Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Welcome to The Bowfishing Podcast — the ultimate destination for bowfishing enthusiasts of all levels. This show dives deep into the fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled world of bowfishing.
Hosted by Industry Professional Chuck Belmore and joined by top bowfishers, gear makers, and conservationists. Tune in for real stories, expert tips, tournament recaps, and everything you need to hit the water with confidence.
00;00;00;02 - 00;00;17;41
Unknown
Okay, guys, welcome back here to the Pyramid here in Memphis, Tennessee. And today, we are absolutely blessed to have one of the most awesome guests that I've had all day. And not only that, but the prettiest because I've been up here with a bunch. Thank you. Both fishermen. That's right. But now I'm up here with a bow. Fisher woman.
00;00;17;42 - 00;00;36;50
Unknown
Yes, Slash gator hunting extraordinaire. You guys might know her from the History Channel show Swamp People. Yep. Miss Anna Rebeck was my last name. That's why I said it, right? Because she told me how to tell you her last name. You know, people from Louisiana, they got a little slang, so I made sure I got it right. Little bit.
00;00;36;51 - 00;00;56;11
Unknown
Little bit. But thank you for being here. Thanks for inviting me. Yes, for me. I'm going to step out and tell everybody how I kind of met you the first time. Okay. I've known her for a year and we work at the same company fair on most products, both fish and products. Last year at the Muzzy Classic there in Guntersville, Alabama, they told me she was coming over, asked me if I'd ever met her.
00;00;56;11 - 00;01;24;03
Unknown
I said, No, I'm excited. You know, I've seen her on TV. So she came out and honestly not blowing smoke. But I was blown away with how interactive you were with all the children and all the young ladies and they all flocked to you. And it's awesome to see. I get to meet a lot of people, travel around the United States hunting and fishing, and it's awesome to see that people that are genuine and people that reach out to the younger guys and girls and actually put forth effort.
00;01;24;08 - 00;01;42;43
Unknown
And that made a lasting impression on me as I know it did. A lot of the people that were there to see you. And I'm thankful that you, you know, responded to our request for you to come to this event. And I know you're going to touch a lot of people here, but I'm going to hand it over to you and let you tell us what you do, how you do it and why you do it.
00;01;43;13 - 00;02;02;01
Unknown
okay. All right. No questions. I know I won't tee it up for you, so I'll let you run with it. All right. You're better at podcasting than me. So this is my first official podcast. I'm used to TV, but not podcasts. Well, I know you can handle. I don't know. I'm like, This is scary. This isn't like hunting, but so I'm technically, I guess what you call me is a commercial alligator hunter.
00;02;02;01 - 00;02;18;11
Unknown
So in Louisiana we commercially gator hunt. And you know, it's brutal It's it's it's 30 days and we go out there every single day and bust our butts and get it done and pull in a whole lot of gators. And the crazy part is, you know, everyone thinks I grew up doing it, but I'm the girl who didn't grow up doing it.
00;02;18;16 - 00;02;36;25
Unknown
And so that's why I kind of like to connect with the younger generation and different women and everything else, because I didn't grow up doing it. I didn't get into faux hunting until my twenties. I'm I'm going to reveal my age. I'm 32. Wow. And so I got into it. 3-D archery, started, bought myself a bow in college.
00;02;36;25 - 00;02;53;23
Unknown
I was at LSU Tigers, and I just bought a bow and started shooting. And I was like, I'm a super competitive person. So I was like, 3-D archery. I'm a try it out, fell in love with it, started to learn with the assays, you know, doing all that. And then I met hunters and I mean, I met a lot of hunters and they were like, You need to come out and hunt with us.
00;02;53;23 - 00;03;09;08
Unknown
So I started bow hunting and I was like, This is it for me. I'm like, I'm going to live this life. So I kind of got into it on my own and it was a different path. But like, I've met so many great mentors in the community and I was like, eventually I'd like to give back when I get to that stage and to that point.
00;03;09;13 - 00;03;29;38
Unknown
And I got on the show because Miss Ashley Jones, who's on the show, she has red hair. She actually she and I used to hunt together. And so she invited me one day she said, Look, we're actually getting another boat for the show. And she said, Would you like to, you know, be interviewed to do swamp people? And I was like, I mean, I love to hunt with you, but I don't I don't know, you know?
00;03;29;43 - 00;03;50;27
Unknown
So I interviewed and they were like, Hey, you're on TV now. And I'm like, I don't know about this. So never really ask to be on TV, you know? So we we started hunting together in season 14. So people's been running 16 seasons. yeah. Forever. It's crazy. Absolutely crazy. So we were the only female team and it was the coolest experience.
00;03;50;38 - 00;04;08;54
Unknown
Season 14 of 15 with her and she and I got to the coolest part was pulling in the Gators and unloading them at the dock because we'd have all the kids there watching us and these little girls would come up and be like, I want an alligator hot too. And you're just like, This is, you know, these are the kind of role models you need, right?
