Wednesday Mar 11, 2026
Hog Deer, First Harvests & Becoming a Hunter — With Mel Gray
On this episode of the Women Who Hunt Podcast, I’m joined by Mel Gray, a hunter whose journey is full of real moments, big lessons, and the kind of stories you only get by being out there in the bush.
Mel takes us through her early days behind the camera, watching deer behaviour up close, slowly stacking confidence, and eventually stepping into the hunter she is today. We dive into her first honk, her first harvest, the minute before the shot, and how those moments shaped her both outdoors and in her everyday life.
We dive into the emotional reality of her first field dress — the warmth, the weight, the respect — and what it taught her about connection and responsibility. Mel also shares the full story of last year’s hog deer ballot: being the last person to choose, getting the leftover blocks, stalking quietly through one area, then moving into the next and taking a hog deer within 15 minutes. A clean drop… straight face‑first into the mud, followed by a hilarious and memorable clean‑up job.
We talk about:
• reading the bush and understanding behaviour
• moving from camera to rifle with intention
• women vs men in the bush — and why we move differently
• tanning hides and the stories each one carries
• confidence stacking and solo hunting
• why empowerment often comes quietly, one moment at a time
This episode is about identity, respect, patience, and the power of women backing women in the outdoors.
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