Real Name: Dina Voutour
Nickname: countrygirl or Sweetpea
Age: Old enough to know better!
Height, weight: Your kidding right???
Home State: Florida
TradGang member number: 27
Member Status: Founding Member/Sponsor/contributing member (countrygirl)- Good (I hope)
Years traditional bowhunting: Only two years (I am a rookie)
(TG)- Tell us about yourself.
(countrygirl)- I am a wife and also a Mom to 2 young adults. I work full time...and I find that archery is relaxing. I love to watch deer too. I love to be in the woods and watch the world wake up. I also love the night sounds of the woods. I love to watch the busyness of the birds and squirrels as the get ready for nightfall.
I have been blessed by many traditional hunters who over the last few years have given me many wonderful and wondrous things. Another really cool thing is that I have been accepted in a man’s world doing primarily a man’s sport. I have received so many wonderful items it is hard to list them all. Many came with a challenge to attempt to make a similar item myself.
I am trying to give back…in my own small way I am trying to pass on the tradition. Last year I gave two youth long bows to a brother and sister who had tried archery through the Boy and Girl Scout programs. They’re Mom was a friend who told me that their budget allowed for $35.00 for the entire Christmas budget. It is appalling how poorly we pay the Military men and women who protect us! With the help of some friends on Trad Gang we were able to outfit them with quiver, tabs and arrows. I recently made a bow sock for fellow who is new to traditional archery…the cool thing about it is the toe of the sock is made from deer hide given to me by Killdeer. Talk about some good MOJO!!!
(TG)- How long have you been bow hunting with traditional gear?
(countrygirl)- Two years. I have only hunted in any form for two years.
(TG)- Any heroes? Any role models?
(countrygirl)- Tom my husband, Robin Hood, Howard Hill and Saxton Pope.
(TG)- What got you started bowhunting?
(countrygirl)- Well I have been married to a bow hunter for over half my life. I saw how much Tom enjoyed it...but I never fully understood how necessary it was for him. It is now necessary for me. I am really looking forward to this season. I confess…I used to go shopping when Tom went hunting. Every time a new head went on the wall I went shopping and bought something feminine…or something nice for the house. I once bought an acre of land while he was away on a hunt…he took the price tag right in stride did not even blink an eye. It’s funny…I now hate to go to the Mall…but I do love to go to Cabela’s.
I also never wanted a hog head on the wall and now want one of my own up there. Maybe this will be my lucky year at hog hunting. (Our house has gone from the French Country look...pinks and blues and cut-work lace to looking more and more like a lodge...I just bought Tom a recliner that is done in Mossy Oak Advantage)
(TG)- Do you have any favorite memories or kills that stand out? Tell us about it!
(countrygirl)- Gee for two short years I already have some very special memories. Most of the time I nocked an arrow but never drew the bow. During my first year hunting I saw some things that Tom says hunters hunt their whole life and never see. One day after hunting in the “Meat Locker” I told Tom about the two deer I saw rassling…I learned quickly that the correct term is sparring. They were two young looking bucks a 6 and a 4 pointer. The bigger one kept egging on the smaller one by pushing it sort of playfully in the side with its antlers. They locked horns a couple of times but I don’t think they were serious about it. Another time when I stayed up all day I got bored around 4:30 and started playing with a Wal-Mart deer call. I think I paid less then $4.00 for it. I got it out of my pack and blew into it and HELLO…a huge buck came over a hill. It stopped and looked around…I tried to melt into the tree to my left and the one behind me. Then I blew again and the deer came closer toward me and then stopped. I was afraid of spooking the deer so I waited a bit and then blew again. Each time the buck came closer. Finally the buck stopped right under my tree. I did not shoot the buck because I thought I had used my buck tag on the button buck I took the first day. I still have a lot to learn even though I have learned a lot. Now that I know how much larger Missouri deer are then Florida deer…I hope to shoot the bigger ones. J
(TG)- Do you remember the first animal you took with a traditional bow? Tell us about it!
