Conquering the Elk Valley forests, Elkford local Erica Forsyth recently gained a semi-finalist spot in the global Extreme Huntress competition.
In the competition against hundreds of females around the world, the young local hunter has the opportunity to hunt at the world-renowned 777 Ranch in Texas.
Over the next few months, Forsyth will be judged based on online votes, in addition to her self-promotion and entrance essay.
“It’s about promoting women and bringing other women into the outdoors,” Forsyth said of the competition. “It’s [about creating] awareness and letting everybody know that this is a positive thing.”
Born and raised in the Elk Valley, Forsyth began hunting with her father at a young age. Her passion for hunting grew when she met her husband and starting hunting with him in Alberta.
The eager huntress said it took moving away from her hometown of Elkford to truly realize her passion for the sport.
“I’m so passionate about it because you feel so strong and you learn so many different abilities that you never would have known,” Forsyth said of her penchant for hunting. “I think it’s very important to get children and women into this so they can set goals and achieve them for themselves.”
Missing the forests and mountain peaks of British Columbia, Forsyth and her husband Dylan moved back to Elkford to raise their children.
As a mother of two daughters, aged seven and fourForsyth noted that she brings her daughters out hunting with her as much as possible, adding. “One of my biggest achievements is that I’ve made two future huntresses.”
Aside from sharing her love of hunting with her daughters and husband, Forsyth is also a member of the East Kootenay Big Game Club and the Elkford Rod and Gun Club, a club she has been a member of for the past seven years.
“It’s wonderful,” Forsyth said. “They do so many different activities. Everybody supports each other.”
It’s that community support Forsyth is hoping to receive as she heads into the second round of the Extreme Huntress competition.
Over the next month, Forsyth will be judged based on her online votes, online profile and her ability to successfully campaign herself as an Extreme Huntress.
If Forsyth is chosen as a top six finalist, she will travel to the famed 777 Ranch in Texas for a head-to-head competition that will test the women on their physical fitness, tracking and hunting skills. The Extreme Huntress show will be aired on Sunday, October 5, running for a total of 13 weeks.
Supporters will have a chance to vote after each episode and the winner of the Extreme Huntress show will be announced at the Dallas Safari Club convention on January 16, 2016, where they will receive bragging rights in addition to an exclusive Extreme Huntress award sculpted by artist Mark James.
To view Forsyth’s profile and vote for her, visit www.extremehuntress.com