My dad (who wasn't a big hunter) gave me my first gun (an HK single shot 410 which I still have) when I was 8 or 9. I took my first squirrel our first time out and I was hooked. We bought a bird dog and a Ted Williams 12 ga from Sears for my 13th birthday. We also aquired a nice double barreled 16 gauge later on that we used for squirrel and deer (never shot one). Later on I joined the USAF and was stationed at Eglin AFB in FL. The guys I hunted with started hunting anything towards the end of the season. I didn't like that so I switched over to bow back in about 1985. Mainly because of the longer hunting season and I could take anything...legally. I bow hunted off and on since then....never getting anything until 2 years ago when I finally stuck a bear. The main reason I continue to bow hunt is the challenge and the chance to get out and enjoy God's great beauty. To me it takes a real hunter to be able to get an animal within bow range. Anybody can shoot them at 500 yards... No...I'm not bad mouthing gun hunters...I have a 30-06 that I use to hunt with as well. But I don't have to be quiet, scent free, disquised, etc....

Reid