Over the past twenty years I have been hunting with a bow and arrow. For the last fifteen years I have been hunting as much as I could afford and, at times, a little more than I could afford. I just finish one hunt and then on the way home I book another one or put in for another drawing. I could not figure it out, it was like I was possessed to hunt.

I was fortunate to get started in archery with the help of Bob (Jake) Jacobsen. We have become good friends over the years and hunted several times together. In the last couple of years I’ve had the good fortune to hunt with Stanley Hips. In 1997 I had the privilege of hunting with Doug Walker and Jim Dougherty, listening to their stories of great hunts fuels the fire to hunt even more.

After a recent whitetail hunt with Jim Dougherty I read a story he wrote about just “having” to go to a deer blind when it was extremely cold and a grown man should have more sense , but it was something he just had to do. I can relate to this, my addiction to hunting makes a little more sense now. It is something I also “have” to do and I would not trade the experience for anything. Archery, the influence of great bow hunters and good people along the way, have been a positive influence on my life style. I have been able to achieve the things I dreamed about.

I have been fortunate enough to hunt Africa twice, taking twenty-five African animals, Alaska once and Canada three times, several western states and all the Hawaiian Islands. With any luck at all I will go over 600 big game animals with a bow in 1998.

I am interested in any ideas or comments you may have about my site or about the Trophy Hunters site.

Thank You and Good Hunting. 
Rick Valdez