The Hunt That Was Never Just About Hunting

Nearly a decade ago, a registration came through for a Her Outdoor Journey Archery Camp. At first glance, it looked like any other registration, except for one thing. The name was familiar.

HOJ founder Courtney had followed Khrystyne—better known as "KK"—online for years. The two shared a love for fitness, the outdoors, and living life with intention. What began as a simple online connection eventually grew into one of those rare relationships that feels more like family than friendship.

Years later, between countless "someday" adventure plans that rarely made it beyond a text message, everything changed.

Just a few short months after a routine mammogram came back clear, KK found herself face-to-face with a fight for her life she never saw coming.

She was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. Not only that, but it had already spread to her bones, from nearly head to toe.

That first phone call between the two friends was filled with confusion, endless questions, fear, heartbreak, and trying to decipher what the news really meant. Yet even in the middle of unimaginable news, KK remained unwavering in her faith. She believed the Lord would carry her through whatever lay ahead and that He was fully in control. She clung tightly to her family and her positive spirit, committing herself to making the fight for her life her "full-time job."

And that is exactly what she has done, all while continuing to support her friends and family through the new ways of life this "news" brought with it. Through it all, KK's commitment to healing, while never taking a single second of this life for granted, is a perspective many of us work to achieve but generally fail to embody.

A diagnosis like that has a way of dividing life into "before" and "after." It forces perspective in ways most of us hope we'll never understand.

After the initial shock settled, the two friends made a decision: they refused to let fear become the author of their story.

If tomorrow wasn't guaranteed, then every day deserved to be lived as it belonged on a bucket list—not just for themselves, but as an example of living they hoped would inspire others as well.

Over the next several years, they chased adventures together across Texas, Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, and wherever opportunity called. They laughed. They cried. They walked through treatments, uncertainty, setbacks, and victories side by side.

Somewhere along the way, one dream rose above the rest.

KK wanted to become more than someone who hunted.

She wanted to become a hunter.

Although she'd grown up around hunting and had spent years outdoors, she had never harvested a big game animal herself. Together, they spent years pursuing that goal, yet every opportunity seemed to end just short of success.

There were rifle malfunctions. An unrecovered animal. Fleeting opportunities. Circumstances completely outside anyone's control...

Eventually, the two learned to laugh at the pattern. The close calls became almost comical—a reminder that life rarely unfolds according to our plans. Ironically, that was the very lesson cancer had already begun teaching them.

Still, the dream remained unfinished.

After her diagnosis, Courtney asked KK what hunt sat at the very top of her bucket list. Without hesitation, she answered, "Axis deer in Hawaii."

So they did what they've always done. They made a plan, packed their bags, and headed to the Hawaiian Islands in pursuit of that dream.

And they came incredibly close. At just eight yards away, a mature axis buck offered everything except the one thing they needed—a shot.

They returned home without filling a tag, but with memories that somehow mattered even more. The trip reminded them that success isn't always measured by what you bring home. Sometimes it's measured by simply being healthy enough to go and move our bodies in these wild places.

Because quitting was never part of the plan—and because these two have a relentless streak that somehow turns a little feral whenever they're together—they decided they'd be back.

On June 17, 2026, everything finally came together.

Looking back, it became abundantly clear why none of the previous opportunities had worked out.

As Courtney and KK glassed a hillside, a buck stepped into view. Without taking her eyes off him, KK quietly said something she'd never said before.

"That's my buck."

One mission. One well-placed shot. Everything changed.

As the buck took its final breath, another reality settled in. The gift of one life would now help sustain another. For two women who deeply believe in living close to the land and honoring God's creation, the moment carried a significance that reached far beyond filling a tag.

There was no hollering.

No celebratory high-fives.

No cameras rolling.

No content to capture.

Just two best friends sitting together on a red clay hillside, overwhelmed with gratitude. Prayers and praise poured from their lips as they quietly acknowledged the Lord's provision and the incredible blessing of harvesting food from the land in the way they believe He intended.

After several quiet minutes, Courtney smiled and broke the silence.

"Well... you may have completed your dying wish... but that doesn't mean you get to die now."

They both laughed.

Because that's what they've always done.

The truth is, this story isn't about cancer.

It isn't even about hunting.

It's about refusing to let fear steal tomorrow before tomorrow ever arrives.

It's about choosing faith when the future feels uncertain.

It's about the people who refuse to let you quit.

It's about becoming the kind of person who keeps showing up after every disappointment until, one day, everything aligns exactly as it's supposed to.

At Her Outdoor Journey, we often say our mission is to help women become more confident, capable, and self-reliant in the outdoors. Sometimes that confidence looks like learning to shoot a bow. Sometimes it looks like packing into the backcountry. And sometimes it looks like choosing to keep dreaming after life gives you every reason not to.

KK's story reminds us that none of us know how much time we've been given.

and... She Doesn't Fight Alone.

Tomorrow is promised to no one.

So chase the hunt.

Book the trip.

Call the people you love.

Forgive quickly.

Laugh often.

Love deeply.

Say yes to the adventure.

Don't wait for "someday."

Because this isn't the end of KK's story or yours. It's only the beginning.

Choose to live like KK does.

If you found this story meaningful and would like to support KK's journey, you can contribute through their GoFundMe here: KK's GoFundMe

Every share and every contribution, no matter the size, helps. Thank you for taking the time to read and for supporting KK.

Huge thank you to our incredible partners Hoyt, Initial Ascent, Maven Optics, onX Hunt, Work Sharp, Girls With Guns, Invader Concepts, and SITKA for helping make dreams like these come true. To access HOJ Community perks and discounts from our partners, please check out our Partners Page. (coming soon)

Mahalo to our amazing hosts with Kalua Koi Outfitters for sharing your knowledge and land with us. We are so grateful for the opportunities, conversations, and shared passion for these wild landscapes.