(countrygirl)- My Gator is the first animal that I ever took. I took it in my yard and I was on the ground. Tom was home and he heard that there was a gator in the ditch at the road. He called the local Sheriff’s Office who called one of the many Gator Men that our county has. When the Gator Man arrived it was determined that the gator was a threat. Tom asked if it would be all right if I shot it with a bow. When he heard yes he called and told me to get home quickly. I only work 6 miles from home and I arrived and ran into the house…grabbed my Morrison long bow and a couple of Tom’s arrows with broad heads. At that time I did not have any hunting arrows of my own and in fact had never shot an arrow with a broad head. I had shot plenty of alligator targets though and knew right where the kill zone is. The first shot hit exactly where it should…the gator spun and snapped the carbon arrow in half…and then came roaring outta the ditch at me. Traffic came to a screeching halt…and started to back up as people stopped to watch. They (Tom and the Gator Man told me to shoot it again and I did…this arrow in all the excitement went into his mouth which he had it wide open and coming at me. The gator spun some more and the gator man was concerned that if I continued to shoot the hide might be ruined. The Gator Man gets to keep the hide and sell the meat to restaurants. Tom harpooned the gator just behind the eyes on the top of the skull…then they hog-tied him for good measure. Last time I looked my pic was on the Morrison site with the gator. I was allowed to keep the head…which I kept frozen for awhile and it is now at the taxidermist.
(TG)- Can you tell us a bit about your preferred hunting combo?
(countrygirl)- I love recurves, long bows and primitive bows. So far I have hunted with a Morrison longbow and a Zipper Extreme recurve. Both were fun. After I have more experience I hope to try hunting with a primitive bow. I bet it is a thrill to hunt with a bow you have made yourself.
(TG)- What is the one piece of advice you would give a new hunter to aid him on his hunting ventures?
(countrygirl)- Hook up with an experienced hunter and learn from him or her. Ha…some say I always have to have the last word…one more thing…stay in the best shape possible...it is easier to keep up if your fit.
(TG)- What is your favorite animal to hunt?
(countrygirl)- Deer.
(TG)- Do you have or prefer a certain method of hunting?
(countrygirl)- Well I have hunted from tree stands and from the ground. Even though I have not made a harvest while stalking I have to say it is a LOT of fun. Hopefully I will get better at it.
(TG)- Does any of your family hunt or fish?
(countrygirl)- Yes, we all do.
(TG)- What or who first got you involved in traditional bow hunting?
(countrygirl)- My husband Tom.
(TG)- Do you have any bowhunting goals or plans for the immediate future?
(countrygirl)- I hope to harvest a buck with a good rack this year.
(TG)- Do you make any of your own gear?
(countrygirl)- I have made an Osage flat bow, many fabric bow socks, a lot of arrows including some with self nocks that I did myself, a quiver which I gave away, a tab, and I have even split and chopped turkey feathers. I hear my buddy Mudfish will loan me his feather burner if I decide to try burning feathers.
(TG)- Where is the one place you would really just love to hunt?
(countrygirl)- Well I was pretty impressed by where Biggie was hunting with the Wensel brothers.
(TG)- Do you primarily hunt private or public ground?
(countrygirl)-We usually hunt private land.
(TG)- Do you prefer evening, mid day or morning hunts?
(countrygirl)- I really prefer all day. I have stayed up all day too.
(TG)- Do you normally use anything like scent covers or attractants, camo, or calls?
(countrygirl)- I use camo and calls. I have a few different types of calls and hope to get more proficient using them.
(TG)- Do you do any small game hunting?
(countrygirl)-Yep I keep trying to get the coon that raids the garbage.
(TG)- Tell us what your dream hunt would be.
(countrygirl)- Since hunting with the Wensels is not going to happen…I keep dreaming about hunting from one of Uncle Tony’s tall stands in the “Meat Locker.”
(TG)- Have you ever seen any deer "rasslin"?
(countrygirl)- Yes I have seen this..I mention it in my favorite memories....after dark when Tom arrived I was very excited...and told him I saw two deer rasslin...he said WHAT??? So I described what they were doing and and he got a big kick out of it. When we picked Rick Johnson up (our hunting buddy) Tom had a lot of fun telling him about what I said.
(TG)- Have you ever jumped out of a boat in 20 ft of water?
(countrygirl)- LOL!!! I have! We were fishing out of our Uncle Lelands boat..."Ole Mullet Mouth"... We were down the Intracostal Waterway halfway to St. Augustine and I had my OWN first brand new fishing rod and reel. We had gone down a creek called Jinks Creek...we had been fishing for reds and trout. Well we got up the creek and it was a gorgeous days...it could not have been any prettier.... The sky was what I call Petty Blue because it was similar to the color of Richard Petty's race car. It was warm but not too hot. We were busy fishing and all of a sudden we realized that the tide had run out and the water was getting quite shallow....Tom decided to get into the water and pull the boat out to the main waterway... After a while he notices that the water is so clear the fish he is seeing are really nice Red Bass so he starts throwing the cast net. My moments of pretending to be Katherine Hepburn on the African Queen quickly ended as I grabbed the fish and started putting them in the coolers.
