My mother was raised on a cattle ranch in New Mexico and My father grew up on a farm in Tennessee, both grew up with eight other siblings and both families subsistence hunted. Neither one had any desire to eat game meat or chase animals as they had enough when they were young. My mothers side of the family still have a cattle ranch in NM and that is where I got my first exposure to pursuing animals. My first kills were Saturday night entertainment when we would drive the ranch at night and spot light jackrabbits with a 22. My Uncle took me elk hunting in the Gila wilderness for my first big game experience (that was 1970 and I was 12 years old), I watched him call in and kill a bull at close range, the hunt was done on horseback and that event sealed my interest in pursuing big game. Ever since then I have taught myself and been tutored by many others along the way (thanks to all those who took the time to show me the way)