I was a self-taught, self-motivated hunter from the start. I did not start until I was in my early twenties. I had decided that caving was getting too dangerous and hiking and camping wasn't enough. I had support from some of my older friends, but this was a DIY thing all the way.
My first deer hunts were all bow. This was back in the early 80's, and bowhunting did not have the glitz and hype it does now. It also did not have the kit. I spent the first few seasons letting doe walk, trying to burn my one tag on a buck. I was also driving 3 hours one-way to hunt, and there was no Sunday hunting. That meant getting of work on Fridays, driving until 11 PM, pitching a tent, grabbing few hours sleep and then hunting all day Saturday and going home Sunday, because Ohio did not allow hunting on the sabbath. I went for years like that.
