Lindsay Christensen became the 2017 Extreme Huntress in January.
The Extreme Huntress competition aims to preserve an outdoor heritage and highlight positive role models for women who like to hunt, according to its website.
Christensen, who lives in Weston, a city in Franklin County in Southeast Idaho, won the competition after she earned the most points based on judges’ scores, hunting skills and online votes. There were five other finalists.
Xtreme Idaho recently contacted Christensen to find out what she’s been up to since she won the title. Here’s what she had to say:
Q: You were named the 2017 Extreme Huntress in January. What has life been like for you since that time?
A: Life has been a whirlwind since January. Because of the Extreme Huntress contest and my other hunting endeavors, I have met a lot of great people. As a result, I have been able to do a few things that I didn’t think I would ever get to do. I have been really busy with work, but I got the opportunity to travel to England and film an episode for Fieldsports UK. I was also able to complete one of my bucket list hunts in Spain this spring, a Gredos ibex with my bow. Recently, I returned from Canada, where I harvested a black bear with my bow. Besides doing as much hunting as I can, I have reached out to many hunting-related companies and acquired some new sponsorships. Hunting can be expensive, so it is nice to have support from companies that promote women in the industry. 2017 has also been a great year for me as far as tournaments go as well. I have been shooting better than I ever have, and I can’t ask for much more than that.
Q: How does it feel to hold the title of Extreme Huntress?
A: I am very humbled to have been chosen to hold such an incredible honor. To be able to represent female hunters from all over the world is something that I never dreamed of.
Q: Tell us more about your responsibilities as the Extreme Huntress and what associated activities you've been involved in in recent months.
A: My main responsibility has been to promote women in hunting. I have also been doing online mentoring of the contestants for this year’s competition. I have done my best to offer them any advice that I can to help them be successful both in the competition, as well as outside of the competition. I have also had the opportunity to do some public question and answer sessions at events like the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo and the Ladies Night Out Mule Deer Foundation banquet. In addition, I have had the opportunity to be the guest on two different podcasts, as well as be featured in the local newspapers and on the Southeast Idaho news channel.
Q: What have you enjoyed most about serving in this position?
A: I have really enjoyed meeting new people and talking to them about the importance of the role of hunting in wildlife conservation.
Q: What is the most important thing you want to achieve while holding this title?
A: If I can change the opinion of even one anti-hunter, then I will feel that my reign as Extreme Huntress has been a success. Anyone who enjoys wildlife needs to understand that hunting is the most important part of wildlife management. Without it, many animal populations would be at risk for extinction.
Q: I understand part of the Extreme Huntress Competition's mission is to create positive role models for women who want to hunt. Why do you feel it's important for women to have role models in the sport?
A: Most outdoor marketing is geared towards men. Women realize this, and as a result, they don’t feel like hunting is something that they can participate in. Several women that I have met and talked to have shared stories in which their dad and brothers hunted, but the women of the household were not included. I want to be a visible role model so that women can see the opportunities for them in hunting and wildlife conservation.
Q: How does it feel to be one of those role models?
A: I am not sure that I feel like a role model, but I really enjoy educating others and interacting with women who share an interest in hunting and the outdoors.
Q: How did you get started in the sport?
A: I am fortunate to have a father who shared his love for hunting and the outdoors with me at a very young age. I began hunting with him before I could even walk. He bought me my first bow when I was 4 years old, and I soon began competing at a local level. I shot in my first international tournament at the age of 8, placing 3rd. My archery career took off, and I made my first U.S. World Championship team at the age of 15. Although I enjoy tournament archery, my true love is bowhunting.
Q: What weapons do you typically use?
A: I typically use my bow if I can. I do enjoy pheasant hunting with my Weatherby shotgun though, and I have been successful with a rifle as well.
Q: What types of animals have you hunted?
