MWC: Any heroes? Role models?
Randy: My father (Ron) is my biggest role model. He’s always been there for me and has gone without countless times in order to provide for me. I can’t think of a better role model attribute than that!
MWC: What got you started hunting?
Randy: My father hunted his whole life and introduced me to the outdoors at a very early age, as I’ve done with my daughters. When I was 15, I started to archery hunt because it allowed me more time in the woods.
MWC: Do you have any favorite memories or kills that stand out?
Randy: My first P&Y whitetail with Jeff “JLH” Harrison last year on film was almost an out of body experience. I usually get so amped (even for does), but, that day, I was as calm as could be through the entire hunt. However, my all-time favorite was 2 years ago with my oldest daughter. Her very first hunt at the age of 3. It was late October, 44 degrees, and pouring down rain. She and I are in a ground blind. 3 does come in at 8 yards, as they’d been doing for days. It was all I could do to keep her in the blind; she’s absolutely flipping out, wanting to see the deer, talk to the deer, telling me to shoot the deer. I’ve got the camera rolling and, to be honest, I’m not sure if I was even looking through the peep when I shot. I missed by 10-12”, so the deer high tail it out of there and all she wants to see is the blood. I felt like the biggest failure as both a hunter and a father. After she had realized there was no blood to see and that I’d missed, she said, “Oh, Dad, It’s okay! That’s hunting!” What these stories make me realize is that: It’s not how big the deer you shoot or miss is; it's about the memories you make, and the people you share them with!
MWC: Do you remember your first deer?
Randy: Like it was yesterday. My very first bow kill was a button buck, with my dad standing next to me. The arrow blazed through the deer, hit a rock (causing a spark), and stuck in a stump. My dad yells, "I can’t believe you missed that," just as the deer falls over within 20 yards.
MWC: Can you tell us a bit about your preferred hunting combo?
Randy: (I'm assuming you mean "partner"?) While I enjoy hunting with pretty much anyone and everyone, Kevin Crowell and I seem to always have too much fun in the tree, always clowning around and riding each other's asses. We still manage to not only kill plenty of critters, but we’ve also managed to put a few nice bucks down as well (somehow)!
MWC: What is the one piece of advice you would give a new hunter to aid him on his hunting ventures?
Randy: BE SAFE!!!