RE: ok, lets get to know each other
 

My name is Andy.... 25 years old. Born and raised in VA. Started hunting with my father before I can remember. Was carried, drug along, or followed Dad everywhere until I was 6 when I took my first deer. Started turkey and bird hunting at 8 (doves mostly) and duck hunting at 10. I took up bow hunting in college at age 18, and now I am a bow tech professionally and a free lancer writer as a hobby. Been published in a few regional and state magazines. Mostly I'm a waterfowl hunter. My handle, SwampCollie, comes from my favorite dog, the Golden Retreiver. My golden's name is Dutch, and he is two and half years old. He is a very gifted retreiver, despite being trained by a less talented trainer and flat out rotten shot (me). Somehow I manage to put 100 birds or better in front of him in each of his two season afield so far... anything to get the dog a retreive. While I love waterfowling, I'm really kind of a whatever is in now type of sportsman. As dove season approaches, I'll get ate up with it. Right now I'm in the midst of an offshore fishing binge and landed a nice 30# Mahi on Sunday off the coast of Cape Hatteras, NC. I bass fish in the spring while turkey hunting as well, and need only a Merriams to complete my grand slam. While I've shot a lot of deer with both bow and firearms, I mainly deer hunt because they are made out of venison and its something to keep me occupied until the ducks show up. I do a bit of competition duck calling as well, and took 4th place in the state last year. I also enjoy goose hunting and small game hunting. I am a pretty avid baseball fan and followed the Red Sox closely until they won the World Series and everyone else started rooting for them too. I still follow them... but I've started keeping tabs on the Marlins a fair bit.... no matter what though... I'll always hate the Yankees. I'm an avid reader... and I've often been caught with my nose in a book on the deer stand when an opportunity presents itself.... I guess it helps me sit still.

RE: ok, lets get to know each other
 

I'm John M, 49 years old and am an Assistant Plant Manager for a company that makes parts for Caterpillar. I live in St Louis County, MO along with my 18 year old daughter. I lost my wife of 22 years last Halloween to Luekemia. My daughter will be going away to college next fall so I will have lots of time to hunt.(Look out Whitetails)

I am a self taught hunter and have hunted small game most of my life and took up hunting deer when we started seeing them on my dad's farm in 1966. Killed a bunch with the guns before taking up bowhunting in 1993, after seeing lots of them in my neighborhood after moving to this rural area. Now totally addicted to bowhunting whitetails.Killed 30 something with the bow now and have become more selective in the last few years. I still kill a few does every year but hold out for the bigger bucks.

Usually go on a big trip every few years, been to New Mexico for elk, Alberta for Black bear, and fishing in Alaska. Hope to make it to Idaho soonto visit a fellow HNI'er and hunt some of the critters in his neck of the woods.

This will be my first year hunting my new property in Jersey County, IL. I am in the process of making it a deer paradise. Someday after my daughter moves out of the house I will probably move up to that area and hunt till they find my bones still strapped in my treestand.

RE: ok, lets get to know each other
 

I'm Ryan and I need no introduction. ;)
34
Hunting a long time, mostly with a bow
Love to fish almost as much as hunting(and depending if I am catching any, sometimes more[8D])
I like watching Nascar & hockey. I ran track in college. Stayed pretty active with various recreational sports to the present day.
Born & raised in the Pittsburgh area, have an engineering degree, and it'll be 10 years this friday that me & my better half have been together. No kids, just a dog.

RE: ok, lets get to know each other
 

:D Schultzy the first step is admiting your an addict :D

RE: ok, lets get to know each other
 

I'm Joe, I grew up in NE IA (thank god) and have since returned (and married) after a few years that have taken me from Australia to Europe to Africa (not to mention California and Wisconsin[X(];)). I am 6-4, 235, and the runt compared to my two brothers. I am just finishing up my Civil Engineering degree. I love the outdoors, and I love to bowhunt. I started when I was 14 and since I am now 22 I obviously know everything[8D]. Honestly, I love it so much because it teaches me so much. I have a wide range of 'other' hobbies - astronomy, reading just about everything, most sports, running, etc.

RE: ok, lets get to know each other
 

My name is brian and i am 23.I live in south central pa I LOVE HUNTING FARM GROUND! Ive been married two years to a wonderful women from kentucky lisa. Marrying her came with hunting in ky on some private ground. :)This will be my first year hunting in ky and i just started bowhunting last year. I just bought my first new bow and am enjoying putting all kinds of useful stuff on it. Im a semi self tought bowhunter i have had no one show me in person but through talking to people i know and you guys you all have tought me ALOT and i am still learning. Ive been hunting since i was 12 when my parents got divorced my dad and i started hunting its something we could do together and there is nothing better. Im in Ford parts sales and my wife works at a grocery store thats how we are paying for our house we bought in january....I HAVE DEER IN MY BACK YARD:)God has blessed us alot. awesome thread and even better website you guys keep talking and ill keep learning.

RE: ok, lets get to know each other
 

Im Jake, 19 years old. Live 30 minutes east of Lousiville and go to school in the far western part of the state. Im a Biology major so school work eats up alot of my time during the fall and spring. I played 4 years of baseball in highschool, went to state twice, and walked on for my college team as a pitcher where I went 1-3 as a starter and was placed in the bullpen. I later decided that baseball isnt the top priority and left the team to concentrate on my GPA.

RE: ok, lets get to know each other
 

I'm Brian,I am 13 yrs old and have taken 247 deer. I own Missouri. 47 kids and Bill Gates works for me.:D:D

Seriously, I'm 51 Two grown kids, been married for 31 yrs. Work for the Government, buy lots of toys and enjoy life!

RE: ok, lets get to know each other
 

My name is Steve, I'm originally from Upstate NY.
I spent 10 years in the Navy and la dee da, I ended up in Kansas after hunting in Virginia and Maryland for a few years.
I have shot the same bow for about 7 years now, I really want to buy a recurve and just hunt traditional equipment....
I primarily buck hunt with my bow, I'm afraid of heights so I don't use a tree stand, I consider myself a real outdoorsman and I have some considerable woodsmanship skills I implement to my deer hunting.
I bow hunt up until duck season rolls in and if I haven't filled my tag, I grab my 870 and slug down whatever walks by me.
I spend 90% of my hunting season taking people out who have never had the opportunities to hunt or just want to get out and learn something, for free.
I hunt all public land and introduce people to the opportunities available to them that they may not realize.
I also take out military folks who just relocated to the area and want to get out and kill.
I really just love to hunt.... any animals there are....
I also enjoy a cold beer and large chested women.
I work in electronics full time and have a degree in software developement.

RE: ok, lets get to know each other
 

My name is Ben Meckbach and I am 27. I don't ever want to grow up. I have been stomping around the North Central PA woods for as long as I can remember. I currently reside in Hughesville, PA with my new wife and old girlfriend, one in the same.[8D] I live to hunt all fall, ride four wheelers all winter, 3D and fish in the spring, and stay on the river as much as possible all summer long.