My dad taught us and took us out hunting and I grew up living for deer season. Guns were the thing with us and I still have a passion for them....but they will never be the same. I'm retired now butI worked with a bunch that were avid hunters for the most part, some were bow hunters. I quietly admired the bowhunters and always had an idea of getting into archery.....matter of fact I was invited to join in on some hunts....never did and blamed it on the expense of getting started. About the time I retired, I was also gun hunting mule deer in New Mexico on private land.....wife's relatives. I started noticing that many times I could get very close to the deer....stalking or sitting or whatever. (Even during the offseason I spend a lot of time just watching the deer) Anyway, it occured to me that I was in an ideal situation to bowhunt mule deer on this place and the New Mexico deer seasons greatly favor the bow hunter....so I built a couple ofpermanent tree stands (also use apop-up ground blind) andbought some entry level equipment at first thenupgraded to what I have now.

I am not going to run down gun hunting or gun hunters (proud NRA member here) but bow hunting is so much more challenging AND rewarding! You don't really see or feel it until you take that first trophy....you have a pride and feeling of accomplishment that is unmatched. Thanks for asking. Ray