00;04;08;59 - 00;04;27;17
Unknown
And you want to do this stuff. So it's been a really cool experience. So now she chose to retire because she has kids, so she wanted to be at home more. And so Mr. Bruce called me up and he's an original swamp. he's hilarious. I love him. I got everybody that watches Swamp People knows Mr. Bruce. look, everybody knows him.
00;04;27;19 - 00;04;43;52
Unknown
I was. I was trying to convince him to come here, but he's always on the road, right? So. But I got him in the boat fish, and really, I got him in the boat fish. And last year he's like, I've never really done this. So I took him out on the boat during Gator season and we went and just, you know, freshwater fish and we caught some buffalo and he was great shot.
00;04;43;52 - 00;05;00;10
Unknown
He was he was beating me. I was like, You got to be kidding me. Like, he was just out there. I'm like, This is beginner's luck. I was getting mad, but we started. He looked at me. I he's like, This is kind of fun. He's like, It's easy, easy. He said, It's easy. That's Mr. Brewster. He can do anything.
00;05;00;14 - 00;05;18;35
Unknown
But some people just got it. You know, you take some people and they just naturally are good. Just like throwing a baseball or, you know, throwing a Frisbee. I always use that analogy. Some people just got great hand-eye coordination and they pick it up that fast. it's instinct. Yeah. Yeah. it's awesome. So, I mean, he and I have been hot together, and I just learned so much from Mr. Bruce.
00;05;18;35 - 00;05;34;40
Unknown
It's. It's incredible. And he, you know, he's like, we're really going to both fish alligators. And I'm like, Look, this is our backup weapon. You know, it's commercial gator hunt. We're not going out there to just kill one gator. And I mean, bow hunt, gators a lot harder than shooting with a gun. for sure, that's for sure.
00;05;34;40 - 00;05;52;09
Unknown
Yeah. And in Louisiana, the thing is, the law is that you can only dispatch an alligator with a bow and arrow if it's already on a hook in line. So I cannot go out there and just anchor gator in the water with no real see, I didn't know that. That's good to know. It's crazy because it's much harder.
00;05;52;09 - 00;06;09;34
Unknown
So you you only go for the kill shots with the bow. so you're not actually just trying to get them aligning them to get them to the boat. You already have to have on the hook and then you have to shoot them with the bow. Yeah. To kill them. Yes, actually finish them off. Actually finish you. And let me tell you what, that is not easy.
00;06;09;45 - 00;06;27;15
Unknown
So that's why it's our backup weapon. It's also when landowner's, you know, we have tags on different landowners properties. Some landowners don't want guns used. So because people always ask me, they're like, Well, why do you use the bow over the gun? You know, like, why would you? And I said, That's a great question, but it is because some landowners don't want guns on their property.
00;06;27;20 - 00;06;44;29
Unknown
And I said, okay, sometimes we like to be really quiet about what we're doing because we don't want to scare the other gators off because we do snipe gators out in the open. So when we're running, our lines will be quiet with the bow and then hopefully we'll still have gators popping up along the way where Ashley can get a good, good snipe on them, you know?
00;06;44;34 - 00;07;03;26
Unknown
So there's different reasons. But you know, when you pull up the gator, it depends on the gator. But some will thrash really hard in the water. Roll up. they roll like crazy and do it with a bow. You know how small that quarter size kill shot. That's where that's that's a great point. Where is the best spot to put the shot on the gator?
00;07;03;28 - 00;07;19;51
Unknown
I know you got a awesome head here. Yeah, but where where is it if. Because like me, you know, I've shot a few alligators with a bow and. But not not efficient and by no means, you know, luckily there in Georgia we can as long as we have a line in them, you know, it's the restraint in line.
00;07;19;51 - 00;07;36;26
Unknown
Yeah. So we can shoot them with a bow, we can get them with a hook, and then we can finish them off with a firearm once they get to the gun. But but as far as like, taking a lethal shot when we're the best spot, it is. It is the same kill shot as the gun. So it's right behind that steel plate and it's that quarter sized spot.
00;07;36;26 - 00;07;54;55
Unknown
And so it I'll show you on this gator. There's I'm sorry, I help. Yeah, there's the skull plate right behind it in this little slice. Okay. So when the gator comes up, I have to be at a really good angle with the boat, too. It's not like I can just put the bow on it and. Right, you know?
00;07;54;55 - 00;08;14;49
Unknown
Yeah. So it's not I have to hold for a long time and it's very nerve racking. What they don't show on TV is that I'm not a perfect shot. I do miss Right. And I have actually hit the skull plate of this gator and the arrows bounced back in my face. No, kid. so don't do that. Don't get a skull plate of an alligator with a bow or gun.
