Although I have fished most of my life, I really only began hunting in 1994 when I moved to Arizona. The first species I hunted was turkey during the Spring. I didn't get one until the last day of the hunt, but three gobblers came running into my call and I became hooked on hunting. In the Fall of 1996 I killed my first deer, which was a large Coues deer (the small subspecies of White-tailed deer found in Arizona) which I watched sparring with several other bucks.

I have always had a passion for the outdoors - always fascinated with all kinds of animals as I was growing up. I remember going to summer camp in Texas and walking through the woods alone, exploring and finding things like old turtle shells near creekbeds. At summer camp, I took courses on shooting rifles and archery equipment. I owned a gun and bow long before I ever hunted. My father bought me a wonderful antique .22 cal rifle when I was still just a child. It was (and still is) a great old gun. It shoots only short .22 shells and cracks open to load it like many shotguns do. He used take me to the range and teach me how to shoot, eventually working me up to a .410 shotgun. It seemed like such a big gun at the time!! Later, after I began hunting, he gave me a wonderful 12-gauge shotgun, which I have taken many turkeys with. And now I love my Winchester .270 for deer and javelina hunting. I also occasionally hunt with a compound bow for turkey, javelina and squirrels. The ultimate challenge would be a Coue's deer buck with a bow. I am working on that one.

My passion for the outdoors turned to a career after I got my Master's degree in Wildlife Management. As a wildlife biologist I have had the good fortune to work with all kinds of animals - from birds to big game. For me, hunting was a valuable way to gain more knowledge about wildlife. I could learn more about what foods deer ate and how they moved through the landscape by watching them, rather than reading about it in a text. I learned more about the effect of drought on plants in the West and the subsequent effect on wildlife by walking endless miles in search of game.

I have also had the good fortune of becoming an official measurer for the Boone and Crockett club, the Longhunter Society and the North American Shed Hunter's club. Being a measurer has given me the opportunity to see some wonderful trophies and meet some interesting hunters.

I am frequently asked by non-hunters, "How can you hunt the animals that you say you love?" I never feel I satisfactorily answer that question. I hunt because I chose to eat meat. I hunt to take responsibility for my actions. I hunt to learn more about the natural world, to connect more deeply with it. I know without a doubt that hunting makes me a better person than I would be without it - yet exactly how that is, I cannot fully explain. Perhaps some of you here in this forum can help me answer that question more fully. I look forward to the discussions. Happy Hunting!