My path to hunting is one that came about by instinct, design and heritage. From the very start (I'm 24 now) I always had a fascination with nature, and coming from Southern Indiana I quickly gained an interest in whitetailed deer at a very young age. Because of work, neither my father or my grandfather hunt, but I always heard stories about my great-grandfather who was passionate about hunting and fishing and how he even provided a portion of food for his family. This intrigued me.
After hearing so many stories about my great grandfather, who died well before I was born, I decided at a young age that hunting was something I wanted to be part of my life. After that decision, I wanted to learn about hunting and nature how ever I could. I started asking for hunting magazines and devouring every article, consuming all the material in the only room I could concentrate...the bathroom. At church, I sought out after older men who I knew were hunters and started asking questions...probably even annoying them at times, but they were gracious to a snot-nosed 10 year old. They taught me about different trees, food sources and the intangibles of hunting. These patterns continue in my life today. I still try to read as much as I can about hunting and God's creation. I've learned that my role as a hunter isn't just for enjoyment but it is also me doing my part in caring for a great gift.
Sure, I've had some influential persons in my life when it came to learning the little things, but if it hadn't been for the heritage of hunting that my great-grandfather passed down to me, and the God-given desire to be in creation, I never would have even attempted to learn anything about this great thing we all call hunting. So great grandpa Watkins, thanks for giving me something I can pass down to my children.