Born and raised in Potter County Pennsylvania, population 16,000 then and now. I learned to shoot and hunt in the 70’s with a Remington 581. During my youth I shot deer with a .222, .22 Savage Hi-Power, 30-30, and a .30-06. Birds and rabbits were downed with my dad’s Ithaca Model 37 12 ga. When I was 16 I bought a Savage Fox-B with 24” barrels. It was deadly on fast rising pheasant nailing them within 10 yards.

Life has taken me far from the fields and forests of my youth. Ten years ago I retired from the Marine Corps taking a job with a prestigious consultancy. After 9 years in the Washington DC area I finally had had enough and “ASKED” my company to transfer me to a more rural area. I guess I came back to my youth by moving to Michigan. Oh, there isn’t access to every farm and forest as in Potter County but if I ask farmers in southeast Michigan I can gain access. Or, I can drive to what Michiganders refer to as “Up North” for miles and miles of public forests. It’s actually central Michigan mostly within 50 - 75 miles of Grayling (remember Fred Bear of archery fame).

I had the occasion last year to introduce a young man to duck hunting. After his first goose using a borrowed shotgun he was hooked!

Our tradition is best when passed down to subsequent generation with strong emphasis on safety and conservation.

Last edited by MarkOue; 06/13/08 08:52 AM.
USMC Retired