Meet Wendy Hyde

I grew up as an IBM “brat” (I’ve Been Moved), with New York’s Hudson Valley as our home base between stints in Colorado and Germany. My teenage years were spent in a suburb of Pittsburgh. I married into a family of hunters and anglers and became a hunter as a young adult. My husband was my mentor, and my efforts were supported and encouraged by friends.

Continuing the tradition, we raised twin daughters with an appreciation for hunting and the food that came from our outdoor pursuits. Some of my fondest memories were made in the woods with family and friends. When the girls went to college I decided to become a certified Hunter Education instructor with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. I felt fortunate to have grown so much as a hunter, and wanted to help other families grow and learn together outdoors and do it ethically and safely. Now, after 13 years and several thousand volunteer hours invested in the program, my husband and I teach together and separately all across the state.

As a teenager I never imagined how my interests would eventually meld, and how much teaching would become a part of who I am. I now teach Culinary Arts at RCC. As a Master Hunter Education Instructor I teach basic hunter education, firearms range safety, workshops on deer processing, waterfowl hunting, pheasant hunting, wild game cooking, and more.