South Carolina WITO Program Hosts Successful Deer Hunt
In collaboration with the South Carolina Wildlife Partnership, the NWTF South Carolina Women in the Outdoors (WITO) outreach program recently held its first deer hunt of the season on the NWTF-owned property adjacent to the organization’s Palmetto Shooting Complex in Edgefield County.
Five ladies from varying hunting backgrounds joined the event, but they all had one thing in common: none had ever harvested a white-tailed deer.
“I just felt it in my bones; it was going to be a good day,” said Billie McCarter, NWTF South Carolina WITO coordinator.
The day kicked off with the NWTF Deer Hunting 101 class, which provided an overview of South Carolina’s rules and regulations and essential deer hunting information. After the seminar, the ladies headed out to the range to sight-in their firearms. From there, they were taken to their stands. Each hunter was placed with an experienced mentor.
Within 30 minutes of placing the last mentor and hunter in the stand, a buck was on the ground. All five ladies had opportunities to shoot, with three ladies harvesting their first deer, including two bucks and one mature doe.
“There’s nothing quite like a first deer harvest — the thrill, the gratitude and the sisterhood that comes with it,” said Emily Black, event attendee and first-time hunter. “Surrounded by these incredible ladies and the support of the SC WITO, we didn’t just make memories in the woods — we celebrated strength, skill and the joy of sharing the hunt together.”
Mentors guided attendees on how to properly tag and report their harvest.
The NWTF WITO program was created to cater to the growing number of women interested in the outdoor lifestyle. In the past decade, the number of women owning firearms and participating in target shooting and hunting has risen significantly. Women now comprise over a quarter of all anglers and represent the fastest-growing segment within the hunting and shooting communities. The WITO program is an effective program to retain lifelong hunters by engaging and educating women about the great outdoors.
In fact, previous attendees of South Carolina NWTF WITO events have continued their hunting journey and have gone on to become mentors of the events they were once mentored in.
“I remember the feeling from when I harvested my first deer, but to witness someone else harvest theirs surpasses that amazing feeling,” said Amber Terrell, first time mentor and previous WITO event attendee. “This was a great group of ladies who truly cherished their experiences, and I am so thankful to have been a part of it.”
Katherine Poland, another first-time mentor also felt moved by the experience of mentoring a new hunter.
“As a first-time mentor, I was able to teach another huntress the values and respect that goes into harvesting an animal,” she said. “We made a plan that evening in the deer stand to harvest, and with patience, guidance and God’s blessing, my huntress was able to harvest her first deer. Mentoring allowed me to share my knowledge, ensure safety and teach ethnical hunting practices, all while creating a bond/friendship with my hunter.”
In addition to memories made, the attendees were provided with a swag bag full of items ranging from deer calls to water bottles.