A mother who started having contractions while she was out hunting now takes her month old baby shooting, even though trolls accuse her of raising a murderer.
Gabrielle Shaker, 27, from Pennsylvania, has always had a love for the outdoors.
The physical therapist did athletics at high school and wanted to find another sport that would get her outdoors more.
Gabrielle Salter, 27, who started having contractions while she was out hunting now takes her month old baby shooting, even though trolls accuse her of raising a murderer (pictured with newborn son Rhett Lee)
She couldn’t find one which fitted the bill until she went out hunting in December 2010 with her husband Cody.
She said: ‘I was only fifteen years old when I met my now husband, Cody and although he used to go out hunting, I was more interested in athletics – until I realised I wanted to do a sport that got me outdoors more.
‘I had never considered hunting, until December 2010 when Cody asked me to accompany him on one of his hunts – which I was apprehensive about, but thought it could be fun.’
Watching her husband, Gabrielle loved how long they were outdoors for and was hooked after having the opportunity to shoot her first shot at a pheasant.
The physical therapist did athletics at high school and wanted to find another sport that would get her outdoors more. She was ‘hooked’ on shooting after going out with her husband Cody in December 2010
Gabrielle continued: ‘As we walked through the woods, I couldn’t believe how peaceful it was, but then, the hunting started.
‘I heard the rifle and saw a deer topple to the ground, which didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would, so I decided to have a go to see what it was all about.
‘As I held the shotgun, I aimed it at a pheasant and took my shot – it was liberating and right in that moment, I knew I was hooked.’
Gabrielle has since hunted squirrels, bears, deers, turkeys and pheasants and a 150-pound whitetail deer.
She added: ‘Although hunting gave me something to do, I desperately wanted to start a family and knew that I couldn’t keep distracting myself from the fact that something was wrong, as it just wasn’t happening for us.’
The couple started IVF in February 2019 after doctors had recommended it, having been unsuccessful for three years, and fell pregnant on the first round
The couple wanted to start a family, but had been unsuccessful for three years so started IVF in February 2019, after doctors had recommended it.
Gabrielle and Cody were over the moon when they found out she was pregnant after one round.
She said: ‘I couldn’t believe that the IVF took so quickly, but we were overwhelmed with excitement and couldn’t wait to start the next chapter of our lives together.’
But Gabrielle didn’t want to let her pregnancy stop her from doing what she loved.
Gabrielle and Cody were over the moon when they found out she was pregnant after one round, but Gabrielle didn’t want it to stop her doing what she loved
Gabrielle has since hunted squirrels, bears, deers, turkeys and pheasants and a 150-pound whitetail deer
She said: ‘However, although I was excited, I knew this meant that I had to give up hunting during the next season, which was something that I wasn’t prepared to do, so decided to go ahead and start prepping, whilst taking extra precaution.
‘Although all of our friends and family didn’t think it would be a good idea, I didn’t want to miss out and went hunting just before my due date.’
She started prepping for archery season in her first trimester before going on to prep for rifle season just a few days before her due date.
Rhett was geared up with earmuffs and a padded coat and was strapped around Gabrielle, as they began walking through the woods
She didn’t listen to those telling her she shouldn’t hunting, especially so far along in her pregnancy, and they travelled to the woods to start their hunt.
Gabrielle realised that this season would be a lot more challenging than the rest, but didn’t think it would be as taxing as it was.
However, she had prepared for this moment by hiking two to six miles every night.
On the day of her first hunting shoot while pregnant, she began to have contractions.
She started prepping for archery season in her first trimester before going on to prep for rifle season just a few days before her due date
Although she was nervous about going at first, due to the fear that she may go into labour any second, her intuition was telling her it was a false alarm.
She said: ‘As I was having contractions on and off throughout the whole day, I was apprehensive about going – but it was my first day going on a hunting shoot whilst pregnant and I didn’t want to miss out on the season whilst I could still hunt.
‘My intuition kept telling me that I would be fine, so I listened and decided to hike up the side of a mountain, where I came face-to-face with a turkey – I aimed up my shotgun and pressed the trigger.’
Gabrielle went on to shoot turkeys that day regardless, feeling proud of herself as she hunted her first ever solo turkey.
Her intuition was right, with her baby boy, Rhett Lee, arriving two weeks later when she was induced on December 3, 2020.
She said: ‘I’m glad I listened to my gut feeling and got to hunt before welcoming my baby boy, Rhett Lee, into the world on December 3rd 2020.
‘I couldn’t believe that I was a mother and wanted to spend every minute of the day with him.’
On the day of her first hunting shoot while pregnant, she began to have contractions and, while nervous about going because she could go into labour at any second, her intuition was telling her it was a false alarm
Her intuition was right and their son Rhett Lee arrived two weeks later on December 3, 2020, after Gabrielle was induced
After six weeks, Gabrielle started to miss hunting and didn’t want to let the remaining days of the season go to waste and decided to take Rhett Lee with her to hunt squirrels.
Rhett was geared up with earmuffs and a padded coat and was strapped around Gabrielle, as they began walking through the woods.
She said: ‘As I strapped him around me and placed his little earmuffs to protect his ears, I felt a new sense of safety and couldn’t wait to get out into the woods.
‘After a few hours in the woods, we decided to head home and as it was such a success, we started prepping for next season in May 2021 right away.’
She added: ‘I know hunting isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I love getting to watch the sunrise and provide fresh meat for my family, as well as taking on the challenge that hunting brings.
Gabrielle hopes ‘that by taking Rhett out at such a young age, will help him to develop a love for the outdoors, as well as hunting and that he follows in our footsteps when he’s older’
‘I hope that by taking Rhett out at such a young age, will help him to develop a love for the outdoors, as well as hunting and that he follows in our footsteps when he’s older.’
She’s mostly received support for her hunting pictures online and she doesn’t let the few negative comments bother her.
People have accused her of making her son a murderer, but she shrugs this off because other people ‘don’t understand hunting like she does’.
Gabrielle said: ‘Despite getting a lot of support from my family and friends, there have been a few negative comments from others who have seen my photos online, such as “why do you want your son to be a murderer?”
Gabrielle said their family and friends thought it wasn’t a good idea she ‘didn’t want to miss out and went hunting just before her due date’
People have accused her of making her son a murderer, but she shrugs this off because other people ‘don’t understand hunting like she does’
‘But I don’t care what they have to say, as they don’t know hunting like I do and it’s my life, not theirs.
‘I do feel sad whenever I hunt, but I respect the animal and the life it’s lived and that’s the attitude of a true outdoorsman.
‘I wish people would understand that they don’t need to agree with my lifestyle, and just because they don’t like it, doesn’t mean I’m going to stop anytime soon.
‘Hunting is a passion of mine now and there’s no better feeling than being out in the woods with the ones you love, getting free-range meat that you can enjoy for months to come – it’s fantastic.’
She said: ‘I wish people would understand that they don’t need to agree with my lifestyle, and just because they don’t like it, doesn’t mean I’m going to stop anytime soon.’
Gabrielle said: ‘There’s no better feeling than being out in the woods with the ones you love, getting free-range meat that you can enjoy for months to come’
