As a third-generation San Antonian, Mani Molina’s Texas roots go deep. Born, raised, and building a life in the city she’s always called home, Molina’s growing interest in Texas’ proud outdoor traditions has also expanded her horizons far beyond San Antonio’s city limits.
Unlike many Texans who grew up hunting or fishing, Molina’s early exposure to the outdoors was limited. “I definitely did not grow up hunting,” she recalls. “I remember going fishing several times as a kid, and my dad used to hunt and fish before he had a family. But raising a family meant working multiple jobs, and all his hobbies fell to the side.” Still, she was fascinated by outdoor life. “I would watch every hunting show on TV,” she laughs. “It just looked so fun; the idea of spending time outside in natures elements and embracing that laid back, adventurous way of life.”
Molina earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from UT San Antonio, and she now works for the U.S. Army as a civilian program analyst at Fort Sam Houston. “We focus on programs that improve the quality of life for Soldiers and their families,” she explains. “Anything from golf courses and bowling alleys to bingo halls and intramural sports—we build community around the Army.”
It was that same longing for connection and quality of life that eventually drew Molina outdoors. “During the winter, I found myself restless because I was like, ‘what is there to do besides all the indoor things? I just want to be outside!’” She had always wanted to try fly fishing, but none of her friends were interested enough to invest in a guide or equipment. “I realized I really needed to meet people who were just as eager to dive into hunting and fly fishing as I was”.
“On the Gruene Outfitters Instagram, I saw a post that read, ‘If you’re a female and want to learn how to fly fish, join us,’” she says. “The first year, I chickened out because I didn’t know anyone. The next year,
I told myself it didn’t matter if I knew anyone—I’m just going to do it.” That decision changed everything.
“Now there’s a core group of us fly fishing girls, and we’ve stayed really close. We even just did a girls fly fishing trip to Slovenia! None of us are experts, but we just love being out there.”
It was through that fly fishing group that Molina also learned of Stewards of the Wild. “I looked it up on Instagram and instantly applied,” she says. Her journey into hunting soon followed. “I lucked out and got picked for a duck hunt after someone backed out, and it was amazing,” she recalls. “The group told me I’d probably never be in this nice of a duck blind again because most duck hunts are usually done in wet mud,” she laughs. “But it was so much fun.”
Since then, she’s also harvested dove, deer, and even a nilgai bull. “I never thought in my life I’d harvest a nilgai,” she says. “When that bull walked out, I was freaking out. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, did I just become an exotic big-game hunter?’ Now I’m sitting here right next to my Euro mount. It’s the coolest thing.”
“My return on investment in Stewards has been huge — the knowledge, the experiences, the friendships. Even if you’re not into hunting or fishing, there’s so much to learn about land conservation and native ecosystems. And honestly, you get access to see some of the most beautiful, pristine private Texas lands that not everyone gets the opportunity to experience.”
For Molina, Stewards of the Wild and other local conservation programs have become a passion. “To learn that these programs exist was an answered prayer,” she says. “I feel lucky to be part of it all.”
