Meet My Mermaid.

Have you ever looked closely at a stick of dynamite?  It's fairly small, thin, explosive.  But if you look even closer, sometimes you'll see things that make it unique from all the rest.  Christine Pulliam is that stick of dynamite.

(JR) You're shorter in person.

(CP) Laughing Thanks.

(JR) How long have you been hunting and fishing?

(CP) Since I can remember.  My Dad raised me to be an outdoor girl and I spent most of my time with him on the water or in a stand.  I killed my first deer when I was 9.

(JR) So most babies had rattles, you had poles and shotguns.

(CP) HAHA! I spent so much time outdoors that I literally can't be in the house now.  I'll get real anxious and freak out.  Mermaids can't be kept captive like that!

(JR) Agreed.  Are your siblings as into these kind of things as you are?

(CP) My sister is my best friend, but she's not into fishing, hunting, and getting dirty.  She was a cheerleader, and even though she learned how to do it, it wasn't her thing, and she didn't have the same desire to do it that I had.

(JR) You mentioned that she's more into being a mom right now than you are, but you're kind of a mom too in your own way, no?

(CP) I am, I LOVE my dog.  We are never apart.  We get up together, work out together, hunt and fish together, she sleeps right next to me at night and I cuddle her.  From the moment I got her we've been inseparable.  I originally got her just to hunt, but she never leaves my side.

(JR) So you hunt waterfowl then I take it.  What else?

(CP) Hogs, deer, turkeys, whatever really.  I'm going to be guiding in Texas now.

(JR) Do you still get out with your Dad often?

(CP) Actually, my Dad passed away not too long ago.  I haven't said anything about it.  I'm still processing the whole thing.  I miss him; it actually makes me want to be on the water that much more because I KNOW he's there with me.

Be sure to like my Facebook page for chances to win free gear!

(JR) It's nice to know that you shared that passion and that you can still enjoy it.  Some people never get to experience that, or stop doing it all together after losing their mentor.

(CP) I'll never stop.  I'm training right now to go on an Elk hunt this fall.  My plan is to stalk an Elk with my bow until I get it.  It's probably going to take me about two weeks total.

(JR) Have you been bow hunting long?

(CP) Not really.  But I am completely addicted.  I swear it's the most beautiful sport there is.

(JR) I know exactly what you mean.  How's the training going?

(CP) Great.  My girl and I get up early.  I work with her for about an hour on retrieving and swimming.  We have breakfast.  Then we do our Yoga before heading to the gym.  After that we run at the beach or head out on the water for some red fish fishing.

(JR) What is your favorite place/species?

(CP)  Red Fish.  For sure.  In Florida I spend most of my time fishing in either Mosquito Lagoon or Cape Canaveral, but I really like fishing the St. John's River too.

(JR) So what's your plan for this year?  Are you going to be fishing any tournaments or doing any specific hunting?

(CP) I'm actually going to start guiding in Texas at Elite Outdoorsman so when I'm not on the water here in Florida that's most likely where I'll be.  It's a huge ranch with incredible people and our rates are really great.  If you're looking to book a hunt you should come down and go with me!

5 In The Box with Teresa DePalma

This week, we go commando and talk with Teresa DePalma, who gets down to the nitty gritty and tells us exactly why her life as a gun-wielding, arrow launching huntress in Upstate NY is what she was born to do.  And believe me, her answers will blow you away!

How long have you been hunting/fishing?

I've been hunting/fishing since I was knee high. At only 5' tall that may not sound like that long ago. (Laughing)

What's the biggest thing you've ever killed?

At the moment whitetail bucks are the biggest I have harvested but I'm hoping that changes in a couple weeks as I will be heading to Maine to hunt black bear!!!

Are you nervous?

Lol not at all... Why?

Well, deer aren't considered predators, it's different hunting bear than deer.
(We are briefly interrupted by a phone call Teresa needs to take, and by her needing to blow dry her hair as a result of having been by the pool all day.  Chew on that!  When she comes back she sends me a picture of her with a bobcat.  I guess the predator question is answered!)

Do you ever get the feeling guys don't take you seriously?

Not really cause I only surround myself with real friends and family and we are all positive and encouraging to each other in everything we do. I don't hunt for anyone to take me seriously. Hunting is a lifestyle for me and my family. The dedication, time and hard work that I invest in doing what I love is greatly rewarding to me and is the only reason I do it.


Do you prefer one over the other? hunting or fishing?

No. Because I've never had to choose. Lol. This past turkey season I shot a turkey in the morning and caught my biggest bass this year that same evening.

Daaaaaaaaang!  What's your biggest bass?


He weighed 4.2lb the biggest I caught in general was 5.75lb a few years ago.  He's in my pond now if you want to take a crack at him...Lol!


I'd love to, lol. I pretty much gave up hunting, not because I don't enjoy it, it's just that I don't like doing things that take me away from the water.

Oh goodness! I can see that passion, I feel that way about hunting. I'm glad I'm able to do both but that's cause I'm just a hobby style fishermen.

BUT, I used to say that if God appeared, and told me to choose between my bow and my (now ex) wife, that we would have a serious disagreement in the after life.

LOL!!!!!

So, how much do you love YOUR bow? 

(Laughing)

Does it reign supreme over your guns, or do you not care as long as you're hunting?

Absolutely my bow is #1. I don't gun hunt really at all except for predator hunting or varmints.

What is your "day job"?

I have many. But I don't leave my home to do them. I do the back office work for our family business, I help maintain our hunting property as well as a housewife.

OK, let's fire off the Five!

So you're married? What's it like on a Sunday at home? Do you both work? Or are you off relaxing together? Hunting?

Sundays around my house is no different then a Wednesday. We are always working on the property or fishing in the summer or hunting in the fall/winter.

Where's your favorite place to hunt or fish?

My favorite place to fish is a very small local lake that only allows small row boats. It's quiet, secluded and full of big ol' bass and pickerel. I have two different types of favorite places to hunt.  The first would be ours, because of the personal accomplishment of maintaining our property here in NY.  The other is a friend's farm in OH. The area is gorgeous in the fall, the woods are very full and the deer are plentiful.

Do you have any rituals or superstitions? Do you have a lucky hat or something?

I do have a lucky pair of long johns I wear.  Other than that the only lucky gear I have that I never leave home without is my Bow!

What's the one place you'd hunt or fish if you had your choice?

The one place I would love to hunt someday is Saskatchewan. As for fishing I always wanted to hit the deep sea of Mexico.

What's one thing nobody knows about you?
As weird as it sounds, one of the rituals I have is that when I kill something I rub the blood on my bow to remember that kill. Yes it eventually washes off as I trek through misty mornings but that is something I always do to reminisce the previous kill when sitting alone in the stand.  

Teresa is the co-host for Forever Wild Outdoors, debuting this December on The Sportsman Channel.  Those of you not wanting to wait can go to www.foreverwildoutdoors.com.  Teresa is also the owner of Through Camo Eyes and a Pro-Staffer for Orca Coolers.