Entry 298-4
Being Behind and In Front of the Camera with Strike King’s Kelly Gotch
Editor’s Note: Kelly Gotch, one of the newest members of the Strike King family and co-host of the “Step Outside” TV show on the Outdoor Channel produced in partnership with the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), will host “The Guide Series with Kelly Gotch,” produced by SchaZam Productions, premiering on the Pursuit Channel in July 2009. For the past 3-1/2-years, Gotch has hosted and produced “Michigan Out-of-Doors,” one of the first outdoor TV shows in the nation that actually began in the 1950s.
Part 4: One of the Boys.
Question: Kelly, for what other shows do you film?
Gotch: I’ve filmed this year for “Step Outside” and “The Pro-Team Journal” for SchaZam Productions and Strike King.
Question: How did you become a videographer?
Gotch: I earned my degree in TV production to make a living in the outdoors. Becoming a producer allowed me to get into outdoor film and television. I recognized early that this degree would lead me toward my career. Following graduation, I was selected for the “Michigan Out-of-Door” TV Show, which led me to Strike King and SchaZam Productions and their new show, “The Guide Series with Kelly Gotch.”
Question: How much opportunity is there for women in the outdoors?
Gotch: Every day there are more opportunities for women in the outdoors. 
More women are becoming interested in the outdoors, which is driving the demand for clothing and equipment specifically designed for women. I’m 5-foot, 2-inches, and I can’t fit into men’s small camouflage shirts and pants. Men’s clothes aren’t designed for women. Companies like She Safari and others are designing camo and other outdoor gear exclusively for women.
Programs and organizations are encouraging women to come together and share their love of the outdoors and their outdoor experiences. Oftentimes women want to be in the outdoors solely with other women. So, groups like “Becoming an Outdoor Woman” and “Women in the Outdoors” have grown. 
More outdoor clubs sponsor events and special hunts for women, and more men are willing to take women hunting as well as accept them in their hunting camps.
Since I was a little girl hunting and fishing with my dad and other family and friends, I’ve always been one of the guys. I’m comfortable in the outdoors with men, and I know how to make men feel comfortable with me in the outdoors and in the hunting camp. As long as men and women recognize each other’s need for privacy in a hunting camp, there shouldn’t be problems. Men and women in the outdoors have graciously accepted me and given me a chance to follow my passion.
Contents:
- Part 1: Who is Kelly Gotch?
- Part 2: An Angler and a Hunter
- Part 3: I'd Rather Be Fishing
- Part 4: One of the Boys
- Part 5: The Future for Kelly Gotch
