My first hunting experience was back in 2005. I got my hunters safety earlier that year and so we thought we'd try rifle hunting. I drew a northeastern tag so we decided we'd hit the area near Whitney Reservoir, in the Uinta Mountains. I can still remember driving past the snow covered mount baldy on mirror lake highway on our way to camp. There was a ton of snow! After a restless night in the back of the suburban, opening morning was here and it was time to make some boot tracks. My dad had a pretty successful youth as a hunter but hadn't hunted in a while. I was excited to be able to share the time with him. Being from Nevada, he was used to some different type of country but that didn't stop us from giving it our best shot. We covered some good ground but couldn't turn anything up in the waist deep snow. After a tiring morning we decided to try a little lower in elevation, so we packed up and headed back down towards the valley. After a considerable drop in elevation and a lot less snow we found a side road and just took off. About half way up the road a tiny 2 point ran right in front of us but he was gone as quickly as he showed up. The rest of the day wasn't very eventful and we headed home empty handed. To be perfectly honest the hiking in waist deep snow and cold nights sleep sucked bad, but that 5 second glimpse of a tiny buck was enough to spark a flame that would keep me coming back. We ate tag soup that year but it was far from unsuccessful. Quality time with my dad and a newly instilled passion made it one of the best trips of my life.
The next year we got smart. The deep snow and cold temperatures from the previous years hunt where not exactly my idea of paradise, so, when I learned of an earlier season with warmer temperatures and the chance to wear some camo, I was all over it! I saved some money and we headed to Utah Archery Center where I picked up my first bow. A PSE Bruin. What an awesome little bow! I shot it pretty regularly in the months leading up to the archery season and couldn't wait to get back into the mountains. We decided to try the same spot as the previous year in hopes it would be a good place without all the snow. It was a blast! Again, we went home empty handed but we had an awesome time and saw a lot more deer than the previous year, not to mention it wasn't freezing cold. The rifle hunt was great but that first year bowhunting was incredible! Needless to say, I was hooked. After that first year chasing mule deer with a bow, hunting turned into more than just a fun vacation out in the woods. It turned into a sport. Something I wanted to exceed in. I wanted to get better and learn more so that I could have what it takes to be a successful hunter. Each year passes and I learn more and more. It's hard to explain the passion I have for the sport and the respect I have for the animals who call the mountains home. Bowhunting introduced a whole new mental game that makes me want to push my limits and overcome my weaknesses. It makes me want to be in that much better shape, that much more accurate with my equipment, and that much more prepared at the start of each season.
I love the animals I hunt and respect their amazing abilites to survive in those harsh wilderness environments. Hunting isn't all about the kill. It's about the hunt, the skill and preparation it takes to outsmart an animal on its home turf. That's why I bowhunt. It gives the animal a chance to do what it does best. Survive. I have too much respect for them to sit on a ridge 300 yards away and make the shot. Not that that is necessarily easy but closing the distance to within 50 yards gives me a chance to study an animal intently and see its amazing abilities and really appreciate its beauty. Meat in the freezer is just an added bonus. It's 2012 and opening weekend is only 6 months away. Here's to pre-season preparation and "being better today than yesterday, and better tomorrow than I was today" - Cameron Hanes
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