Bronx Withers

Tell us about yourself.

I am 13 years old, and I live in Alton, Utah. I like to fish, hunt, shoot and rope. When I was four weeks old, my mom took me on my first elk hunt, and hunting has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have hunted deer, elk, pheasants, geese and coyotes. My favorite animal to hunt is pheasants, because I like to watch the dogs point.

Why do you hunt?

I hunt because I enjoy being outside and being with my family in the field. My family loves the outdoors and so do I. Being able to have the chance to harvest an animal — and the memories and feelings that go along with it — mean so much to me. Making jerky and trying all the different game recipes is something I really enjoy. My favorite meat is moose!

How did you get into hunting?

Since I could walk, I have been following my parents in the mountains. The first hunt I remember was when I was 4 years old and we were in Nebraska. We sat in a ground blind waiting for a whitetail buck, and it was really cold! I saw turkeys and does walk right by us. I was so excited when my mom got a big buck.

What is your favorite hunt you've been on?

It's hard to choose the best hunt so far, but I think one of my favorites was when I went snow goose hunting. We set up a pop-up blind and all of the decoys, and then we sat there in the cold and waited. A lot of geese started coming into the decoys, and we started calling to bring them in closer. We ended up getting a few and I couldn't believe how big they were.

What are some tips you would offer someone who is interested in learning to hunt?

Practice shooting a lot so that when you get a chance you make a clean shot and don't wound an animal. Learn to read animal signs, and study where they live. Stick with it and don't give up!

To learn more about hunting and wildlife management, visit wildlife.utah.gov/teamwildlife.