Girls With Guns and Bows

Oct. 26, 2014

NUMBER OF WOMEN IN THE WOODS GROWS

Perched in a tree stand in northern Ontario, Gaylord teen Jada Johnson sits patiently as a black bear lumbers toward a fragrant bait pile 50 yards away. The burly bruin sniffs the air cautiously, and then swipes a large paw, rattling the logs. It’s dusk and this bear is looking for his dinner.

"When this bear came in, my heart started to race," the 19-year-old Jada said later. "He wasn’t the biggest bear, but good enough for me."

Peering through the trees, she waits quietly with an arrow notched in her PSE Archery custom bow. Calmly, she pulls back, holds her aim rock steady, and fires an arrow.

The razor sharp metal point strikes the bear in the shoulder. It yowls in pain and bolts into the thick underbrush. With night coming on, Jada and her father Kevin decide to wait until daybreak to track the animal. The next morning, it doesn’t take much time before Jada finds blood droppings on a branch, and lets out a shout.

"He’s right here! This is the first animal I’ve ever shot with a bow," she says. "We found him. I’m so excited. It feels so good! Oh man, Big Boy Down!"

HUNTING CAMP

Jada’s hunt is recorded on video and will later be broadcast across the nation. The Johnsons produce, direct and star in "Big Boys Adventures," an outdoors adventure television show on NBC, ABC, The Sportman’s Channel and other networks.

Hunting and fishing have seen a major boost in female interest in recent years and the Johnson family is playing an active role in that growth.

For two days in July, Jada, Kevin and a team of instructors conducted a camp to teach women about hunting, fishing and more.

"The campers ranged in age from 14 to 50," says Jada, who shot her first deer at age 10 while hunting with her dad in Texas. "And we had a blast. It was an awesome time. They didn’t want to leave."

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources offers a similar program, "Becoming an Outdoors-Woman," or BOW. Since 1991, the program has expanded to 44 states and nine Canadian provinces.

Big Boys Adventures campers learned how to safely handle and shoot firearms and bows, bait, use hunting blinds and scent protection, fly fish and other skills.

19-year-old Danielle Keysor came from Harrison to attend. "This is actually my first year hunting and now I’m even more excited for the season to start," she wrote on the "Big Boys Adventures" Facebook page. "It was also nice to officially meet everyone."

Keysor said her father tried teaching her to fly fish, but it was really nice to learn from a professional. Coming into the camp, she was looking forward to learning about bow hunting, having received her own bow last December.

"Archery was definitely one of the highlights of the boot camp, not only for Danielle, but for most of the women," said Danielle Vuke, market and media director for "Big Boys Adventures." "Most of them were really excited because archery is a lot more technical. It takes a lot more skill than pulling a trigger."

Although men still account for the majority of the 13.7 million U.S. hunters, the number of women actively hunting is on the rise. According to Census Bureau statistics, the total number of women hunters surged 25 percent between 2006 and 2011.

Retailers have taken note of this increase and are outfitting women hunters with clothing and accessories specifically created for their bodies. Archery manufacturers, for example, are designing lighter bows scaled for shorter arm spans.

"The number of women getting into hunting is just exploding," says Kevin Johnson. "It’s gone from 3 percent [of the hunting population] to 21 percent. That’s a huge market increase."

THRILL OF THE HUNT 

Campers also got to see what Jada’s hectic life is like with a behind the scenes look at the production of a promotional video for the TV show. A former three-sport athlete at Gaylord High School, Jada has had a passion for the outdoors and the thrill of the hunt all her life.

"I remember sitting in a duck blind when I was three or four years old," she says with a laugh.

While others her age are concerned with higher education, Jada has foregone college to pursue her outdoor adventure career.

"It’s my passion," says Jada. "There are a lot of TV shows out there with 40-year-old guys hunting. But I’m a 19-year-old girl doing every single thing those guys are doing."

The TV show is in its fourth season and Jada will now be more involved than ever. "While I was in school, I wasn’t able to go on every trip," she says. "Now I’m into working on the show 100 percent."

The Johnson name is well known in Otsego County. The family owns and operates Johnson’s Oil and Propane, as well as a seasonal ice cream shop, a quick lube facility and the Waters Hilltop restaurant.

Kevin Johnson is an expert hunter in his own right. He’s close to completing the Super Slam of North American Game. To earn this prestigious honor, a hunter must register the legal taking of 29 recognized species of big game animals native to North America; Johnson needs to bag only five more.

While traveling and being in the woods is exciting, Jada’s favorite part of the adventure is her time with her dad.

"I look forward to every hunt because I get to spend time with him," she says. "And my mom has been our biggest supporter and our biggest fan. She says I’m not allowed to wear camouflage in public and not allowed to wear my hair in a ponytail every day. She’s kept me in good balance between being a girl and a tomboy."

The Johnsons plan to hold similar camps in 2015, but dates are not yet decided. Visit: www. bigboysadventures.com for details. For more info on BOW, visit: www.michigan.gov/dnr.