CHRIS HAYES

Director | Located in Iowa

At the age of 4, Chris went with his father, grandfather, and uncles on his first hunt.  Dad ended up carrying him out of the field on his shoulders, but he was hooked.  Many dove hunts came and went up until the age of 11 when he carried his first shotgun.  Having a step-brother 6 months younger, his time afield was with his paternal grandfather.  Whether it was a duck blind, dove hunt, or deer blind he was there.  Chris hunts ducks, squirrel, doves, pheasants, and big game across 4 states.

Chris began with a bow at the age of 4.  An old Bear fiberglass recurve which dad made the string for.  At an enormous distance of about 7 yards, he shot and shot that little recurve until he had dug a huge hole in the hill that served as the backstop.  He then graduated to a more powerful recurve several times until the age of 16.  Christmas that year was a new compound.  Wheel bows dominated his life until about 5 years ago and he picked that old Pearson recurve up that was the first bow with enough poundage for hunting and put a new string on it.  Archery was fun again!  Chris trades his time afield with a bow for deer, turkey, elk,  and mule deer with the recurve and his new compound.

In 2019, Chris met a gentleman by the name of AJ.  He was the Regional Director for RMEF.  During a phone call catching up, AJ mentioned “I have something that is right up your alley”.  That’s when Chris learned about RAFD.  “You get to teach, and this camp is unlike any other”.  AJ was right.  Chris fell in love with everything about it, and the message that RAFD coveys hit home.  Since that point, Chris has volunteered at camp and at the Deer Classic in Iowa teaching kids.  Living by the example set by Abraham Lincoln, he believes “If we teach our youth, we will not have to teach our adults”.  

Chris spends his time outdoors hunting and fishing with his beloved wife, Melissa, and his son.  He is looking forward to teaching his grandchildren even though they have quite a few years before they are “camp ready”.  His oldest grand-daughter is “ready to shoot deers, Papa”!

Welcome to Raised At Full Draw!