By Brenda Valentine
First Lady of Hunting®
May 17, 2010

For the past few years, Russ and Wanda Roberts, owners of Western Gateway Outfitters, have donated a merriams turkey hunt for two youths to the NWTF Convention Grand Auction.  As the official NWTF Spokespeople, Michael Waddell and myself have accompanied the "Jakes" hunters the past two years in addition to film crews and parents. This hunt is based in the turkey-rich area of Hulett, Wyoming on the western edge of the Black Hills. The scenery is typically breathtaking in that part of the country, however, on this particular week Mother Nature did her best to wreck our fun and halt the kids hunting success. The kids from Pennsylvania stood strong against the rotten weather conditions and both went home with wet but beautiful merriams gobblers.

Wanda Roberts is the heart of Western Gateway hunt camp where there is always hot coffee and tasty food waiting for the cold and weary hunter.

It was my pleasure to accompany Katelyn Barry and her father on her very first hunt for merriams turkey. It rained, sleeted and snowed continually during the first 2 1/2 days of the hunt but Kate never wavered in her determination to get a bird.

Russ Roberts is one the most aggressive outfitter/guides I've hunted with. He makes it a personal mission and goes to great lengths for every hunter to be successful, particularly the young and/or physically disadvantaged.

Kate and her dad, John, take a break after a long muddy trek up the mountain.

It required leaving camp a bit after 3 am, walking up the mountain in the dark, and sitting through a sudden snow squall for Kate to get her prize. She agreed it was worth all the pain just to finally get her hands on her very first wild turkey gobbler.

Kate's smile says it all.

This hunt was captured by a NWTF's videographer and can be seen on Turkey Call TV next season. Stay Tuned!  

Read all of Brenda's Field Notes