Brittany Michau turned 15 years old on Nov. 1.

When the Georgetown teenager says she's been hunting just about all her life, she's telling the truth.

Dad Joey Michau has been taking her in the outdoors, sometimes toting her into ricefields, since she was 2 1/2 years old.

So, when Brittany mentions hunting she knows what she's talking about. After all, she's got 12-plus years' experience.

Her favorite hunting weapon is a bow and arrow, though she's also good with a rifle.

After a couple of stories about a Texas Dall Sheep ram and an 11-point buck she killed ran in the paper, several people have raised questions about hunting.

Brittany and her dad met with the Georgetown Times to talk about her hunting and some of the concerns people raised in their comments.

Math lesson

But first, a bit of math is in order.

One acre is 43,560 square feet in size. It takes 640 acres to make one square mile.

The Historic District of Georgetown is about 220 acres, or one-third of a square mile.

Brittany Michau has gone "pen hunting" just three times in her life, and each time was as a guest of someone who found out about her interest in hunting and the out-of-doors.

The smallest of the places she's gone pen hunting is more than 800 acres in size. That means the "pen" is almost four times as large as the city of Georgetown's core Historic District. It has more than 100 miles of roads on that property which is near Swansea in the Midlands of South Carolina.

There's a local hunt club near the Georgetown County Family YMCA that's bounded on two sides by homes. There are three parcels of land that combined are only about 180 acres in size. It's not fenced, but it's even smaller than the Historic District and the folks who hunt on that property have successful hunts in a relatively compact area and apparently don't bother their neighbors while they enjoy hunting.

Life-time passion

Though she's just 15, Brittany "Has been hunting ever since she could walk," Joey Michau said. "We hunt out in the rice fields. I'd have to tote her sometimes."

Brittany and her dad Joey hunt whenever they get a chance. A number of people have given them hunting rights or permission to hunt on their land. Those hunting areas can range upwards into many thousands of acres in size.

Sometimes they hunt for squirrels, sometimes deer, or feral (wild) hogs or other animals.

"I've never duck hunted before," Joey said, "but she got me to go on a hunt."

"Hunting has always been a huge part of my life," Brittany said. "I love the opportunity just to be in the outdoors and be that close to animals. It's not always about killing something, it's just having that experience to see things most people don't."

"Hunting in general is just my passion. It's just something that I love to do."

Sporting enthusiast

"I don't understand why some people don't think hunting is a sport. Hunting is a huge sport. You have to learn about it before doing it," she said.

"Before hunting, whether you're shooting a bow or gun, you have to learn how to shoot it. Then you've got to learn how to find the signs of the deer such as their scrapes and paths. It's not as easy as many people think it is. You have to trick a very intelligent animal into coming closer to you."

"Deer hunting is my favorite," Brittany said.

"I like the challenge of getting close enough to shoot with the bow without them smelling me, or scaring them away."

"I learned from watching my daddy."

Sharing

That passion that Brittany feels for hunting and the outdoors is something she wants to share with others.

When she gets older she would like to have a women's cable TV show about hunting, sharing tips, talking about and showing hunting trips, the outdoors, and what it's like to be a female in a sport long dominated by men.

But, she also wants the show to be interesting to men and to young people, boys and girls.

"It's not about killing something," Joey said. "It's about being outside, enjoying the outdoors."

Matt Duff, a professional ball player, met with her while she was on a hunt in early November.

"People said he was a rich kid, but he came up from nothing," Joey Michau said.

Skilled archer

The largest animal Brittany has taken is a buffalo. She got that animal at Stone Ranch near Johnsonville.

"I had to hunt it down first. I shot it with a rifle from about 125 yards."

Hunting with a bow is even more of a challenge.

While a good bow has a lot of stopping power, you've got to be closer to the animal.

"You can't shoot from 100s of yards away," Brittany said. "You've got to get up close."

When she's in a tree stand, Brittany is about 20 to 25 feet above the ground. The deer may come to her.

Sometimes, she has to track the animal and work her way closer. She may get within 10 or 20 yards. That, of course, takes skill to be able to get that close.

Good eating

Brittany and her dad enjoy wild game.

"We either eat the meat or give it to somebody.

"I'd rather eat deer meat than chicken or anything," she said.

"She'll eat about anything," Joey added.

Goal-setting

"Having a hunting TV show is one of my biggest dreams and goals I have. It's not all about being in the spotlight, it's all about the awesome memories made in the outdoors. All my years of hunting, I have had the best memories of my life outdoors. I would love to share them with others and give other people the opportunity to do the same."

Brittany met Matt Duff on a previous hunting trip. He's on the Buck Commander show, her favorite.

Duff and others have fun while hunting, though they are also serious about it, she said. That helps make the show interesting.

"Matt Duff inspires me a lot. He is one of the greatest guys I've ever met," Brittany said.

He told her on her birthday hunting trip that he thinks she's got a good shot at having a successful program.

"I'm hoping to have a hunting show like him when I get older. I just want to thank him for everything and the others that support me in what I do and enjoy."

By Tommy Howard

thoward@gtowntimes.com