About Team DIY

Eric Welsh

It all started when I got my first BB gun; no lizard or bird was safe! I grew to love the outdoors and bow hunting. Thanks to my Dad, I got my first bow when I was fourteen, and in no time went from rabbits to hogs, and eventually to deer and other big game. There are times when I can't make it happen, but that's how we learn and eventually it all pays off.

There is nothing in the world like the feeling I get when I draw my bow on an animal, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's not about the kill (which is awesome), it's about being one with nature and seeing all your scouting and practice pay off. I love the animals we hunt, and I will do whatever it takes to promote conservation so that our children will be able to do the same.

Eddy Erautt

As long as I can remember, I have always loved spending time in the outdoors and shooting archery with my dad and two brothers. I started fishing avidly when I was younger, but when I got a couple good buddies who wanted to hunt, I shot my first big game animal and it was all over. Hunting has been an obsession since I was young, but once I turned fifteen it became an addiction.

To me, there is not a better adrenalin rush than having a bow in your hand, a tag in your pocket, and watching a big game animal inch its way closer for a shot. I have to thank my wonderful wife and daughter for putting up with all the hunting and yearlong scouting; I know it couldn't be done without their support. When you love the sport as much as I do, there is no end of season.  When one season ends, it's time to start scouting for the next, even when it's eight months down the road.

All of us as sportsmen need to do all that we can to support what we do and make sure we put back in what we take out. Bow hunters are a dying breed and we are the only ones who can make sure that the tradition lives on, so it is especially important to get the younger generation involved in what we love so much!

 Nathan Welsh

Many years ago, my brother and I went to the same pawn shop and got our first bows. He still has his bow, but (unfortunately for me), after a few short months my limb snapped and we were never able to replace it. So for awhile, archery took a back seat for me. Recently, my brother got me back into it and I owe him.

I lead a typical, stressful, white collar life. I work long hours in the office and weekends so, needless to say I don't get much free time. I look forward to my two weeks vacation a year that I spend hunting the West for big game. When I do get an occasional weekend off, there is nothing I love more than sitting twenty feet up in a tree, stress free, enjoying nature, and waiting for a huge black bear to cross my path. I have sky dived, bungee jumped;, cliff jumped; I have even flipped a sports car going 100+ miles per hour, and none of them give you as intense a rush as staring a black bear in the eye and letting an arrow fly. It's more than just an adrenaline high, it's also getting to share these exhilarating moments with your family and friends.

I would be hard pressed to tell you a more fun activity amongst friends than, after a long hunt, to sit around the campfire, cook some back straps, drink one too many tall boys, reminisce, bond, trash talk and B.S. about the day. None of this would have ever been possible if, twenty plus years ago, my old man hadn't dragged me out of bed by bribing me with sprinkle and bear claw donuts, to take me on my first hunt; for that, I will be forever thankful!

Albert Quackenbush

 My passion for bow hunting began when I was a wee lad growing up in western NY state. My dad introduced my brother and I to archery and a recurve bow when I was 9. My first compound bow, a BEAR, was a gift from my dad at age 13. The following deer season I used it to bring down my first whitetail buck at only 10 yards. From that moment on I was hooked! I am very thankful that my dad took the time to to teach me how to shoot a bow effectively.

I was taught that quality conservation and good ethics were vital for every hunter. I have always held true to those teachings. I love the outdoors and I want to be in the woods every chance I get. Hunting is part of who I am. I don't 'trophy hunt' for any animal. Any animal I can hunt is a trophy in my book. I hunt because I want meat in my freezer and I love doing it with stick and string. I want to help others by teaching them what I know and also learn more from other bow hunters. I will never claim to know it all and I am always hungry for knowledge.

I have a very understanding wife who knows my obsession with bow hunting is like a drug. I have an addiction! I love my family and will first and foremost be a family man. Hopefully, when my daughter is old enough she'll want to shoot a bow with her old man. If not, I will still be wandering the oak groves and apple orchards in search of my next trophy.

I also write an outdoor blog to share information and my experiences. You can find it at:
http://socalbowhunter.blogspot.com

JUNIOR TEAM DIY

Kade Smith