Karen Butler of Shoot Like a Girl on Confidence and South Dakota Pheasant Hunting

Sometimes a girls’ trip comes with hunting boots, bird dogs, and a chorus of “Rooster!”

After two and a half days of pheasant hunting in South Dakota, I sat down with Karen Butler, founder of Shoot Like a Girl, to talk about what happens when women give themselves permission to try something unfamiliar.

Karen didn’t grow up in shooting sports. In her late twenties, navigating a divorce and raising two young boys, she reluctantly joined friends on a camping trip near Pikes Peak. That weekend brought a deep breath, her first experiences with a rifle and bow, and a sense of accomplishment she hadn’t realized she was missing. She went on to become a Colorado state archery champion—and eventually built a business around giving other women that same opportunity to discover their capabilities.

Our conversation takes you behind the scenes of our all-female hunt at A1 Al’s Pheasant Ranch, where participants ranged from experienced hunters to a woman who had never touched a firearm. Every woman got a bird. Just as memorable was how everyone cheered one another on.

We also explore Karen’s entrepreneurial journey, the mobile shooting simulator that introduces newcomers to shooting sports, and the partnerships that help remove the cost of buying equipment before trying something new.

And we talk about something many of us could use: time outside, away from our phones, with room to reconnect with ourselves and one another.

In this episode

• How a camping trip helped Karen find confidence during a difficult chapter of her life.
• The idea behind Shoot Like a Girl and its traveling firearm simulator.
• What our South Dakota pheasant hunt offered first-time shooters.
• Building a business through financing, persistence, and industry partnerships.
• Removing equipment barriers for women curious about hunting.
• Making time for yourself—and learning to own your success.
• Karen’s hunting-bag essentials, soft-serve weakness, and next big goal.

Episode chapters

00:23 — Meet Karen Butler after our South Dakota pheasant hunt
01:31 — Divorce, motherhood, and a life-changing camping trip
03:00 — Finding confidence with a rifle and bow
05:06 — Building Shoot Like a Girl
05:47 — Inside the traveling shooting simulator
06:44 — Giving newcomers a chance to try
08:02 — Every woman got a bird
09:21 — Financing a business and building partnerships
12:43 — “Huntress Christmas” and removing gear barriers
14:19 — Why time outdoors matters
16:33 — How to inquire about a group hunt
17:16 — Confidence, leadership, and owning your success
18:38 — Hunting-bag essentials and the lightning round

About the guest

Karen Butler is the founder of Shoot Like a Girl. In this conversation, she shares how discovering shooting sports as an adult inspired her to build a company that introduces women to the sport through accessible, encouraging experiences.

About the host

Christiana Roussel is a Birmingham, Alabama–based food, travel, lifestyle, and upland hunting writer and the host of Red Fox on the Run. A late-blooming outdoorswoman, she follows her curiosity into conversations about the people, places, and experiences that expand our worlds.

Learn more

Visit Shoot Like a Girl to explore its programs, find event information, or inquire about arranging a hunt.

Follow Red Fox on the Run on your favorite podcast platform, and share this episode with the friend you’d take on a different kind of girls’ trip.

The conversation explores the journey of New York Times best-selling author Patti Callahan Henry from being a clinical nurse practitioner to becoming a successful author, discussing the nuances of writing, the importance of community in the literary world, and the personal experiences that shape storytelling. The conversation explores the creative process, focusing on experiences with research, writing, and the inspiration drawn from Patti's surroundings, particularly in Birmingham. It delves into her latest book, the importance of solitude, and the role of creativity in her life.

Takeaways

• Writing is a long process
• Community supports creativity Importance of research in writing
• Finding inspiration in solitude

Chapters

• 00:00 The Journey to Writing
• 11:23 Building a Literary Community
• 20:22 Navigating Jealousy and Authenticity
• 25:06 Inspiration from Nature and Personal Experiences
• 26:28 The Spark of Inspiration
• 29:19 The Joy of Research
• 31:41 Creative Processes and Challenges
• 34:51 The Role of Solitude in Creativity
• 39:36 Birmingham: A Hidden Gem
• 43:20 Community and Connection in Birmingham
• 50:51 Finding Authenticity in Creativity

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