Hello my name is Jylyna Zedan and I am 19 years old, going into my second year of college. I was born in Ft.Wayne, Indiana, but was raised in Michigan. I first began hunting when I was just three years old. I always enjoyed going out in the woods with my mom and dad, just seeing nature and exploring the world around me. My parents took me with them hunting, and I sat in the blind and helped them look for deer. To keep me quiet, my parents use to give me the deer calls which kept me entertained, blowing in it with no particular pattern…little did my parents know, the deer actually came in.
With me being in the woods with my parents as much as I was, my dad noticed how much I liked it and decided he would purchase a bow for me. It was Christmas 1994 when I opened this odd shaped present under the tree to discover my very own bow! Stick bow or not, the look of happiness and excitement was everything my mom and dad were looking for, they knew from that day forward…hunting would be apart of my life forever. After my fair share of practice my parents decided it was time to move me up to a compound bow: a PSE bandit. I was always outside practicing, happy that I had a bow just like my Daddy's. My mom took a picture of me shooting my bow, with my pink PSE hat. She and my dad’s friend, who owned an archery/fishing shop, loved the picture so much he hung it on his wall. He and my dad had an idea that since I was wearing a PSE hat, and had a PSE bow, they would send my picture to the PSE company. To our surprise, PSE sent a catalog to our house and there it was, MY picture on the very front cover of the 1996 PSE product catalog! It was also that year my family and I attended the Novi Expo show. People started walking up to me saying, "Hey, I know you," and asking me for my autograph. At that point I was really confused and had no idea what was going on. Then my parents realized they noticed me because I was on the catalog, and were asking me for my autograph because I was on the cover. So there I was at 6 years old, signing autographs for people with my beautiful stick letters. I felt pretty cool, but now, years later, I am still remembered by some as that one little girl at the Novi show signing autographs.
Here I am ten years later; I'm fifteen years old. Instead of seven pounds, I pull back fifty-two, and I have a new AR and not my lil' bandit. I got my very first deer in 2002; it was a doe that I shot with my new AR. For a change, I was the one hunting, not my parents. After ten years of going out and sitting in the blind while my mom and dad were hunting, it was my turn. When that animal first came in, it was a feeling that until this day, I cannot describe. My hands were shaking; I heard my heart beating faster and faster, and I forgot what to do for a minute. I knew I had to collect my thoughts, and remember everything my parents taught me. I watched the doe tiptoe slowly as I patiently waited for it to be in my shooting range of twenty yards. I took a deep breath, said a little prayer, and slowly pulled back my bow. She slowly started turning and right when she was broad side, THUMP! There went my arrow, and she was down. "YES! Good shot, Lyna!" I heard my dad yell thirty yards away in the other tree stand (video taping). I took another deep breath, and sat back down, realizing I really did it. After going back to hunting camp with my first deer, and after all the first deer traditions (sleeping in the next morning), it was time to go back home. Telling my story over a hundred times, it reminded me of how much fun I had that hunting season, and psyched me up for the season coming up.
My dad had bought me my own brand new Rugar M77 compact .308 that I couldn't wait to shoot. I would use it for the 2003-hunting season. After shooting off a few boxes of ammo, my dad felt I was ready. We went out opening day, and after about eight hours of my dad and I sitting in the blind, there was a huge doe. My dad coached me to where it would be stopping and I got rearranged and picked a window to shoot out of. I set up my shooting sticks (props to Grandpa Webb) and got my rifle ready to go. Inching its way into my cross hairs (87 yards away). KA POW! Right in the front shoulder, she wasn't getting too far. The excitement of seeing a deer and telling my story still shakes me up every time I think about it.
2004 had brought me a new experience; my dad and Grandpa Webb had scouted a few bucks for me. I was still upset from the year before, when I had misjudged where I should have shot a 6-point. He was wounded because I had taken the wrong shot, my family and I show enough respect for the animals we hunt, that with the help of many family and friends including: my mom, cousins, Grandpa Webb and a few others, we tracked that deer for two days. Many gave their day off of hunting to help me find him, and after searching, we, no, actually I, left with nothing but disappointment, and frustration. I had left that season with an empty feeling, and was very upset. I almost gave up, but realized that not everything about hunting is just taking down that deer perfectly. I learned many things about practicing, patience, shot placement, and courage in myself to never give up. People do make mistakes, and you cannot give up on doing things you love. As a great man once told me "You gotta learn from your mistakes, and go on with your life." I knew that in 2004 I was going to have better luck and in the end I shot my very first buck, which was an eight point that scored 117 and 5/8.
The two that made everything happen are my mom, Dianna, and my dad, Tony. I have no actual siblings, but I do have three dogs, Dakota eight years old, and Cheyenne six years old, (German Shorthaired Pointers), and an 8 month old Chihuahua, who I consider being my brothers and sister. My mom has been hunting for 12 years, and my dad's been hunting for 20 years. My mom works at Starbucks by the house, and my dad is a retail manager and Pro Staff Shooter for PSE since 2000.
While hunting season is over, my hobbies are playing sports such as: basketball, volleyball, and softball. I am also in my second year of college, so I am always busy with that. I love being outside, swimming, and laying out when there is nice weather. Music is a big part of my life also; I listen to many different kinds, and I also like singing and dancing. My friends and I enjoy shopping, going to the movies, and just hanging out at my house. I love writing, hunting, camping, and shooting my bow and gun.
Hunting was introduced to me as a hobby, and something to do on the side. It has made a huge impact on my life, and without it, my world would not be the same. Hunting has grown to be a passion for me, and a way of life for my family and I. One day I hope to introduce hunting to my children and hopefully they will continue the tradition, very much the same way my parents introduced it to me. I hope everyone will someday find something wonderful that will keep him or her happy. I look forward to one day get more kids into hunting, so that this way of life will not disappear; I hope hunting will stay around forever.
