This months Wyld Girl is none other then Kayla Komas, and let me tell you, she is absolutely amazing! Her story starts from childhood and has shaped her love for the Wyld! We hope you reading about her journey as much as we do!

“I just turned 20 years old. I’m currently a sophomore at UW Whitewater studying environmental science with an emphasis on natural resource management. I’ve interned for the Nature Conservancy twice where I got to learn and exercise skills in wildlife conservation such as how to test water quality and how to manage invasive species. I grew up running the woods in the Kettle Moraine State Forest where my love of the outdoors began.”

“When I was young, my mother would often drop me off at my grandparents’ place on Lake Beulah where my grandpa taught me how to fish with a cheap Scooby-doo fishing rod. After a fateful day when a monster 4lb largemouth pulled my bobber under and I got a feel for the iconic fight of a bass, I was hooked on the sport. Eventually I took fishing into my own hands and honed my skills through the years and would fish from a kayak that my dad later bought me.”

“As a sophomore in high school, I would take the next step up when I saved up enough money to buy an old aluminum boat with a nice 15hp Mercury bolted to the back. It was a lame little dinghy of a boat to most people who saw me flying by in it (swordfish and American flag flapping wildly on the stern) but it was the world to me! It got me off the shores and into deeper water where I began to really lay into some monster fish of all species. I now am looking to take my passion of fishing further and have joined the Wisconsin Bass Federation where I’m hoping to co-angle next spring to learn to compete in bass tournaments.”

“When I can’t be on the water, you will always find me in the woods. I decided a few years ago after my success with fishing that I wanted to become a well rounded outdoorsman… and that meant I also needed to learn to hunt. At 17 I put myself through hunter-safety and learned to shoot. The next spring, I borrowed my dad’s old 20 gauge and sat for turkey on public land. No luck. Determined, I bought myself a compound bow to prepare myself for bow-deer season to give myself another chance at harvesting my first animal. I also set a goal: my first deer would be a buck. I shot every day for almost a year. After hundreds of hours of sitting alone in the woods trying (3 turkey seasons and 2 bow seasons) my time would finally come. On November 9th of this year, I harvested my first deer… and it was a buck! Came in to a doe decoy, 20 yards, and THWACK! Lung and liver hit. Recovered him 80 yards away… 8pt nontypical. One of the most intense and awesome experience of my life.”

“While hunting and fishing are always my #1 go-tos, I’m always up to try something new. Depending on the time of year, you can find me doing things ranging from trail running (I use trail running as training for mud runs, obstacle races, and 5ks) kayaking, geocaching, skiing/snowboarding, to even occasionally throwing a leg over our family show horse.”

“Right now, I’m eagerly awaiting an annual trip up to the Canadian Boundary Waters in February to set tip ups for pike and to jig for rainbow trout. Also am practicing with my 20 gauge for spring turkey season (I’m still after my first tom). And learning a bit about taxidermy from my second cousin who runs Avid Sportsman Taxidermy (I’m going to help mount my buck!)”

“I’m blessed to live in a state with so many opportunities for good times in the woods and on the water. I love being an outdoorsman!”