are near the top of my list: New Zealand for Red Stag and Tahr; Kamchatka, Russia for Brown Bear and Moose; Alaska for any kind of hunting and fishing; and a return trip to Africa for Dangerous Game. While all those sound pretty wild, I'm always pretty darn happy heading out to the family 40 for deer, turkeys, and small game.
What would you say to other women who haven’t tried spending time outdoors yet?
Even if you haven't grown up in a hunting, shooting, or fishing family, I can't encourage you enough to give it try! You'll find some of the most welcoming and wonderful folks in the outdoors world, as we're eager to share our passion. If you don't know where to start, just reach out to one of us. In addition, there are wonderful organizations to help hunters and fisherpeople get started in the outdoors. Groups like Wisconsin Women Fish and programs like Learn to Hunt through state departments are great places to begin. No matter where you begin, take that first step and I'm sure you'll find a lifetime of enjoyment!
Learn more about Kristin Alberts.
Follow Kristin on Facebook.
Follow Kristin on Instagram.
Read more of our Female Hunter Features here!
