The Alabama Longbeard That Got Away

Close your eyes, take a deep breath in and listen to the woods come to life. Feel the earth beneath your feet and the morning breeze against your cheek. Exhale. This is why we hunt. Open your eyes and watch the sun rise over the horizon. No matter what happens next, we get to watch the woods wake up.

This is the breathing exercise Melanie Bolke and the Shoot Like a Girl hunting mentors do with their new hunters before every hunt, setting the tone for an experience built on patience, presence and learning.

The memory of that morning with Melanie feels a lot like my missed shot: blurred. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, and we were listening to the nuthatches, sparrows and woodpeckers. We heard a few distant gobbles from the roost, and suddenly there was movement in the tree line. A tom strutted into the open field, 20 yards away from our blind. It was all going according to the plan, but rather than celebrating my first harvest, we watched my first missed shot. Before I even knew what had happened, I watched the bird fly away.

I stayed still, feeling heavy with guilt, replaying what I did wrong. But everything happens for a reason, and I still had more to learn before I could have a successful harvest.

This hunt was a part of a broader initiative led by Beretta USA in partnership with Shoot Like a Girl, designed to introduce new hunters to the field through fully supported, mentored experiences. Beretta provided travel, lodging, meals and equipment, removing many of the common barriers to entry and allowing participants to focus on learning and building confidence.

The experience also marked a significant milestone. In its 500th year, Beretta stands as the longest-standing industrial company in the world still owned and operated by the same family. As a part of that celebration, each participant was presented with a commemorative 500-year medal, a reminder that while the brand’s history runs deep, its future depends on the next generation of hunters.

Six guests were invited to Lagarde Lake Lodge in Piedmont, Alabama. The hunt spanned four days in the lush Alabama turkey woods, beginning on the range with target shooting. Beretta’s shotgun team captain, Diane Sorantino, demonstrated the A300 platform, and we each got a turn behind the gun. We spent time learning how the gun fit, how to mount properly and how to read our patterns.

Hunters used Beretta A300 turkey shotguns, including new camo color offerings introduced at the 2026 NWTF Convention and Sport Show, giving us confidence with the same equipment we would carry into the field.

Shoot Like a Girl has been passing on hunting heritage and getting new women hunters into the woods since 2009, when Karen Butler founded the company. She was fortunate enough to have friends take her hunting when she was struggling and the experience changed her life.

“Being out in those woods felt like I was following in the footsteps of all of my ancestors,” she said to the group as she introduced herself and the event.

When it was my turn on the range, I flushed with embarrassment, as I consistently missed the target, favoring the top right corner. Before I found a solution, we packed up for the afternoon.

Early the next morning, all of the ladies slowly funneled into the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast before setting up in the woods. This was the first hunt of the season for most, and the possibilities were endless. I went out to a blind with Melanie and Ashley Holm, a Texas native who won Shoot Like a Girl’s contest to attend the hunt. Not too long after sunrise, a group of four turkeys came out of the tree line over 400 yards away. They were slowly walking toward us enjoying the morning, while we silently rearranged ourselves into new positions for Ashley to take a shot.

In that moment, seconds felt like hours, and it was nearly impossible to wait for the birds to get closer. But Ashley made a clean shot, and we all smiled in recognition of her first turkey, making sure we didn’t get too excited and scare away any birds that might come back. When none returned, we celebrated her very first turkey harvest.

She told us that this hunt taught her the importance of patience, and she was grateful to have had a mentor talk her through taking a shot. I was grateful she was there to shoot so I didn’t have to, still feeling anxious after missing at the range.

As if she was reading my mind, Melanie suggested we use the afternoon to target practice and figure out why I kept missing the target. The qualities that make a good mentor are all ones that come naturally to Melanie. She is kind and understanding. She shared her own stories to make sure I knew that everyone had felt the way I was feeling.

Erica Lulloff, another Shoot Like a Girl mentor, came to the range to help us figure out that I was strongly left-eye dominant. Both Erica and Melanie suggested it might be easier to shoot with my left hand rather than over-correct by shooting with my right hand and right eye. After an hour of trying to awkwardly fit a right-handed shotgun into my left shoulder, I took a shot.

“That’s a dead turkey,” Melanie said as the three of us looked at a shotgun spread across the center of the target.

With a new sense of confidence, Melanie and I went back to our blind late in the afternoon. It was calm and quiet. We saw three turkeys passing through the fields: a hen, a jake and a tom that was too far to shoot. They didn’t respond to our calls, but at least we knew where the birds would be in the morning. And sure enough, they were there. It’s too bad I missed the shot.

I learned that you should never shoot with sunglasses on before the sun rises. I learned that I’m my own worst critic. And mostly, I learned that missing a bird is a part of the game. Everyone keeping telling me, you're not hunting enough if you've never missed a shot.

Although the hunt in Alabama ended, this story is far from over. I left those woods inspired and excited to continue to hunt, which is more valuable than any harvest would’ve been. I’ve already learned so much thanks to so many inspiring mentors, and the season in my home state of New York has only just begun.

Experiences like mine highlight the importance of mentorship and access in expanding the hunting community. Through partnerships with Beretta and Shoot Like a Girl, we are helping ensure that new hunters not only get started, but feel confident enough to continue the tradition.