While we remind ourselves that social media provides a curated view of anyone’s life, it’s hard not to look at Sarah McDuffy’s Instagram account (@sarah.mcduffy) and not be drawn in by the images and adventure. Among many other things Sarah is founder of Collective Pursuit, a platform to unite and inspire women while teaching new skills in a positive and nurturing environment. Providing guided hunts, beginner bowhunting courses and woman’s group hunts in the NSW Hunter Valley, Collective Pursuit looks after everyone from seasoned bowhunters to those looking to try it for the first time. Sarah spoke to Charlotte Fox.
Tell me a bit about yourself.
I grew up in Buckley, Washington State, US which is at the base of Mount Rainier. I was very much involved in the rodeo scene and my mum had an organic produce farm where I’d help out. To be honest I never saw myself leaving that community, until life happened and I ended up with a chance to travel the world. I knew I wanted to learn new skills and push myself, so I sold everything I owned and started more of a nomadic lifestyle. I’m still back and forth quite a bit but, when I’m here in Australia, I live in the Port Stephens area of New South Wales with my second home back in Washington.
What do you do for work?
I work in hospitality and guided hunts, which is what led me here two and a half years ago. I help people who want to learn how to use a bow, through to guided hunts for deer, pigs and goats.
How did you get into hunting?
In 2018 I bought my first bow and started learning. Initially I’d shoot my bow every day, anything from 20 to 100 shots. I’d be out there practicing and it was just a form of therapy for me. I didn’t grow up in a hunting family, even though my brother and dad were super outdoorsy, so I had to find friends who could teach me to shoot.
I was learning how to provide for myself and saw hunting as a way to do that and be more self-sufficient. I learned as much as I could from other people then ended up being invited to Tennessee and film a little TV show on hunting. I became good friends with the producer who also taught me a lot and from there I was invited to hunt in New Zealand, which is what eventually brought me to Australia. One of the main reasons I got into hunting is it can take you anywhere. Being in the elements not only pushes you and helps your character growing with the challenges, it’s such an adventure wherever you go.
Tell me about your stunning images from Africa?
My heart is definitely in Africa, it’s one of my favourite places. While that trip came at the time I started to get into hunting, I wasn’t there specifically for that reason. At that point in my life I really wanted to serve, step out and find my own voice and the best way to do that is not to turn inward but to turn outward.
I was there helping at a school and found the African people just so full of love for life. They have little to nothing yet they have everything. For anyone thinking of travelling to Africa I highly recommend it. It does so much for everyone and even if you can only spend a few days in a community, it really opens your eyes.
Which countries did you travel to?
I stayed in Uganda but the school I’m currently helping with is in Burkina Faso. I’ve also worked in a couple of orphanages and it’s hard to compare their life to what we’re used to as it’s so different. They just don’t have the everyday comforts we take for granted. Just to draw water from a well for the day is a 30-mile trek and the bathroom’s a hole in the ground.
In relation to food, you may or may not have it and, if you do, it might be mushy rice and beans and that’s what you live on. Despite that, I found people always had a smile on their face and were so full of joy. I also found the country so beautiful, not the flat safari plains you might think of as Uganda’s so diverse with rolling hills, lakes and rivers. It’s stunning wherever you go.
What trips were more related to hunting?
Obviously New Zealand. I’ve been there a few times though only the South Island which has some of the most challenging terrain I’ve ever hunted. It’s steep and you’re using your hiking poles just to stop yourself from sliding – it’s a whole new level. I’ve done some challenging hunts in Montana, where you’re carrying 50lb packs in 9000-10,000ft elevation, so you’re taking a couple of steps and are out of breath.
How does hunting in New Zealand differs from the US?
Every type of game you hunt is different in relation to the stalking tactics you need and where they’re going to be at certain times of the year. You really have to know what you’re going after. Back in the US hunting whitetail deer in places like Tennessee and Texas, people hunt from a tree stand. Whitetail are very switched-on, easily spooked and hard to hunt with a bow. That’s completely different than putting in the miles, which I prefer.
If you’re in Montana hunting elk and mule deer, they’re very high up which means it can be tricky just to find them. With elk you’re usually hunting them during the rut, so are able to bugle them in, which is a skill in itself. To be honest I prefer the mountains as there’s something about standing on a summit.
How do you continue learning skills like bugling?
In this day and age if you want to learn something, there’s always a way to do it. There’s so much information available and everyone has their own opinion, so you just have to find what works for you. You also have to be willing to put in the work and test things out. Many times I’ve researched something, tried it out and it hasn’t worked out how I’d hoped but you learn what works for you. Luckily I also have my go-to people and mentors I can call up.
Sounds like hunting is very much about the holistic experience?
It is. There’s something about detaching from your phone and being grounded in nature, getting your hands dirty and going through more of your primal senses that just awakens your spirit in another way. It’s not just about the skill of capturing the animal, it’s also about those moments that’ll help you in every area of your life.
It’s hard to articulate and explain to people until I bring them along with me, which was a driving force to start running retreats through Collective Pursuit. I also started using hunting for charity. About a year and a half ago, an idea came to me and I started what’s called ‘a goat for a goat’. Any hunter who shoots a goat with me, I donate a goat in Burkina Faso. For some women it might be the first time they’ve shot an animal and it’s understandable they might feel guilty or it may be challenging. In that moment I say to them: “Hey, you actually just helped a whole village out by this.”
Tell me about the guided hunts.
I’m restructuring a few things so don’t have any retreats currently listed on my website but it’s something I definitely want to get back to. I was hanging out with a friend who has a bow shop. We were talking about how cool would it be to start something where beginners who’ve never pulled back a bow or had the chance to hunt can learn to do that, harvest their own meat and stalk an animal properly. We came up with a concept and started putting together guided hunts, then I started my own business in Collective Pursuit, tailored only for women.
Sounds very different from what people might imagine.
When you go to a retreat it’s relaxing but a guided hunt is physically taxing. It’s amazing watching women go through those three days and develop so much confidence. Some start thinking they can’t even pull back a bow, but they get through the first day being able to put arrows on the target then dialling-in their shots to the point where they shock themselves. Then you move to the mountains and with that physical challenge you see women who think they can’t make it but they do and they light up again. It’s amazing growth in such a short time. I’m still very close friends with pretty much all the women I’ve been able to guide.
What’s your experience been with hunting stories online?
I like to enjoy my moments so I don’t post everything and for the most part everyone’s very supportive. I’m excited when somebody reaches out to me, even if it starts off negatively because it allows me to help. Hopefully I can be a sense of reason while also hearing their side. The best part of social media is the connections I’ve been able to make with people from all over the world having different interactions. That’s also how opportunities have unfolded, people reaching out with an offer to go hunting somewhere.
Do you have a specific message you’re trying to convey?
I like to post images of my journeys and have those memories online. I have a few different messages including helping women have faith in themselves, regaining their confidence and knowing it’s okay if we don’t fit into a ‘cookie cutter’ world. I want to be able to connect with people like me to show them you can learn new skills, even if you didn’t grow up around it or maybe you’re lacking confidence. That’s very important for me. I’m also focused on being an ethical hunter as it’s important to use the meat from the animals I hunt and be respectful.
You also have a love for cooking. Do you tie that in with hunting?
Since I was a kid I’ve loved experimenting in the kitchen. I’ve also struggled with health challenges such as Lyme disease, so I had to learn how to cook food which tasted good but was also healthy. With that in mind I’m quite picky about where my meat comes from, where my produce comes from and what ingredients I use. Being able to experiment in the kitchen and create flavourful foods with my own harvest is pretty amazing.