Meet Queen Ashley

Hello! My name is Ashley and I am a proud huntress! I have been archery hunting for 3 years now, and it was the best investment I have made yet. I started hunting at age 14 with a 30’6 and 270 rifle. I shot my first doe my first year of hunting. I wanted to expand my hunting skills so I bought a Diamond Edge compound bow and of course decked it out in pink!

I grew up surrounded by boys including all my cousins who all hunted. The women in my family don’t hunt often but they enjoy cooking the accomplishments. I remember watching women and men archery hunting on the outdoor channel and wanted to have the same experience. Every week in the summer I would practice shooting my bow at 20 yards, not much but it was a start. I drew my first archery tag that fall. I was blessed to kill a mule deer and provide my family with meat.

Living at 10, 200 feet above sea level in the Rocky Mountains is heaven to hunt in. I have been so high on mountain tops where the clouds flow during the day and have sat above tree line near beaver lakes watching wildlife below me. I have seen so many wonders on top of a mountain. There is one thing that I have learned hunting on so many high tops; this is what life has to offer me. Laying down on Earths’ bed allows me to recognize what the definition of beauty really is. Waiting patiently for deer in the blind lets me think of what is really important to me, my home, my mountains.

You hear so much toxins and chemicals residing in meats at the grocery store. Not to mention meat is expensive, especially if there is only one grocery store in your town. I was never ok with eating foods that are genetically modified. The meat at the store looked older than me sometimes. That was the turning point in my hunting life. I really understood why it is so important to hunt, to provide food for my family and I and to keep healthy foods in our system. I preach to people that it is so important to know where your food comes from. So many people have health issues and I believe that part of the reason is because what we put in our body. I really enjoy that I can accommodate my kill in a beneficial way. I put it down, I butcher it, cut it up, and package it to my preference.

I recently graduated with my associates in science and now pursuing dental school. I have learned species control is crucial to the environment. The society needs hunters to keep the ecosystem balanced. Elk hunting is very popular here in the Rocky Mountains. Large elk populations result in heavy grazing which leads to a decline in vegetation. Yellowstone National Park has calculated Aspen tree growth with large elk populations. The aspen trees hardly grew. This then resulted in less food for beavers and so on. Hunters do keep the ecosystem in check.

This photo shows me practicing with my bow in my backyard. I love hunting in style and looking cute while I’m at it! My bow is customized to my liking and I feel at home shooting arrows in my cowboy boots. I have shot several deer and one elk. Every year I draw for deer, elk, and big horn sheep which will take a few years to get points. I hunt with a rifle and my bow. Although, I love hunting with my bow because of the rush you get. You need to be closer to your target and have consistency and patients. Hunting allows me to notice the little things such as how long it takes for the frost takes to melt in the morning, or listen to birds talk. I feel like I get more dirty and into my hunting experience with a bow in my hand. In my eyes, you must work hard for a kill with a compound bow more than you would with a rifle. Archery hunting is an absolute thrill and I am blessed to have great terrain to hunt in.

Jun 03, 2016 | Category: Blog, Fan Photos | Comments: none

Recent Posts

Meet Queen Ashley

Leave a Reply Cancel reply