Gundeck

I work for a mapping software company and primarily do testing and cartography. I test all types of GPS units and create maps in various formats for our many customers. We primarily produce software forPCs, Pocket PCs and ***********, but also work with a couple of ruggedized GPS manufacturers. I don't typically mention the name on here because I am not on here to advertise.

burniegoeasily

I dont compete in any, but love all.

Rick James

Right now, it does take up a lot of my free time. Keep in mind though, before I had this house (I've only been there for 2 weeks now) I only had the ability to shoot maybe 2-3 times a week for the last year and a half, maybe a total of 150-250 arrows a week at most. Before I met Lisa and was single (2 years ago now) I was shooting 1000+ arrows a week, but honestly I wasn't improving much, with the help of a coach I've been able to make the limited time I spend now much more effective than what I was doing then with 1000+ arrows a week. Archery and bowhunting is a big priority for me, but I've gotta balance this thing right now between home life with Lisa who is generally great with giving me the time to pursue what I want, as well as work (main job @ 50+ hours a week and about 3 other side gigs).Make no mistake, she is my #1 priority, works is #2, then this archery thing. During hunting season, I don't shoot more than maybe 10-15 arrows a week and that's usually at the target at camp on the way to my stand.Because I'mgone all weekend every weekend, it's not fair to her for me to be also at the range 2-3 times a week on top of that. So the answer is that right now, I don't have a lot of time for other things, but I probably have less time overall than a LOT of people do for recreational activites because of family/work related commitments.

With that said, I'd still bet that I would fair pretty well in that competition.

I grew up prowling the streams of VT with a fly rod and was casting and tieing my own flies by time I was 12. I attended a lot of seminars on this as a kid and even went to a summer camp at the Orvis headquarters. Through college I spent probably 150-200 days a week on the water trout fishing (yellow breaches), bass fishing on the Juniata and Susquehanna, and even catfish fishing at night down at the "Gut" (Matt PA probably knows where this it).

I shot competitive silhouettes out to 500 meters for 2x years as well. Generally if I have a gun in my hand I hit what I'm aiming at. I've killed over a half dozen deer well past the 200 yard mark, including one that I know was past 400. I got bored with the silhouette shooting and reloading though quickly. I still love to hunt groundhogs though, and have killed dozens and dozens in the 300-500 yard range. I've got a heck of a groundhog gun and still get out 1-3x a year around my camp in PA during the summers. I've got a Savage 10fp Tactical with a Swift 4.5x14 with mil dots that breaks at a crisp 1.5lbs....... If I know how far it is and have time to range it I will generally hit it with that thing. I had a tough time restraining myself from filling my fall turkey tags this year as they walked through my plot 316 yards in front of the cabin every single day. It just didn't feel right to get it done that way.......lol.

I rode 4 wheelers the whole way through highschool, and while I never competed, no one gets and rides a Banshee to putt around on it like a grandma. That thing didn't really have a throttle.....it was more like an on/off switch. I'm lucky I didn't kill myself on that thing. If I ever get another quad it will be a 4wd model more geared towards work, I can't control myself if something goes fast I will push it.......[8D].

I've called in and killed 15 birds now too, this is my next biggest passion next to archery whitetails. I've also called in more than 10 birds now for others as well. I just like to work them, don't even care if I'm the one to pull the trigger anymore these days. Taking the bow out is bringing a bit more passion back to this though for me, and I'm really enjoying this now.

I've also done a lot of predator hunting as well, called in and killed well over 20 coyotes and a handful of foxes as well. I also used to trap when I was younger, my best friend in junior highschool's dad had a line of over 100 traps and I used to tag along with them and make my own sets, caught a lot of rats, coons, mink, foxes, a few yotes, and even caught a fisher cat on x-mas morning one year. And when it comes to woods navigation........well I grew up hunting the big woods in Vermont and snow tracking whitetails. I've also done tons of small game hunting for squirrels, grouse, pheasant, rabbits, etc. The only thing I've never really pursued was any king of waterfowl, I've honestly never been duck or goose hunting. Dan and I have talked about trying to call in and shoot geese with a bow though double bull style. Maybe we will do that this fall, who knows.

So with all that said, I'd probably do fairly well despite not having the time these days to do everything. I do plan to do a lot more fishing though over the next few years. My main focus right now is spending time with Lisa and she really enjoys fishing, I see us making a LOT of time to pursue this a lot more together rather than the other things we don't have common interest in. I think the next 2 years will see me really push hard with the competitive archery as well just so that I can see where I do stack up on the national level, but I know I won't have the time for this for ever, with family and work commitments I've honestly only got a couple of years left in me for pushing it this hard, that's why I work hard now because I know I can't do it forever and I don't want to look back and wonder"what if".

Arthur P

I've shot all types of bows, every way they can be shot... even using the Mongol thumb release. I'm not able to do the tournament thing any more, but I loved competing. Learned a ton about bowsand met aheckuva lotof great folks doing it.

Dedicated small game and varminthunter. I do like hunting deer, but I'm notnuts about it. if I run across feral hogs the deer hunting is over for the day. A plate of wild pork will make me throw rocks at a plate of venison.

Making and using my own gear as much as possible gives me a lot of enjoyment. If I see something I want, first thing I do istry to figure out how to make it. I'm a machinist by trade, and those skills help immensely. That hobby has saved me many thousands of dollars over the years - did I ever mention I'm a cheapskate too?