00;08;14;51 - 00;08;38;30
Unknown
Right. But no, it's a tough shot. And I do make some really good shots. But I thought it because they showed that on TV, because I mean, that's the danger of it is when you hit the skull plate, it's coming back at your face, locking. Imagine so. So what type of arrow? And, you know, like I said, what we're talking about here is these guys that bow fish, you know, this this thing's all encompassing.
00;08;38;30 - 00;08;57;29
Unknown
And and what we want to do is inspire not only people that's never bow fish, but also people that have bow fish. And they want to take it to that next level, which I would say the next level is gator. I'm 100% you know, that's the thing. We're we're we're doing a lot of podcasts today. We're doing them on stingrays and our alligator gar and then the ultimate an alligator.
00;08;57;34 - 00;09;17;17
Unknown
So what on your equipment? What's what's different or what do you suggest over what the normal guys out here use it on the boat say in this tournament shooting these course. So I would say, like most people who are going to get into bow hunting gators, they're not going to do it the way I'm doing it, because that's very commercial and it's going to be, you know, Louisiana law, really weird, right?
00;09;17;17 - 00;09;33;28
Unknown
But if they're going to another state to hunt gators and they're wanting to anchor them out in the open water, which I think is awesome, I think it'd be a really fun way to do it. You want the same setup I have, which is, you know, I use a fiberglass arrow, but the tip has a cross drilled hole in it where you basically attach the line to it.
00;09;33;37 - 00;09;49;59
Unknown
Okay? Because when you shoot into that gator hot, you want it to stick. And then if the alligator if it's rolling, let's say, and the arrow breaks off, you're still connected with the line because the line is attached to the tip of the air. So what you're doing is you're attaching the actual gator cord to the tissue. Yes.
00;09;50;04 - 00;10;10;49
Unknown
Instead of wearing actual bow fishing, you're attaching it to the slot or to the hair like that. We actually do not use a slide. Right. So I use a ring system on this area here. So and then, yeah, it's attached to the end. And then you want to attach the other end of your ear of your line, which is £300 test line by the way is the legal minimum in Louisiana.
00;10;10;54 - 00;10;30;35
Unknown
So you need a really strong test line. And I attach the other side to like a flotation device or a movie or something. So I use a real and when I shoot it off the real both ends, one end is attached to the bow, the other ends attached to the arrow. And so if the gator runs off with your arrow, the all the line can pull out.
00;10;30;39 - 00;10;45;33
Unknown
And that that float will, you know, detach from your bow. And then that way you can track your alligator. That's got to be exciting when that float gets snatched off there and then it's really own at that point. absolutely. We actually this was crazy because we don't get to shoot them in open water with the boat, you know.
00;10;45;46 - 00;11;03;20
Unknown
But I actually had one. He was on hook line and I went for the kill shot and I shot him in the kill shot. But it didn't seem to go all the way. And well, he detached from the hook in line. He got off the hook and started running. And so I actually got to like, really experience the float come off.
00;11;03;25 - 00;11;24;17
Unknown
And I mean, it's just crazy. You got to go after him. So I put a second shot and it was like, Wow, yeah, I like it. Yeah, crazy stuff. But I would say that's like the next level. If you're like, just getting into it, I'd say, go bow fishing first, right? Not just gator hunting, right? You go ahead and get comfortable with the equipment and get get comfortable with making a good shot.
00;11;24;22 - 00;11;39;39
Unknown
Absolutely. Yeah. And that's that's one of the things that we want to drive home, is that being comfortable with the equipment, like I said earlier, you know, some people get it quicker than others. Yes. I've had people on the boat that couldn't hit the water. I didn't think. Yeah. And then I've had people that I didn't think could miss.
00;11;39;39 - 00;12;05;30
Unknown
And I'm like, You sure you've never done this before as Mr. Bruce? So when you see an alligator and I'll speak from my first and my little bit of personal experience alligator like it is a all inspiring kind of thing. When you see one from me to those guy sitting right there, you know, being from Georgia and not being a swamp person, the first time I get close to an alligator, that's mad.
00;12;05;35 - 00;12;25;18
Unknown
It demands respect. You know, it's not like walking up on a deer for the first time or walking up on a turkey for the first time. You're walking up on a dog going dinosaur? That's right. That can eat you. It can. And absolutely, if you have an arrow in it and it's not in the right spot now, not only is that dinosaur that candy you he wants to eat you and he's very angry about that.
00;12;25;29 - 00;12;45;01
Unknown
he's very angry. Yes. Yes. So and he's not used to being picked on. No. He's the dominant predator in that situation. And he's going to let you know it real quick. You're the only. Yeah. Yeah. He lets you know that he's in control. Yeah. So that being said, what is down there where you guys harvest these alligators?