A: I have hunted mule deer, elk, whitetail deer, moose, turkey, bear and antelope in Idaho. I have also hunted antelope in Wyoming and Utah, as well as been to North Dakota, Minnesota, Texas and Mexico white-tail deer hunting. My Texas adventures have also included hunting for hog and Texas Dall sheep. While I was in Mexico, I also hunted javelina and wild hog. This spring, I went to Europe hunting roe deer, fallow deer and muntjac in England and Gredos ibex in Spain. Recently, I returned from New Brunswick, Canada, where I harvested a beautiful black bear with my bow.
Q: What do you do with your harvests?
A: This is a great question, one that I get asked quite frequently. I do not feel like I fit in the mold of what people would consider a “trophy hunter.” I view all of my harvests as trophies, no matter the size. I am a meat hunter. I hunt to feed myself, my family, my friends, coworkers, acquaintances, as well as strangers. I am 28 years old, and I have never purchased beef at the grocery store. If I am unable to eat the meat of a harvest, I make sure that the meat will get used. Here are a few examples: I donated the meat from my scimitar oryx to the Trinity Oaks foundation in Texas, a program for veterans. The meat from my harvests in England was sold to London restaurants. I gave the meat from my Gredos ibex to the Spanish spotters and their families.
Q: What records do you currently hold?
A: I have been lucky enough to harvest a pronghorn antelope and a mule deer that made the Pope and Young record book (the record book for bow harvests only). My roe buck and Gredos ibex have not been officially scored yet, as they are still in Europe, but should both be large enough to make the Safari Club International record book. Also, after research done by the outfitter I hunted with in Spain, it is believed that I am the first woman ever to harvest a Gredos ibex with a bow.
Q: Tell us more about one of your favorite hunting experiences.
A: One of my favorite hunting experiences is my mule deer hunt from 2012. I got a picture of the buck I was after on my trail camera the first week of the month-long archery season. I immediately set my sights on that specific buck, as he was unlike any I had ever seen in that area before. I hunted hard for him every day after that, sitting in my treestand either morning or night and sometimes both if my work schedule allowed. I passed up a few smaller bucks and was finally able to let my arrow fly with just two days left of the hunt.
Q: What do you enjoy most about hunting?
A: I think my favorite part about hunting is that it teaches you a lot about yourself, as well as skills that can be applied in other aspects of life. Hunting teaches patience and responsibility. It teaches you to never give up, because you never know what will be over the next ridge. It teaches you how to deal with disappointment. It teaches endurance and self-discipline. It teaches you how to be prepared. Hunting also instills confidence.
Q: What is the hardest part for you?
A: To be successful, hunting requires a large time commitment: from scouting in the spring and summer, to putting up trail cameras, to setting up ground blinds and treestands before the hunt, to the time spent on the mountain during the season and the time required to take care of an animal after it is harvested. With three jobs, it is hard for me to find this time. I am hoping that will change some day.
Q: What would you say to encourage other women and girls to consider trying the sport?
A: Hunting is an individual sport, and women can be just as good at is as men. Hunting is rewarding in so many ways. There has never been a day when I have come off the mountain thinking that I shouldn’t have gone.
Q: What is the best way for a newcomer to get started?
A: Taking a hunter education course is a great way to get started in hunting, and most states require a hunter education certificate before you can legally hunt. Hunter education courses teach things like the history of hunting, hunting and survival skills, hunting ethics, basic shooting skills, firearm safety, wildlife identification, field care of game, and conservation principles. The legal hunting age in the state of Idaho is 10 years old.
Q: Tell us more about yourself and what you do when you're not hunting.
A: Well, I currently work three jobs to support my hunting and archery lifestyles. I teach full-time in the nursing program at Bridgerland Technical College in Logan, UT. I work part-time as a charge nurse at Franklin County Medical Center in Preston, and I am a nursing consultant at the new Maple Springs facility in North Logan. I travel all over the country to archery tournaments almost every weekend from December through July each year. In my spare time, you can find me practicing archery, hiking in the mountains, running down a dirt road, fishing or hanging out with family and friends.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?
A: People can follow my hunting adventures on Instagram and Facebook. My Instagram name is bowhuntress88, and I also have an athlete page on Facebook, Lindsay Christensen-Extreme Huntress.