Ihave also shot and huntedwith rifles, shotguns, pistols, muzzleloaders and crossbows. I'm just now getting back into muzzleloading. Just built a Hawken pistol from a kit and am finishing up a Kentucky rifle kit. And I do a little knife and hawk throwing in my spare time. It's fun, but I'm not all that good at it.

Yes, I am a certified knife knutt, too.[8D]

Love fishing for bass and pan fish (spin, cast and fly) and fly tying.

Amateur bowyer, mostly primitive selfbows, but am looking forward to making more laminated bows. I've also made a few atlatls, but my shoulder won't let me use them any more. Had to get rid of them before I completely wrecked. [&o]

My Boy Scouts troop specialized in camping and orienteering (for you youngsters - that's using a map and compass to get to a specific spot, from the days before GPS [8D]). I once worked as an instrument man on a land surveying party, but quit that because I gotsick of seeing the wild country being developed before my eyes. It was great working in the outdoors, but I quickly came to hate land developers.

So, given all that, I guess you could say I fit into the Jack of all trades class.

GMMAT

Target shooting with the bow?

I started shooting some local 3D tournaments in the off-season, after the '05 deer season. I sucked. Anythign that challenges me, though....I try to do what I can to get better at it. So....I took it a little more seriously last year.....and I started asking question of the guys I respect in thsi field. I shot in 4 tournaments last year (3 local and one in VA). I won one of the local events (indoors)....and finished 19th out of about 50 in the VA tourney. So....I'm still learning. I got into the HNI indoor league......got some good coaching (Thanks, Matts!)....and I'm going to get a target-specific bow set up as soon as my 82nd arrives. I'm shooting every evening in my basement....and 3D on saturdays. I have a list of about 8-10 tournaments I want to shoot this year. We'll see.

Started out small game hunting and dove hunting when I was about 10. Never got really good at any of it.....but I got out of it exactly what I put into it. It was something to do. Took a couple of turkeys with a shotgun in the past....but the first one I took with the bow got me. I'll be at it again, this spring.

Got into waterfowl hutning when I lived in Charlotte. Moved to Charleston, SC and that's when I got the bug, bad. I bought a pedigree Lab and trained her myself (obtaining her MH status in '99). THAT was my passion. I loved watching her work. I Still miss that girl badly. I put her down the day after Christmas '07.

Started deer hunting in '05....and didn't have a clue. I don't know that I do, now....but my results are what they are. I'll leave it at that.

LOVE flyfishing......and used to tie a few flies. I'm a dry fly guy......and that's my thing when I flyfish. If they're on the nymphs.....I'm usually not in the creek. Had 2 boats (last was a 18' Hydra Sports Vector Series) that I fished the in and offshore (to 20 miles) waters of Charleston in. I miss the feeling of never knowing what's on the other end of that line.

A baseball player in college (D1/NAIA Catcher and 3B).....and I thought I had a chance to do it for a living. No dice. ALways been a passion. Took up softball 9 years out of college....and won a Nat. Championship with our team out of Charleston (250+ games a year). Gave it up a few years ago. Never looked back. I still umpire to be around the game, though.

Right out of college....I was financing cars....and took up golf. Within a couple of years I had my hcp to single digits....and got into the PGA Apprentice program in '90 (I think). I got my hcp down to +2.6 (2.6 strokes better than par), and I was elected to PGA membership in '94. I loved the teaching aspects of the game (STRIKINGLY similar to shooting a bow), but I was never competitive on anything other than the sectional level in the game as a player.

So...."Master of none" is probably suitable, for me. I become fairly proficient at anything I set my sights on, though. I think it'll always be "something". I might be doing something else in the future....but I always think I'll hunt SOMETHING.

That has beenTHE constant.

shed33

I figured years ago, I could divide my time and beaverage at several things or focus my time on what I truely wanted to get better at. Whitetail bowhunting. I still have a lot to learn, and anytime I think I have theold bucksfigured out, I get humbled...I have no regretsleaving the many other interests I use to have behind, its been worth it.

kmunny19

I deer hunt and study hunting fervently.(not nearly as much as a lot of other forum members, but I put in my time for sure). In the summer, I motorcycle, and fish, but neither to the degree I take hunting to. Hunting is the year round passion, the others are good ways to fill up time during the heat. If I got into fishing or other hunting as deeply as deer hunting, I'd be an absent husband and father.

huntingson

I have always been a good marksman with a rifle, pistol, and bow. I won 2 national level Marine Corps combat marksmanship awards in 2000 and 2001. The only things that get my attention anymore are my family, my farm, hunting, fishing, and competitive black powder shooting.

It is rather ironic that the thing I have been best at in my life, combat marksmanship and being aMarine, I had to give up due to injury. Now I just get to do what I have to. I really think that for me, hunting is as much an escape as anything. Sometimes I miss sleeping in a hole surrounded by friends whose loyalty was tried, tested, and true. You don't find that just anywhere. Oh well, enough depressing stuff.

GMMAT

LOTS of respect, Huntingson. Thanks for your service.

MGH_PA

Wow, I guess we do have some well rounded individuals here. We should get an HNI group together for the next outdoor challenge I truly find it hard to just do ONE thing, even though I really would love to be GREAT at one thing. Shed, your dedication shows, because as you stated in a thread I read earlier today...26 seasons, and 23 3.5yr old+ harvests. That's simply amazing...and you do most of it on public land, correct? That truly shows one who is both gifted and has the drive to dedicate themselves to something.