00;12;45;01 - 00;13;05;10
Unknown
What's the big one. What would you consider. I know swamp people. Everyone, they put in the boats £1,000 and 39 feet long. Course they all are mine. But. But we got you here, and I'm going to put you under the microscope here to what's a real big, big one for you. A real big one for us. So we actually we have a hard time finding some big ones because there's a lot of gator hunt that goes on, right?
00;13;05;13 - 00;13;24;36
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah. So you got to find your spots. And, you know, if you have more tags, that's better for you because you get to go scout a little bit more, more land. But I would say a good one for us is anything over 12. 12 foot. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So the one I have right here, this was my biggest with the BO and this was 11 seven.
00;13;24;41 - 00;13;44;28
Unknown
So I mean, it's pretty good, but not quite there. Yeah, that's still a monster now. It is. I mean, it's big. Yeah. And then, you know, me and Mr. Bruce, our biggest this year was 12 foot one. Wow. Yeah. Okay, so that's huge. And how many pounds? The one of those on average weigh? I mean, it just is it just depend on the gator really does because some gators are skinny.
00;13;44;28 - 00;14;02;56
Unknown
Some gators are real thick. In fact, those are the ones that I just call them up back breakers. I see them coming and I'm like, putting it in. The boat's going to be whole. Well, that's what I think about too. Like, you know, I look at people, you know, you know, you can never judge a book by its color, but I also look at it doesn't matter how old I get.
00;14;02;58 - 00;14;25;03
Unknown
Yeah, I'm never going to be six foot tall, but now could be £500. So I can't beat your dang rhyme minutes. Okay. Same with same with animals. He's not going to be a 12 foot alligator, but he might be £1,000 if he keeps on growing. so I gauge Gator Gore like that. Same way, you know, there's going to be some Gator Gore that are six foot long, you know, £170.
00;14;25;03 - 00;14;39;03
Unknown
And there's going to be some of them that are six foot long. That's £100. Right. And so you just never really know the genetics, but you kind of got to learn how to judge them, I guess. And you guys, when you're commercial and it's like, I got one on the line, he's going in the boat. yeah. You know, okay.
00;14;39;21 - 00;15;00;55
Unknown
yeah. Like if it's hook and line, you got to take them. Yeah. So it doesn't matter what it is, unfortunately. Okay. We'd like to not take the four footer. Right. But you got to because that's just, you know, it's ethics. Yeah. The hook is in their belly, right? And so, I mean, technically, you could cut them off, but they've never done real research into, like, how they do after they would be cut off a lot.
00;15;00;59 - 00;15;18;03
Unknown
Yeah. So anyways, it's not ethical, so don't do it. Yeah, that's, that's how we look at it. But I mean, you know, if we're really going and gunning for big gators, we're going to be sniping in open water. Really? yeah. So we'll go out early and just sit there and we'll cut the engine off and just watch what pops up.
00;15;18;08 - 00;15;35;34
Unknown
And if we get some big ones to pop up along the, you know, the like, we, we start inching over there real slow. Then finally, you know, when we're in range of what we feel comfortable shooting, I'll just cut the engine off and then just, you know, coast drift off. Now, do you guys do it all in the daytime or do y'all do any at night or.
00;15;35;34 - 00;15;52;56
Unknown
I wish we could do night hunting, but it's not legal in Louisiana. Okay, so only hot days. Gotcha. So the gators are always more active in the mornings, early morning or. Yeah, they come up in the mornings. They're feeding and they're doing their thing. So, you know, we like to get out there pretty early. I get up at 4 a.m. every day.
00;15;53;05 - 00;16;11;29
Unknown
We have fun locked in the boat. Yeah, smelling like vomit all day. So when y'all run those hooks, like I said, now you got to understand, I'm naive to the to the hook and line. And, you know, I've been down there both fishing in Louisiana, and I see all the I see all the cane poles with the stuff hanging over it.
00;16;11;29 - 00;16;31;27
Unknown
Yeah, that's what I want to see right there. So big old hook. That's a monster hook. And then you bait it with chicken. Bait it? Well, there's plenty of different bait she can use. But let me tell you, for us, it's commercial gator hunting. So we're trying to use the cheapest bait possible. So we buy a bunch of chicken in the store and then we go and let it rot.
00;16;31;32 - 00;16;51;33
Unknown
You sit it in the bucket for a long time and you just let it rot. And then you get you stick that bucket on the boat all season and it smells good. Wow. Yeah, for that. I love the smell of it, I guess. And that's that's a really strong smell. Right. And that's what they're attracted to. So there so these gators that y'all are targeting, basically they're just cruising down the bank.
00;16;51;33 - 00;17;09;47
Unknown
They hit that scent. Yes. And then they're coming and then once they see that pole or that that hook dangling, they come up and tell me if I'm wrong. Yeah, they come up and they pop it. And then you got that that one. Yes. So they don't even see the hook. That's the thing. We hang it like a couple inches above the water, depending on your boat, Captain.