Way back then there were no limits or size regulations...Everyone we knew was set with fish for quite awhile...and those are fine eating fish!!! Now comes the funny part....at some point Tom told me to throw the anchor over and when I did my new rod and reel went over with it because the Sea Hawk fishing lure I had used for trolling somehow got snagged on the rope...I never stopped to think...just jumped in and grabbed the rod and kept going down...I never did touch bottom when I came up sputtering Tom grabbed me and pulled me into the boat. Ha!!! It would have been easier to just pull up the anchor.
(TG)- Living in Florida have you ever driven an airboat?
(countrygirl)- Ohhh yeah!!! I Iearned to drive an airboat on the first date I ever had with Tom. We went to a swamp and had a blast. This is one of the most fun things I have ever done in my life... we chased gators and coots around and he taught me how to cut trails through the cat-tails. BTW on our first date...we went airboating, motorcycle riding, we did some target practice with a 22 rifle and a 38, we went fishing and swimming on the beach, I meet his Mom, we went out to eat and then to a movie........end of the night I thought.........dang...he is the most fun I have ever had...and you know what...he still is! On our honeymoon...after we got back in town we had a few days left and all I wanted to do was go airboating. Well we went out and took a shotgun with us........and we shot a few water moccasins...and almost got into trouble but didn't.
(TG)- Also since you live in Florida, have you ever been on the track at Daytona?
(countrygirl)- Last year when Tom retired from the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office ...some of the men that he had trained chipped in an bought Tom the Petty Experience which allowed him to drive 24 laps on the Daytona Speedway in a race car. Well I watched Tom running that car on the track and thought...I would love to be out there. The drivers run a few laps then come in for a conference with the instructors and while they do that other people can pay to go for laps in a race car driven by one of the staff. Well...Tom came in and looked for me and finally spotted me at the window of cargo trailor buying something. Next thing he sees is me suited up and going for 3 lapse with a professional driver. It was cool...the driver was afraid I might barf like a fellow had done earlier...but I kept telling him to drive faster. We went 3 laps at 150 mph. Tom's best lap out of the 24 laps was 158.64. Speed does not really frighten me.......I have riden in the front seat of a police car at warp speed many times.
TG)- How many arrows, staves, tools, bowsocks, feathers, books, and other stuff have you given to folks you have not even met?
(countrygirl)- I actually have no idea...I don't keep track.......but I do know that I promised my buddy Sewee aka Sewer Rat a quiver for his son the "Critter" and I have not even started it........I should be doing that NOW!
(TG)- Are you head over heel in love with trad archery?
(countrygirl)- Yep.........I truly am! I enjoy trad shoots...I like the competion but I love hunting the most. I have placed in a few tournaments and have won a few plaques...it is always a surpise and a thrill when I do. I go to shoots expecting to have fun and see friends...when I have placed it has always been a bit of a surprise to me.
TG)- Tell us a little about the work you and the ladies at your church are doing for others?
(countrygirl)- My daughter, along with a mutual friend and I started a ministry called "Caring Warmth." We knit shawls and chemo caps for people going through chemo. The shawls are expecially good for people going through chemo because they tell us that they feel cold all of the time. When the shawl is brought to them a copy of the prayer (that we pray at the start of our meeting and when we knit on on the shawls at other times) is sent along in the gift bag. In just 3 months our group had grown to 20 volunteers...we all work at our own pace. The ages of the knitters varies ..we have a male High School Senior who is a football player...and other members are women anywhere from 20 right on up to women who are great- great grandmothers. The chemo caps are cute flirtly lil things made with an eyelash yarn...which make the recepient feel pretty.
(countrygirl)- Finally…to end this interview I would especially like to encourage girls of all ages…children to mature adults …to give traditional archery a try. When I began I thought Tom was out of his mind expecting me to draw 25 pounds at my draw length. I very quickly out grew that bow! I am so glad that I stuck with it!
Interviewers notes: Now if you don't think this is a fine woman your nuts. Dina is another that I have never met personally but we have exchanged emails in the past. She he had given me the impression she was like your typical Sunday school teacher until I saw her cut loose on some fellers that were kicking a mutual friend while he was down. She lit into them with the wrath of a woman scorned (remember Hell hath no fury like...). At first Dina didn't want to do this interview but with a little coaxing she came throught with flying colors. She is another fine example of the type of individuals we have here at TradGang. I just wonder how she has time to do all the things she does. Tom you better hang on to her, she is a good one.
Topic: Dina Voutour (Read 3909 times)
