Casey Learmond: A Young Hunter's Journey

At just 22, Casey already has an impressive number of animals under her belt. Based rurally on the Tutukaka Coast, she juggles life as a full-time primary school teacher with a passion for learning valuable life skills in the bush.

“In my spare time, I am either hunting, fishing, training my pup Bandit to be a waterfowl retriever, or simply just living in the outdoors. I enjoy opportunities that teach me life skills such as hunting and gathering, being able to provide for my family, and learning how to respect the land and what it gives back to me.” 

Casey’s love of hunting is deeply connected to her dad — a seasoned pig hunter, waterfowler, deer stalker and former wild animal recovery operator. As a young teen, she would accompany him game bird shooting and waterfowl hunting. By 15 she was out stalking deer, dropping her first two fellows.

“I love duck shooting season in Northland. I haven’t missed an opening morning in 7 years, and we go hard out during the season! I love the excitement and lead-up to it, and then having a blast on opening weekend. It is never a dull moment in our maimai!” 

School holidays are now spent deep in the bush — stalking deer or doing pest control - or learning new skills from her dad such as how to reload ammunition. 

“I love being hands-on, learning new skills, and jumping into new opportunities.” 

For Casey, hunting keeps her grounded, sharpens her skills, and gives her a strong sense of purpose. From bush to kai, it’s the whole experience that matters — the stalk, the harvest, and the memories made along the way.

“It’s helped me build confidence and improve my shooting, and more than anything, it’s had a huge positive impact on my mental health. It grounds me, challenges me every time”

During the winter months Casey takes an active role in goat culling and pest control across forestry and farmland. She sees it as a way to practice her long-range shooting while helping protect native wildlife.

“I really enjoy this because not only am I helping to control pest populations and protect our native wildlife, but I’m also constantly improving my skills and pushing myself to get better with every shot.”

“Women work just as hard and are just as keen.”

Casey loves to immerse herself in the growing online community of women and girls who hunt, making new friends and connections all over New Zealand and overseas. However, she is honest when discussing the challenges female hunters face — from being underestimated to the lack of representation online and in gear. 

“I’ve been laughed at or scoffed at by others for saying I hunt, and they often ask if my partner is the hunter, and do I just tag along. I believe a lot of that comes from old-school thinking that sees hunting as something mostly for men and boys.”

It is this mentality, she believes, that pushes women to feel as though they have to prove themselves more just to be taken seriously.  

“Sometimes it really does feel like only the men get the spotlight, but that needs to change. The reality is, being a good hunter has nothing to do with gender. Everyone deserves a chance to be respected for their passion, hobbies and abilities.”

Casey is a big advocate for supporting women in hunting and believes the community can do better.

“More online forums and top hunting brands should be making an effort to feature women wearing their gear. It sends a clear message that hunting isn’t just for men.. Increasing women’s representation and offering a wider range of quality hunting gear designed specifically for women is key. At the moment, I find that a fair few places only offer limited or lower-quality options for women, while the selection for men is extensive and top-notch.”

“There’s something really rewarding about putting food on the table that I’ve worked hard for”

When she’s not in the bush, Casey’s in the kitchen experimenting with wild game - every night the table is filled with fish, duck, venison, wild pig or goat.

“It’s also a chance to experiment in the kitchen with wild game and enjoy truly organic kai. I really enjoy trying new recipes out, and I’ve made some awesome dishes.. Blue-nose curry, BBQ pulled duck breast, popcorn duck, smoked fish dip and countless venison recipes.. Shanks, stews, steak, stir-frys, pizzas… the list could go on!”

“I firmly believe that it isn’t all about the person who pulled the trigger, but about the team standing behind them, too.”

For Casey, her most meaningful hunt wasn’t about squeezing the trigger – it was about the whole experience with her Dad. A Roar trip that will stick with her forever.

“I had only ever seen roaring stags from afar or heard them. This time I heard a stag roaring from camp, and the next morning, during another stalk, I heard it again.”

They only had to bush-stalk for 20 minutes before a beautiful 8-pointer revealed himself. 

“We thought he was further away than he was, so my Dad was just about to let out a roar to him. Then all of a sudden this beautiful big 8-pointer stag with no eye-teeth let out this massive roar.”

For her, it was a moment of awe—her first time ever seeing a big roaring stag up close.

“I was in an awkward position where I could only see his antlers, but he was standing directly in front of my Dad, so he took the shot. We sat there for a while, absolutely fizzing at our success. Dad was giving me a few lessons on correctly taking the meat out from the deer when it's lying down and how to pack it in your pack properly.”

Even though she didn’t take the shot, she never saw it as a loss. A roaring stag, some solid meat for the freezer, and a memory she’ll never forget with her Dad. That’s the real reward.

Casey’s MVP Kit

I find this question challenging to answer, as I love all of my Hunters Element kit! I have recently purchased the Zennith top in Veil, which I love wearing! It keeps me warm but allows my body to breathe! I also have just purchased the Storm Jacket in Veil due to another branded rain coat of mine literally having fallen apart, so it was definitely time for an upgrade! and I can’t wait to test the jacket out. However, my most valued bits of Hunters Element gear are: 

1. My Prowl Boots. I LOVE and highly rate these boots. With my old boots, I found I always had a sore back after days of walking. I used to get wet, cold toes, and it was a nightmare. I thought I’d invest and try out a pair of the Hunters Element boots. I tried a few pairs on at my local Hunting and Fishing. The Prowls stood out to me due to the arch support, ankle support and how comfy they were. I haven’t looked back since!  

2. My Whakarapu Hood in Desolve Veil and Fire. Due to being in forestry blocks, native scrub and farmland a lot of the time, I need to be visible and am required to wear high-vis to keep myself safe, and so I am easily spotted to prevent injury or mishaps! I love this top, it keeps me warm, safe, and it’s tough as (I do find myself constantly tangled in blackberry and bush lawyer), and it hasn't got a single hole or rip!
3. My Vantage Hoodie. This piece here has been a game changer for my duck shooting and bush stalking, and it is probably my most worn piece. The hood and face covering provides me with the ultimate camo while hiding in the maimai or stalking game in the bush! I wear this under my mid-layer and find it a perfect piece in my kit.  

I could honestly go on and on and review each piece of my kit, as I love it all. I also thoroughly enjoy my Hunters Element hoodies (so comfy and warm)!