00;17;09;47 - 00;17;26;14
Unknown
Some like it hot, some like it low. Okay. And I'm just the deckhand, so I do what I'm told. Mr. Burns don't know what he wants, but anyway, so they don't even see it. What it is, is the chicken is dripping juice into the water. Okay? And so when it smells that, my gosh, it comes right up and just grabs it.
00;17;26;29 - 00;17;44;14
Unknown
And I've gotten video of them grabbing it. It is crazy. And then when they swallow it, the hook is in their belly, right? So then they're hopefully stuck. Sometimes they get off if they're big enough. Really? it's crazy because they can what they do, you know, we usually set lines on like cypress trees or something like that in the swamp.
00;17;44;19 - 00;18;02;03
Unknown
What they do is they go under the cypress knees and they wrap the lawn around them to try to cut loose from the line. And every now and then they can free that line and get off it. Even though this I mean, look at this. Yes, huge wrong. But I mean, that's just gator hunting shotgun, so. Well, that's awesome.
00;18;02;14 - 00;18;17;53
Unknown
So I know not only gator hunting, but you do a lot of both fish. Yes. I love it. You know, I follow you on Instagram and social media, Facebook and everything. And you guys do a lot of both fishing, too. I absolutely love it. I got into that later in life, too, and I fell in love with it.
00;18;18;07 - 00;18;37;31
Unknown
I'm a big proponent of eat what you harvest and bow fishing is my thing. I absolutely adore it. So I'm not a huge tournament. Fisher Now, that's all you. I'm learning tournaments, but like I got out there in the marsh and just fell in love with it. And I fell in love with the fact that you could go out, You could, you know, just see everything beautifully, like at night in the marsh.
00;18;37;31 - 00;18;49;01
Unknown
And it's such a cool experience with your friends. You just get to go out, get to have a good time. I like to take a lot of new people out because they're just like, I'm not going to be good at this. And I said, It doesn't matter. Like you're just going to go out. We're going to have fun.
00;18;49;01 - 00;19;03;16
Unknown
And the cool part is usually, you know, you're either going to miss the fish or you're going to stick fish. So it's not like you have to worry about wounding animals like that. So you go out and you just have a good time. And if you hit one fish during the night, which a lot of you know, my beginners, they'll hit one right.
00;19;03;21 - 00;19;17;41
Unknown
And they're so excited and they get to bring something home and it gets boring because we get to we get to shoot some game fish at home, right? We're legally allowed to shoot redfish and catfish. And so, man, you hit one of them. You get to bring that home like, that's a big deal. You bring up a great point.
00;19;17;41 - 00;19;43;22
Unknown
And this is something that are on the podcast earlier today that I really overlooked. And it's great here and you say it and it's something that I want to convey to our audience and especially the young kids that are out here listening. When you said you go out in the marsh and you see it when when people come to this place, the Permian in general, or any Bass Pro shops where do what do they do?
00;19;43;22 - 00;20;09;08
Unknown
They come in and they stand in front of those aquariums. They come in and they walk in. They see these fish swimming around. Yes. And for me and all these both fishermen here, we see it every night. We go in the water and we honestly take it for granted. But when you take someone new or you take that child for the first time that's never been out there, you take that 22 year old person that's never experienced it, and you look over there and they're going, my gosh, this is so cool.
00;20;09;10 - 00;20;25;19
Unknown
Yeah, I didn't know this was out here. I've never experienced this. And when you see that and you hear someone say it and you see it on their face and then they go at the end of the night, they're like, What's is the sun already coming up? They've been there all night and they're like, I can't wait to do this again.
00;20;25;25 - 00;20;42;22
Unknown
You're you've done your job, you're hooked. But but these people that walk through this place and are looking at these ponds and they're looking at this shooting experience and they're like, That's so cool. That's the message. We got to get out there to them and say, look, this, this, this world's out here. Yeah, it's waiting for you to get out there and try.
00;20;42;39 - 00;20;56;58
Unknown
absolutely. I was like, This is such a fun sport for you. And I just I like to introduce people to it because like I said, I didn't come from it, you know, I didn't grow up with it necessarily. I grew up in south Louisiana. I was a ditch fishing queen, you know, But I didn't get to hunt as a kid.
00;20;56;58 - 00;21;10;13
Unknown
I didn't get to do any of that. So, I mean, you can get into it at a later age. And that's what I like to convey to people, is that it's not a closed sport. Like we're open to having people come in and like, do this and just fall in love with the outdoors. Like, you know, I'm a Bo hunter.
00;21;10;13 - 00;21;26;56
Unknown
I don't go out there and kill something every time I'm out in the woods, though, and that's okay. Like I'm out there to really enjoy what I'm doing. And man, I've been hunting turkeys with about five years and I still haven't gotten one with a bow. And those things have eluded me with the bow. But I love bow hunt, so I'm like, I'm going to get one with both.
