This column is part of an ongoing series called “Write About the Good Challenge” issued by the Outdoor Blogger Summit (OBS)*, of which I am a founding member, whose purpose is to write about the positive things that happen in our lives or motivates us to carry on with what we’re doing as outdoor enthusiasts and blog writers.

It is difficult for me to choose one single person that inspired me to hunt. There have been, and still are, so many to be thankful for mentoring or inspiring me. Without a doubt if it were not for the good folks at Cimmaron Archery in Richmond, Illinois I would have never become a bowhunter. Their dedication, good will and patience renewed my will to become a bowhunter at a time when I was about to give it up. There have been many people throughout my life, and no doubt will continue to enter my life, that inspire and mentor me. As my late mother used to say: “Life is an ongoing learning process from the day we’re born to the day we die.” And, “Inspiring people are everywhere; you only have to keep an open mind.”

But since I have to make a choice as to who was my greatest mentor I will have to say that it was both of my parents- and I say “both” because they were a strong and undivided team, even in raising their children. Things like “go ask Mama”, or “Wait until Papa comes home.” were foreign phrases in our house.

Since both of my parents were enthusiastic outdoors people who hunted, fished and loved to hike in the beautiful mountains of Switzerland I was naturally raised to do the same. The passion for the outdoor lifestyle was consciously nurtured and encouraged from early childhood on and no doubt influenced me when I decided to found Othmar Vohringer Smart Hunting Strategies through which I became able to apply another lesson I learned from my parents: “Share your knowledge freely with the less knowledgeable and those willing to learn. Knowledge is only useful if it is made accessible to many.”

My writing, the blogs, seminars and other hunting related activities such as hunting courses, hunting strategy consulting and becoming a hunter education instructor of British Columbia are a direct result of the mentorship and inspiration of my parents. The people I have encountered in my life that further inspired or mentored me can also be seen as a direct result of the values and beliefs my parents instilled in me.

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• Support conservation efforts and positively portray the value of outdoor pursuits.
• Encourage and support the efforts of existing outdoor bloggers.
• Offer incentive and support for new bloggers who might wish to blog about the outdoors.
• Unite the voices of bloggers so we can speak as one about critical issues that affect outdoor pursuits.
• Provide a clearinghouse for information about outdoor pursuits.

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