Daily Inspiration: Meet Wendy Heersink

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Heersink.

Hi Wendy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Wendy is an avid upland bird hunter with a passion for mentoring, advocating our hunting heritage, and championing habitat conservation.

Wendy grew up in Montana in a family of big game hunters, including her mom. Her mom’s example influenced her to become an avid and passionate outdoorswoman.

Wendy furthered her interests in wildlife conservation by attending the University of Montana and obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology and a Master of Science in Forestry. She spent seventeen years working as a wildland firefighter performing suppression and prescribed fire duties holding positions in both supervision and leadership. Her career accomplishments include planning and implementing prescribed fire projects to enhance wildlife habitat. She worked for the Federal Government for over 27 years.

Wendy got her first German Shorthair Pointer (GSP) in 2005 and started upland bird hunting and learning how to handle a bird dog. She and her husband Doug enjoy working, training, and going bird hunting with their GSPs, Cash and Dolly.

Along with being a Pheasants Forever member, she previously was a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, and was a founding member of a Rotary Club.

Wendy has volunteered with Pheasants Forever in ladies Learn to Hunt and Novice Upland Bird Hunts. She has almost as much fun taking others hunting as she does going herself. She cherishes the times when a novice bird hunter harvests their first bird over one of her dogs. She has guided several women’s only hunts at the Bluffs in Byers CO. Wendy is also a Hunting Education Instructor for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Wendy’s efforts to be a part in starting Eastern Colorado Women on the Wing (a chapter of Pheasants Forever) has led to the first WOW chapter in Colorado and one of 16 nationwide. Being ECO WOW’s charter President has been one of her greatest honors.

The purpose of Eastern Colorado Women on the Wing is to build a supportive community of ladies that possess a variety of knowledge and skills to promote the development of safe, competent, and confident upland bird hunters while advocating and supporting the Pheasants Forever conservation and outreach mission to ensure our hunting heritage is accessible for future generations.

ECO WOW is hosting a sporting clays fundraising shoot called Busting Birds at Kiowa Creek Sporting Club in Bennett Colorado on Saturday, August 16th.

For more information follow us on Social Media for the latest chapter news, events, and updates.
facebook.com/ECOWOTW
Instagram @ecowomenonthewing

Our events can be found on the Pheasants Forever page by clicking Events https://events.pheasantsforever.org/events

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Creating and establishing an organization consisting solely of volunteers takes dedication from all who make the commitment. ECO WOW is a brand-new Pheasants Forever chapter which has had to overcome many obstacles in forming the organization and performing to meet ECO WOW’s mission. Each of the board members had not served in a board capacity before being selected as a board member.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Being a volunteer and giving back to conservation and promoting ethical safe hunting is critical to me as it is a significant part of my heritage. When I started upland bird hunting 20 years ago, I did not have any mentors, let alone examples of lady upland bird hunters to be guide me. During my time as a wildland firefighter, I learned a great deal about coaching, training, and mentoring people.

A few years back. I had the opportunity to volunteer with a local Pheasants Forever chapter that was hosting a ladies learn to upland hunt seminar. My dog Cash and I had the opportunity to host the novice ladies bird hunter group, and we were a part of several ladies getting their first upland birds which I found to be exhilarating! Helping a new lady hunter harvest their first bird is a very special moment that only happens once. From this experience I realized that I could be a mentor to other lady upland bird hunters. From this experience, I realized that I could also coach, train, and mentor new hunters.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Valuing people and building positive relationships with volunteers and our supporters. I believe it is critically important to put the needs of others above your own and to have selfless motivations.

Pricing:

• Pheasants Forever Membership $45

Contact Info:

• Website: https://events.pheasantsforever.org/events
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecowomenonthewing
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ECOWOTW