00;21;27;00 - 00;21;42;59
Unknown
But that's what it's about. It's just getting out there and like really enjoying the outdoors and just seeing it. I love taking people to the marsh because I'm like, You get to see the gators swimming at night, you get to see all kinds of different stuff. So. yeah, it's exciting. Yeah. And like I said to someone that's never experienced it, it blows their mind.
00;21;43;04 - 00;22;01;20
Unknown
But that brings me to my next point and I've got a lot of them to to hit on with you. But this is the one that gets me excited and I really want you to beat your chest on this one. You know what? The super man's capable. I'm ready. You do a lot of bow fishing clinics. Yeah, and a lot of stuff on your own time.
00;22;01;20 - 00;22;19;58
Unknown
On your own time. And that's something I commend you on, because we need more people like that, not only in bow fishing, but in the outdoors in general. And, you know, like I said, you beat the conservation drum for a lot of people. And what tells you that some of the things that you do and kind of your background, you know, I thought it was interesting.
00;22;20;00 - 00;22;37;40
Unknown
You and I spoke on the phone. You know, what you do for a real job, not only, you know, well, I'm just saying you're like me. You got about five different jobs, all different. Yeah, they're in There are so many different. They're on totally different ends of the spectrum. But tell the people that are out there that might not know what you really do.
00;22;37;45 - 00;22;52;58
Unknown
Like I was like, blown away about your degree and. And what your real job is and like I said, what you do on the bow fishing workshops and and just I just think that's a really cool story and a really cool message too. Like I said, inspire people. That's what we're here for. I want people to get out and go fish.
00;22;52;58 - 00;23;15;49
Unknown
I want people to to jump in the outdoors and do it for conservation and do it because I enjoy it and do it because cool people are doing it and talking about it. I'm the nerd of the group. I got a master's degree in plants. That's what I say. I've got two degrees in horticulture from LSU and I thought I was going to be an extension agent, a horticulture agent for the state, and I ended up falling in love with social media and I actually became the LSU AG Center.
00;23;15;49 - 00;23;38;44
Unknown
Social media strategist. You know, I changed my whole career path to communications and so now I get to communicate conservation to everybody and that's what I absolutely love. And I found kind of to my passions what, you know, it's the outdoors and it's communications. And so I put them together and I have a good time with it. I really loved we started doing some bow fishing clinics.
00;23;38;44 - 00;24;01;15
Unknown
I put it together with our local Beauchamp, who's my great biotech. His name is Kenny's that Gotham Archery. And so I said, Man, we should really, you know, put this together to see if we can get beginners into it, you know, like true beginners. And so I talked to my sponsor to Muzzy, and I asked him about putting that on, and they, they said, we'll support it 100% and we're sending you everything you need.
00;24;01;15 - 00;24;16;12
Unknown
And I couldn't believe it. Like, they sent me bows and they sent me targets to just get started, you know, and so we kind of put the schedule together and I said, I think we can do this. I said, I wonder if if LSU has a really big lake out there, the LSU lakes, that's like manmade. And I said, it'd be great because they have docks.
00;24;16;12 - 00;24;32;54
Unknown
So we could shoot from the docks and get people involved. And so we actually got the park system involved and they said, Absolutely, we'd love to put this on. They said, Look, we don't usually condone weapons on the lake. This is the first time that this is happening. So, you know, y'all better do it. Right? Right. And I said, we will absolutely do it right.
00;24;33;08 - 00;24;53;10
Unknown
And we put on we ran 30 people through that day and it was like one after the other. We only wanted a smaller amount so we could really teach these guys just to focus. So we gave them an hour clinic. So we ran three clinics that day and Mr. Bruce and I actually ran them together. He was out there because she fell in love with it and he's like, I want to help out.
00;24;53;24 - 00;25;10;22
Unknown
That's a come on. So of course, everyone loves Mr. Bruce. They loved having him there. It was so fun. Yeah, He brings that star power to it. my gosh. He's a superstar. Yeah. So everybody, it was just so much fun because it was it was all different age groups. That was the cool thing. You know, It was like 18 year olds.
00;25;10;22 - 00;25;25;40
Unknown
It was 40 year olds. It was, you know, new people. None of these people had ever shot a bow. And we even had an LSU football player come out. cool. I was like, cool. So everybody came and they just really enjoyed it because we made it fun. We didn't make it like stressful. We weren't like, you're doing it wrong.
00;25;25;45 - 00;25;45;06
Unknown
Yeah, we got him just shoot like regular targets. Just feeling how it felt to shoot a bow fishing, going through the motions. And then we took them out and we made these, like, You know what? JP did the coolest thing with these targets back. yeah, Everybody's loving that. They totally stealing the shot because we couldn't figure out how to make these things float as well.
