In my last entry, I talked about the events that have caused me to want to change my lifestyle. For the next 12 months, I will chronicle my trials and tribulations that I’ll face along the way.



The first accomplishment I want to achieve is to lose weight and get back in shape. Not long ago, I was in good shape, but a couple of injuries and my fading will to exercise have led to me gaining about 70 extra pounds. That is coming off.

I recently discovered a little know fact that hunters reading my blog will find interesting. More hunters die each year in the field from heart attacks than the other nine reasons combined. Some of the other reasons include falls from tree stands and accidental shootings, which are extremely rare by the way. In fact, your chances of getting struck by lightning are greater than accidentally getting shot in the field. (Source: The National Safety Council)

It makes sense. Walks into hunting areas are some of the longest walks most of us take all year. Add heavy equipment and the stress of dragging a deer out of the woods and you now have a recipe for coronary distress.

Tomorrow I will have a full report on how I plan to accomplish my weight loss goals, and a suggestion to get the word out to your fellow hunters that they need to get in shape now for this year’s deer season.

The second part of my change goes along with the first. I want to get back into archery. As written in my first post, an injury to my left arm are has limited my archery abilities  since 1995. I have approximately 3 plates and 24 screws in the bones of my left arm. As a right-handed shooter, the left arm holds the bow up. When I draw a right-handed bow, it feels like someone is trying to break my left forearm.

So I had a dilemma. Of course, there are crossbows but that just isn’t my bag. I have nothing against them. I simply prefer a compound bow.

Earlier this year, I was at the Archery Trade Association Show in Atlanta, and I ran across one of the first people I ever met in the hunting industry, as well as a great friend, Jim Velazquez of Bowtech Archery. I was talking to him about my problem shooting right handed, and he suggested I change hands.

Why hadn’t I thought of that??

When I made my decision a few weeks ago to get back into archery, the first call I made was to Jim. As a result, I now have a new Bowtech Guardian tuned up and ready to go. And let me tell you that it is one sweet shooting bow. I’ve had the good fortune to shoot a good many bows, but this one tops them all. No contest. The others are good bows, don’t get me wrong, and anyone should be proud to own any of them, but to me and the way I shoot, the Guardian just fits.

Since this project started, things seemed to fall right into place. I think that is a testament to the professionalism of the people I will be talking about in these pages, and a blessing from the good Lord above.

When I started talking to Daniel Dye, Buckmasters online editor, about posting these stories on our website, he mentioned that he worked at Auburn University in Montgomery, and that the university has a great foundations, secondary and physical education department. I later learned that Dr. Henry Williford, head of the deparment, co-authored the “Archery Instruction Manual” for the U.S. National Archery Association. These are the people responsible for training the Olympic archery team.

Can you say Cha Ching?? I need help switching to left hand shooting, and one of the best teachers in the business is right next door. “I guess He is smiling on me today,” I thought.

Little did I know that there was a whole lot more that was about to present itself, and the blessings just kept on coming.

But most of that is for tomorrows post. So be sure to come back tomorrow for the rest of the story.