Hello. my name is Matthew and welcome to this site. Here is a little about me.

I am a first time husband and first time father at the age of 45. I have known my wife Mary for close to 15 years. I would have to say she is my best friend, I can tell her anything, and I trust her with my life. She gave to me the most important and treasured thing I have, my son Joshua (aka Triple J).

I do not come from a "traditional" hunting family but my grandfather and uncle introduced me to upland bird hunting and fishing at a early age. In my 20's and early 30's I deer/turkey hunted with friends in northern Michigan but was not very successful and spent more time killing brain cells than hunting. In my mid 30's a work buddy (Dennis, one of my hunting partners) asked me to go on a bear hunting trip to Alberta, I said "why not" and the rest is history. Along with hunting in Michigan I try to plan one hunting trip a year outside of the state.

With the help of some great new friends I meet, for the past three years my current interest has been hunting turkeys. I already have a Grand Slam with the shot gun and need one more (Osceola) for a Grand Slam with the compound bow. I would like to get Grand Slams also with Muzzle-loader shotgun, long bow, recurve, and crossbow. Also finishing off my Grand Slam with the shotgun by going down to Mexico and getting a Gould and a Ocellated for my Royal Slam.

I also own some hunting property (with my good hunting buddy/brother Jason) in Michigan that backs up to hundreds of acres of state land, that is only a couple of hours from my house in the detroit suburbs. The state land does not see allot of traffic so we treat it like our own.

My other great (and first) hunting passion is Black Bear. The first animal I took over 5 years ago with the compound bow was a black bear. For the past 5 years I have made the trip to Manitoba (with my hunting buddy Joe) and only cameback once empty handed due to horrible weather. I am going to have to put this one on hold for a couple of years (wife and son cost money).

For the past 25 years I have worked in the Display and Exhibit industry in many different capacities (sales, traffic, purchasing) but for the past 20 years I have worked as a engineer/draftsman, with the last 5 as a manager. Producing drawings of displays that carpenters build and set up though-out the country.

"A bad day in the woods is far better than a great day in the office!"

SCI - Life Member
NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Life Member

"MY BEST HUNT" - Kansas, completing my Grand Slam (come to think about it every hunt is my best hunt)

"MY MOST CHALLENGING HUNT" - Newfoundland, Moose Hunting, not in shape.

"MY GEAR" -
CAMO: Mossy Oak, Rocky Gear, and Scent Blocker.

BOOTS: Muck, Rocky, and Wolverine.

CAMERAS:
Olympus Stylus 770 SW (it takes a beating)
Canon HDA1

BOWS:
Compound - Mathews Outback, named "sneaky pete".
Long Bow - Great Northern, Critter Gitter Special, named "peek a boo".
Recurve Bow - Great Northern, Ghost Recurve, named "ICU"

ARCHERY EQUIPMENT:
Arrows - I always sent it Carbon Express
Broadheads - G5, Montec (for four legs and fur) and Aftershock Archery, Hyper Shock (for two legs and feathers)
Release - Tru-ball
Sight - Cobra
Rest - Shauffer

RIFLES:
Weatherby Vanguard 300mag, named "yellow pages"
Ruger M77 30.06, named "buster"

SHOTGUNS:
Remington 870 combo, named "boat anchor"

BLACK POWER:
Thompson Center Encore 50 cal, named "puff"
Knight TK2000 12 gauge, named "jelly head"