00;25;45;06 - 00;26;02;14
Unknown
So we made like these fish molds and they, the problem was they didn't hold up throughout the day like, yeah, they broke. They broke. So we had enough of them, thankfully. But kids really love like after they went and shot, you know, on land, then we took them to the dock and put the fish in and we would pull it in for them so they could shoot it.
00;26;02;19 - 00;26;21;35
Unknown
And we got him to compete against each other. there you go. competition aspects. Yes. And so we started putting this on, and it was a really, really big success. And what we like to do is take it next to the Bass Pro shops where they have ponds like our local Bass Pro and Denim Springs near Baton Rouge has a big pond.
00;26;21;35 - 00;26;36;43
Unknown
And I'm like, Man, if we could hold a beginning bow fishing class out there with me and Mr. Bruce put it on and then they could come right in and buy the equipment in the store because that was our biggest hindrance, was like, I know some guys might be working like that. What you know, that would be I know one or two of them around here.
00;26;36;47 - 00;26;55;59
Unknown
That would be pretty cool. Yeah, I think it'd be a nice like, you know, Segway because just because you already have the products here and so it'd be awesome. Like if they wanted to buy, they could just come inside and get what they needed because I think that was our biggest hang up was, yeah, you know, we were kind of lose that that that connection once they leave.
00;26;55;59 - 00;27;13;35
Unknown
Yeah. Once they leave like once they're out the door, they're just kind of we got a million other things to do. So yeah. When you're there and you're in the moment, it's just easy to walk right over there. Just like here. Just like the shooting event that's going on right here behind us. Manus Awesome. But how many guys are leaving here and going back and buying bows and arrows and getting so many?
00;27;13;35 - 00;27;31;00
Unknown
I mean, at the Mercy Booth all morning. Yeah. yeah. So that's great. But yeah, that's, that's what I ideally would love because the problem is. Yeah, they come there and then they don't quite know where to go. So we were sending them to our shop obviously, and we had quite a few come in and get them and I was like that was the nice thing to see was that these people were really interested.
00;27;31;00 - 00;27;45;45
Unknown
But the thing was you have to make it fun first. Yeah, it's not like so stressful, especially often fun with women. At least I can speak from my perspective as we get kind of anxious if we don't know how to do something. And sometimes we shut down where it's like, we're not as good as the guys over there or whatever the case is.
00;27;45;45 - 00;28;12;18
Unknown
So it's it's fun. Like, I like to come in and work with ladies because they're more prone to like, work with me as a female. Yeah, I think I can see that a lot. Like I said last night when we were upstairs at the event, when I used to guard bow fishing, you know, I used to love when a father would bring his young daughters and, you know, or bring his wife or a guy bring his girlfriend or whatever, because it was so awesome with women because they listen.
00;28;12;31 - 00;28;30;48
Unknown
Yes. You know, men are hard headed. And that son of a guns and I'm speaking for myself, too. But if you talk to firearms trainers, they'll tell you the same thing. I'd much rather teach a woman how to shoot a gun than a man any day because men never want it, man, when they're wrong and they're going to try to do it their way the first time.
00;28;30;55 - 00;28;50;33
Unknown
absolutely. They're going to try to do it their way the third time in the fifth, in the sixth. And finally, about after the 10th, they're like, I'll listen to you. But women listen and they take direction really well. Well, something that they're not comfortable doing because they don't want to screw up. And they're people pleasers. They are they want to shoot that fish as bad for you as they want to do for them.
00;28;50;33 - 00;29;09;46
Unknown
So they listen. And I found that out with my daughter and my son. It held true with both of them. He's hardheaded. He's a great shot. But I'll tell him gauge, aim low, aim low, and he'll shoot every time. And I'm like I told you over his my daughter. His sister. How about Gracie? Aim low. She'll smoke the fish.
00;29;09;46 - 00;29;32;06
Unknown
And he's like, she's always been your favorite. Anyway, you know, he gets mad at me and I'm like, Come on, son. But, you know, it's just it's in his bloodline. I told him, I said, you're jinxed. Yeah, but. But no, you're absolutely right. That is the great thing about this sport. And, you know, one of the things that I've always found just intriguing about it, you don't have to be able to pull back £60 boat to go out and shoot like you do in three days.
00;29;32;11 - 00;29;49;39
Unknown
You don't have to you know, you don't have to go out, spend thousands of dollars on equipment. You go you can you can go buy a cheap bow, put your bow fishing kit on it. If you're a smaller frame person that hasn't shot a bow a lot, you can start with £20 and work your way up. But, you know, most of us aren't shooting over 35 £40.
00;29;49;39 - 00;30;07;11
Unknown
I was going to say I shoot £30. RUSH Exactly. And so that actually opens the doors to a lot of people that wouldn't be able to go out and actually compete in, say, a NASA event, you know, because you're not shooting 45, 50, £60. Absolutely. So it opens the door to a lot of people to get out and enjoy the outdoors.
