Not to toot my own horn (although I am proud of the things I have achieved so far), but I have been involved in the sport of archery and hunting for about 5 years now and I am learning more everyday.  Before that time I had never fired a gun or shot a bow.

Four years ago I became a Hunter Education Instructor for the Virginia Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries, and have reached the Master Instructor level.  This spring I will start instructing archery courses in their Women in the Outdoors program, which is open to the public.  Along with my involvement with the VDGIF, I recently became a state rep for the International Bowhunters Organization, one of only 13 women of the 80+ reps.   This past fall I also was active with the Virginia Heritage Foundation which was instrumental in getting passed a State Constitutional Amendment giving all Virginians the right to hunt, fish and harvest game.  I can't tell you how important this Amendment will be in the effort to preserve hunting when up against groups like PETA and the Humane Society.

I am active in both bowhunting, taking my first ever bow-harvest this past November (I will try to send you a picture), as well as 3D competitions.  This past year I placed 4th in my second appearance at the IBO 2000 World Championships at Snowshoe Resort in WVa, and then won my class at the Virginia Bowhunting Association Fall Classic.  My husband and I are both sponsored shooters for bow manufacturers and our local pro shop, he shoots  for Matthews and I shoot for Reflex.  Archery has become, for us, a way to connect with one another as well as with the world around us.

Every time I step into the woods or onto an archery course I am more and more thankful for the chance to be outside doing something that does so much for the wildlife around us.  I look at my involvement with the VDGIF, IBO, and the VHF, and I know that there are people who have done more than I ever will be able to do, but I like the idea that I am at least trying to do my part.  In this day and age, it is so important to be active and involved not only in politics to preserve our traditions, but also in education.

I never would have gotten where I am with out the support of my husband Patrick.  When we started dating 5 years ago I had never shot a bow other than playing in the backyard as a kid with a homemade bow made from a string and a stick.  He was already an accomplished hunter and archer and he must have seen that I was very impressed (for more reasons than I've said! :o).  Anyway he got me started shooting on an old American Archery Super Nitro bow (all wodd with almost no letoff) and we went to every shoot we could find.  I learned alot from him that summer and when deer season rolled around, I was feeling pretty confident.  Even though I didn't harvest a deer with a bow that year ( I got one with rifle), and even though I completely missed the doe I had a shot at, I knew I was hooked.

Our love of archery has brought Patrick and I closer together in more areas than just shooting together.  It has made us more patient with one another and given us valuable time together, something that is rare today.  If it weren't for the love and support of my husband, I wouldn't have had a clue that I could be successful with a bow.

Karin
aka shehnts