This year at ATA in Columbus, I had the chance to meet up with the beautiful Leigh Creekbaum from the tv show "The Chase". We had been facebook friends for a while, interacted a bit on facebook, things like that. The second day of ATA I got a message on facebook with her cell phone number, telling me to text her so we could meet up. Needless to say I was surprised that she would give her cell number to little old me, a nobody from Blairstown NJ...
A few texts later we met up at the show and hung out for awhile, confirming that she was indeed one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet. Some people you meet from tv are nice, but you can tell that they're just faking it since that's their job...Leigh is real.
For a woman who only started seriously hunting 3 years ago, she is extremely
knowledgable, and you could tell she loves the outdoors and what she does.
Leigh was born and raised in Alabama, a true southern girl. Her and her husband Travis have a 2 year old son, Gray, who she claims is part of the reason she stays in shape. I've been around many two year olds, and that's certainly understandable! She also had hunted Caribou, and walking 11 miles up and down Tundra was quite the experience...as well as tiring! But well worth it as you can see by the picture...
She seems to be doing a wonderful job of juggling a full-time career, being a mommy, and of course the tv show The Chase, and completely loving her life. (And I thought I was busy!)
Leigh's first animal was a doe taken with her 270...she has taken many animals since then, and I'm not going to lie...I'm jealous of alot of them. She's taken some enormous whitetail something I've only dreamed of doing. Someday...someday it will happen for me too!
When I asked if she preferred bowhunting or gun hunting she replied "I don't necessarily have a preference but when I bow hunt, there's no doubt getting close enough to animals to draw is a rush that's almost indescribable." Great quote girl!
She pulls only 45 pounds on her Mathews, but has got pass throughs on all but one animal, her largest buck to date, which still only went 80 yards and dropped. Leigh would love to someday hunt mule deer, whitetail is her favorite animal to hunt, but stalking javelinas with her bow is at the top of her list as well. While hog hunting she says that once she was charged by a boar that came within 8 yards of her before she dropped him with her second shot. Um...can you say SCARY?
I'm definitely loving her SpentRound earrings!
Leigh and her family (who support her 100%) eat all of the game that is shot, and she says she has yet to find any wild game she doesn't like. Even Sandhill crane is wonderful! I didn't even know you could eat them, I guess you learn something new every day!
When I asked her if there was any one particular woman who she admired in the hunting world, she replied, "Brenda Valentine paved the way for female hunters to be taken seriously but all of us who rise at 3:30a.m. to climb a tree deserve a toast of a Wildlife Energy shot for the effort to enjoy God's great outdoors."
Leigh is an amazing huntress with class and elegance that is enviable to all women, and is a great role model for all women and girls who are either trying to make their way into the industry, or just want to start hunting.
"While I don't think I've necessarily been talked down to because of my gender, I do notice other men, guides, etc will ask Travis or my cameraguy, rather than me, what caliber or broadhead I shoot. Coincidentally, sometimes I get put in the better sets (hunting spots) but its doesnt always work to my favor. " ~Leigh Creekbaum