00;30;07;11 - 00;30;20;15
Unknown
And that's what we did. And I find, you know, sometimes tournaments can be very intimidating for for new people and like, you know, bow fishing is for me, it was supposed to be fun. And that's that's where I go out and I'm like, I just get to go out with friends and I get to have a good time.
00;30;20;26 - 00;30;37;12
Unknown
Wish you a couple of redfish. We all hit our limits and we go home very, very happy. I like to eat. So, you know, I'm from home, I'm from Louisiana. That's what we do. Well, that's great. And that's that's what this whole of being about is about. And this whole podcast series that we're doing is that, you know, I used to be a die hard tournament.
00;30;37;17 - 00;30;59;56
Unknown
Yeah, I wanted to win like me and my team, and we showed up, but I wasn't we didn't come for second, you know, we come for first. They knew what and, and as I got older, I got children and I, you know, X, Y, Z. Yeah. I kind of the water kind of cleared up. You know, I always use the analogy like if you quit stomping in mud, bottled water, clear up and once you can see the bottom, you can see what's on there.
00;31;00;13 - 00;31;15;16
Unknown
And that's what I did once I quit. But once it cleared up, I'm like, you know what? There's this is the bigger picture here. Yeah, I want to win. Yeah. But at the end of the day, I need to take what I can and inspire these these young kids and these other guys to get out here and want to win.
00;31;15;21 - 00;31;30;42
Unknown
Because after they get that out of their system, they're going to inspire the next generation. That's what it is. And once they get that win and out of their system, they're going to inspire the next generation. So now we take these events, and I'm so thankful for John Paul and and Bass Pro Shops and now we get to do things like this.
00;31;30;42 - 00;31;48;03
Unknown
We find great people like you that reach a ton of people. And then I have truly passion behind their calls. Yeah, and we can capitalize on it to get more people into it. absolutely. That's I mean, for me, that's that's what it's about. And I mean, two big props to you for tournament fishing because that is a different beast.
00;31;48;08 - 00;32;05;44
Unknown
I'm new to the tournament world and I was greatly humbled when I got on the boat and greatly humbled because I did not realize that, you know, fishing in the marsh is so different than being on a deep lake, right? I saw so many over so many fish in that like, yeah. the guys were laughing at me so hard.
00;32;05;44 - 00;32;20;42
Unknown
And I was like, I promise I'm good at both, you know, trying to please everybody on the boat like a female. And then I realized, Yeah, do you really go shoot low and deep lakes? Yeah, true story on that. That's the first rule about fish name low. And if that doesn't work in lower. Yeah, but not in the marsh.
00;32;20;47 - 00;32;37;03
Unknown
No, it's. Well, when there's two foot of water it's hard to shoot you know, under I'm down there so I shoot like literally my aim and spot is the belly of the fish because that's, you know, that's it for the masters. So yeah, I got, I got humble, y'all. Y'all do really cool stuff out there. But yeah, no, I enjoy what I do on my side.
00;32;37;10 - 00;33;00;06
Unknown
Awesome. Well, I know you got to get back to the musi boats, but I want to say thank you so much for taking time out. Coming up here and sitting down with us today. I know you've been slammed back there today. Yeah, it's been great. Everybody's been coming back. Tell everybody where they can find you and where they can follow you, because trust me, she's always doing something cool, whether it be boat fishing for regular fish or for boat fishing for alligators.
00;33;00;06 - 00;33;20;38
Unknown
Yeah. Or just commercially taken alligators commercially, the gators or even forge and some plants. I'm a nerd, I'm telling you. yeah. You're always finding something. yeah. yeah. But where can everybody follow you? Because I know they want to make sure it's on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and of the Archer. And so I'm on everything and YouTube now, Facebook, I guess they call it for the old folks.
00;33;20;38 - 00;33;36;49
Unknown
But yeah, I love Facebook. I have my biggest following on Facebook and we have a good time. I do all kinds of me and Mr. Bruce collaborate a lot, so we're always cooking something to nutria. I like to hunt nutria. That's fun. Hang on, don't go into that. We'll do another podcast on that because I want to come do that.
00;33;37;13 - 00;33;55;16
Unknown
good. Yeah, good. Absolutely. you need to come to the Nutria rodeo with me. We might do that. Okay, then We have never been. But I want to do it. boy. I'm. I'm the record holder. Third place for heaviest nutria, £21. Wow. That's a big rat. It is. All right. Well, thank you so much again and for being here.
00;33;55;16 - 00;33;58;34
Unknown
Yeah. And I appreciate it. Thank all of you guys for tuning in. Again,
00;33;58;34 - 00;33;59;14
Unknown
Thank you.