THERESA VAIL
IN THIS
Exclusive
Interview
Theresa delves into her past, sharing experiences that turned into
life lessons learned. She then soars into her future, sharing goals,
dreams, and ways of life that she will continue to support. Learn
about her involvements with NRA All Access and what filming the
show is like, as well as what she has planned next!
AO: Tell us a little bit about your childhood. What was it like,
growing up in Kansas, and participating in outdoor activities, like
hunting, at such a young age? Who and/or what sparked your love
for the outdoors?
VAIL: I was born in scenic upstate New York. I moved to Germany
for quite some time and at 12-years-old moved to my “home state”
of Kansas. My fondest memories of my childhood are of the outdoor
adventures I was able to experience. When we lived in New York,
my dad would take a few of us kids out on river walks. We would
get dressed up in our old Army camo, pack a few MREs (meals
ready to eat), and then pick a river to start walking down. We didn’t
watch cartoons on Saturday mornings; we were encouraged to play
outside. When we moved to Germany is when my dad introduced
me to hunting, and my love for the lifestyle has only grown since.
AO: Being a huntress, you’re skilled as an outdoor enthusiast. What
was your most challenging hunt?
VAIL: The most challenging hunt I faced was my New Mexico elk
bow hunt. I had never been elk hunting before and I went into it
thinking of it as just a large-scale deer hunt. With each encounter,
I kept thinking that I had time to make that perfect shot. I quickly
found out that you do NOT have time to think about it and that you
need to be quick on the trigger. I left New Mexico empty-handed.
72 Fall 2016 Adventure Outdoors
AO:
What got you
into archery?
VAIL: Archery is my favorite simply because it
is a much more intimate experience. An ex-boyfriend had just gotten into shooting and asked if I
wanted to go to the archery range with him. Always up
for trying something new, I was ready for the challenge. At
the range, I quickly started shooting better than my ex-boyfriend; I was immediately hooked and bought a bow that day. It was
a game-changer!