Women in Waterfowl: A Healthy Addiction

For those who are familiar with Split Reed, the name Cristina Wing may ring a bell. Whether you’ve seen her photography featured throughout our social channels, or been shoulder-to-shoulder with her in the blind. She is synonymous with the brand. As Split Reed’s own marketing director, Cristina wears “many, many hats” for this company. She’s the pavement-pounding road warrior, one of the workhorse photographers, and she maintains relationships with Split Reed’s trusted outfitters. “Whatever they ask me to do, even if it’s totally unrelated to my job title, I step up, because I want to see this company continue to succeed and grow” states Wing.

Cristina’s path to a career in the waterfowl industry though was not always straight and narrow. In high school, Wing found herself overwhelmed by the darkness of addiction. She lost sight of her purpose, and began the reckless spiral into a reality she barely recognized. In a timeline that could only be divinely orchestrated, it was during this bleak period of her life that she was first introduced to the sport of waterfowl hunting. “My guy friends knew I liked to shoot guns, so they invited me on a duck hunt. 20 people crowded into a public hole in Georgia- it was an absolutely terrible hunt, but I had finally found my escape,” Cristina explained. She was soon able to transfer her addictions to something else, a healthy addiction this time. “It was my therapy, my release, my time to talk to God. Waterfowl opened up a side of me I didn’t even know existed,” shared Wing.

As if waterfowl hunting doesn’t serve as an expensive enough vice, Cristina also proceeded to pick up a camera. With a beginner setup, she began posting waterfowl pictures on Instagram. “I didn’t want to become an influencer, I didn’t care who was following me, I just wanted to hunt and take pictures.” After asking for a new camera as a college graduation gift, Cristina was unknowingly laying the foundation for a legitimate career in the waterfowl industry. In 2019 she began running social media for Split Reed in addition to her day job but was not yet ready to embrace her well-earned place in the industry. “I lacked faith in myself and I kept trying to find ways to quit. I tried to get away from it because I was scared I couldn’t handle it or that I would mess up. Thankfully, they never let me quit,” expressed Wing. After pushing through her doubts, Wing has continuously proven herself both within the company and out in the field and would go on to become Split Reed’s very first full-time employee.

As a female in the sport myself, I am no stranger to the stigma that surrounds women in waterfowl. It can be intimidating to break through the threshold and begin to feel as if there is a place for girls in this sport as very often, duck camps and outfitters are male-dominated. Cristina’s advice for women who are new to waterfowl hunting is some of the best I’ve ever received. “Prove yourself and shut everyone else up, if you can hang, they will respect you. Be willing to learn, always ask questions. Pay attention, stay off of your phone, watch people’s mannerisms and absorb everything that you can” says Cristina. I also asked her to advise those who want to convert waterfowl hunting from a hobby into a career, “Be authentic, be persistent, push forward, and surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed. Don’t try to keep up with what others post. Don’t give up when you see others come from behind you and succeed. When you do it with your heart and soul instead, people will start to notice.” It only takes one woman to change the stereotype, to take a bad taste left behind by others and turn it into a newfound admiration, and Cristina Wing is one to change the perspective of any who doubt the place of women in waterfowl.