I took a major interest in archery when I was 15 years old.  A good friend and I bought a couple of recurve bows and started practicing.  Then we got the idea that we would try bowhunting for deer.  This was back in the late 1960’s.  Now, one key fact you have to keep in mind here is that there wasn’t much of a deer population back then.   I remember telling my father that my friend Ronnie Schmidt and I were going to try and bowhunt for deer.  I can still see that grin on his face and hear him say “you know Rick, there are not many deer, how are you going to get one with your bow?”   I responded that if I could get within 20 yards of a deer, he was mine.  Dad just smiled and wished me good luck.

Ronnie and I contacted a local game warden to get his thoughts on where I guy might find a deer.  I still laugh at the warden's response.  He told us that he had heard of a deer sighting over in the Shoal Creek bottoms.   Right then and there we decided that was where we were going to hunt. 

Opening morning had arrived and found Ronnie and I walking through the Shoal Creek bottoms.  We hiked up a ridge that fed into a big picked cornfield.  I would hunt one end and he would hunt the other.  We would be hunting on the ground because neither of us had a tree stand.  We crested the top of the ridge; it was barley light enough to see. (Actually we were late getting out) 
Looking out across the picked cornfield I thought I noticed a statue like figure staring at us with what looked like horns on top of it’s head.  I whispered to Ronnie to take a look, all of sudden the statue moved and up went not only one but two whitetails.  The buck and doe bounded off and jumped into the big timber on the opposite side of the field.  Both of us had never seen a wild deer in our life, we stood there in amazement of what we had just seen.   I hunted rest of season and did not even get a glimpse of another deer.  I had no idea that morning in the Southern Illinois cornfield would set a precedent for the years to come as far as bowhunting would go in my life. I was hooked!!!

The part I like about bowhunting is the solitude.  I love nothing more than sitting by myself and thinking.  I feel when I am out bowhunting; I have a chance to evaluate everything that is happening in my life.  Thought's about work, my relationship with my wife and kids and thoughts about my personal relationship with God.  Every time I come home from a bowhunt I always have a better appreciation and respect for the things that I have. 

Since that morning in the Shoal Creek bottoms I have had many exciting hunting adventures.  I have hunted Deer in Texas and Illinois, Antelope in Wyoming, Bears in Canada, Elk and Mulies in Colorado, Rams and Boars in Hawaii, and I have also hunted the Dark Continent of Africa.  But none of my adventures have come close to the great adventure I have had raising my son into becoming a bowhunter and avid outdoorsman and foremost, a good human being. 

My son Ricky is 14 years of age and has been a great blessing in my life. He and I have had some great times out hunting and fishing over the years.  A story that stands out in my mind so vividly is the first bowhunt he had ever gone on as the hunter.  I had this spot on my deer lease that was phenomenal in terms of seeing lots of deer.  I picked out a tree and put two stands side by side.  The morning of Ricky’s first bowhunt was my birthday.  We both climbed up in the tree and sat and waited.

  After a while a nice fat doe made her way by our tree.  Ricky was at full draw when the deer passed within 10 yards.  I whispered for him to pick a spot behind the front shoulder.   Getting his bow to full draw, he released.  A clean miss. The doe bounded off into the brush.  He looked at me, and said, “I can’t believe I missed such an easy shot”.  I told him that there is never an easy shot with a bow and arrow.  I told him it was a great feat to get the bow to full draw without spooking the deer.   So he nocked another arrow and got ready for another opportunity if it should arise. 

Some time passed when another fat doe made her way by us on the same trail. Again, Ricky went to full draw and released.  Tracking the arrow I could see it fly slightly high over the deer’s back.  Again the deer bounded off.  After the shot the kid dropped his head in his lap.  Everything was quiet for a split second.  I broke the silence by asking, what’s wrong? He raised his head and looked at me with big tears running down his cheek.  He said, all I wanted to do was get my first deer on your birthday”.   I told him the greatest birthday present I could ever ask for was just having him with me that morning.  Again, I emphasized that bowhunting is tough and what a great feat just getting his bow to full draw.  I also told him to be happy because he had a clean miss and had not wounded either deer.  I could see the little guy’s sprits start to lift up.  Thinking back, what a great memory.  That’s what bowhunting is all about.  To this day my son is still my best hunting partner and has a passion for bowhunting.  I truly feel that a kid who loves to bowhunt will grow up to be a good person. 

I have been around our sport for many years and there is one thing that has always irked me.  I can’t stand it when I hear the guys that shoot traditional archery cut the guys down who shoot compounds and the guys who shoot compounds cut down the guys who shoot traditional.  I will put this dispute to rest with a couple statements.  For years I shot a recurve and now I shoot a compound.  I was no more of a man when I shot either style of equipment.  A bowhunter has to shoot what he or she feels most comfortable with, END OF TOPIC.  We as bowhunters must always stick together if we expect our sport to grow. 

As an outdoor person, always represent yourself in a positive manner and abide by game laws. Some people that don’t hunt have the attitude that hunters are nothing more than a bunch of drunken slobs.  You and I know this is not true.   It is up to us to change that attitude.  If a non-hunter asks, why do you hunt? You need to answer their question intelligently and with calmness and confidence.   Give them some facts on how hunting license brings dollars into the state resources. {this is one example}  The point I am making is that you need to know how to answer some of these basic questions with intelligence. 

I would like to close with one key point.  Always take the time to introduce a kid to hunting or fishing. Heck, had it not been for my dad I may have never hunted or fished.  What a pity that would have been. I hope that all of you have had half the fun I have had over the years hunting and fishing.  Good hunting.