AKA Mac Ugly, Gobbler Man, Mac Attack. Raised in Birmingham, Mich., until 19. Left in 1983 and did a short tour in the active Army. After an honorable discharge in 1985, I attended and graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1990. After working at three daily newspapers in West Virginia and New York from 1990 to 1997, I hit the skids with a failed first marriage. I have two children from that marriage. It was in the midst of that relationship when I found hunting as a panacea. Basically, it saved my ass. See, I've been sober through a 12-step program since 1987. The passion for the outdoors has continued into this millennium with three more children from a second marriage. I hope to pass the love of the woods on to my kids. I am now remarried to my beautiful wife Stacie Arnold and employed by The Blade in Toledo, Ohio. Before this, I was employed by The Macomb Daily in Mount Clemens, Mich., for 16 years. One other noteworthy experience was serving in Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti while an Army Reservist in 1995. Served in the Reserve from 1985-1997. All of this has made me older and wiser to handle future successes.
Getting into shape and staying that way can pay dividends once the fall seasons kick in. As any deer or bird hunter knows, the heart will get to racing when you're dragging a downed brute or tromping through a thick cover of briers.