Outdoorswoman Carly Deacon
Ask Manitoba’s Carly Deacon about the attitude Canadians hold toward #hunting today and her enthusiasm is barely containable. “Society has really changed for the better,” says the 37-year-old angler, #hunter and conservationist. “We’ve taken a turn and there’s no longer this attitude that it’s a barbaric pursuit reserved for just a few people.”
Talk to her about the future of hunting in Canada, meanwhile, and her excitement only grows. “We see so many more women and children and families taking part,” she says. “The more we can reach out and support people who are interested, the better chance we’ll have of preserving the heritage of hunting in Canada.”
Deacon should know. As program manager for the Manitoba Wildlife Federation (MWF), and before that, Delta Waterfowl’s field program coordinator, she’s long been instrumental in introducing beginners to hunting, and sharing her love of the sport. It’s this unbridled passion, in fact, that helped her win Canada’s Top Outdoorswoman Contest, hosted by Outdoor Canada and Outdoor Canada West, and sponsored by Franchi Canada.
Deacon was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, into a family that loved to camp and spend time outdoors. But fishing and hunting were never really on the agenda. “I fished with friends a lot, because that’s what you did in Thunder Bay,” she says. “My dad used to hunt, but he hung up his rifle before I had the chance to hunt with him…but I’m working on it.”
Her first real introduction to hunting came when she was 20, after accepting a summer job at Delta Waterfowl as assistant field technician. At the time, she was earning her bachelor of science degree, with a major in zoology, from the University of Manitoba. “I ended up being with Delta for nine years,” she says, noting that in addition to becoming the field program coordinator, she also worked on the organization’s first mentored hunts.
