He gets to dabble in the adventures of the great outdoors and then write an account of his experiences.

For Matt Guedes, it really is the best of both worlds in his current capacity as the Western Editor for the digital magazine IS Outdoors.A native of Palmerton, Guedes recently had his first article, entitled "Rediscover Colorado Mule Deer", published in the digital magazine.The article can be viewed online at

www.isoutdoors.com/media/0411.Guedes said the article has enabled him to fulfill his ambition."I have had a desire for a long time to break into the writing arena in the outdoor world," Guedes said. "It has not come easy, nor quickly, but I have persisted and finally have found the right break that was needed."Guedes said IS Outdoors "is really the future of the magazine world." He credited Brock Ray, whom he referred to as an ingenious guy who has been in the outdoor industry all of his life and has started many magazines."He is always on the edge and ahead of the trend, and that is what IS is," Guedes said. "It is the trend of where the magazine world will go"Guedes said "people do everything online, and this allows them to get a top shelf hunting and fishing magazine online and did I mention, for free."The purpose of the article, Guedes said, is to clear up the "many misconceptions out there about hunting in general and hunting in the west.""I wanted to show that hunting is far more than the harvest, and that hunting to someone who really loves the outdoors is a year round endeavor," he said. "There is great opportunity and enjoyment that can be had all year long for the outdoorsman. So I wanted people to understand that the lifestyle of hunting is exactly that, a lifestyle."Guedes said he was introduced to hunting by his friend and fellow Palmerton resident Rich DeSocio about 15 years ago."It instantly became a great passion of mine," he said. "I have been so blessed over the past 15 years in my hunting that it opened up doors for me to share my passion for the outdoor world and my passion for Christ through speaking and in print. Hunting has brought together a bunch of my desires and goals and has allowed me to do them all in one industry."Guedes, a deeply-committed Christian who loves all that is hunting, resides in Mesa, Colorado with his wife, Kelley (McHugh) Guedes (Panther Valley Class of 1989), and three children Tekoah, 11, Baylee, 10, and Hollis, 8. A pastor for the past 15 years, and currently ministers at Mesa View Church in Mesa, Co, where he has been for nearly five years.Guedes said he wrote his first published article three years ago for Huntin Fool magazine."It was a great opportunity that has led the way to this and other opportunities," he said. "So I get to do what I love and then have been blessed to share it with others."Guedes said he merely wants to share his experience "in a fashion that is an everyday, simple form for all to enjoy and learn from.""I want to share that I am just like anyone else out there in the outdoor world and that they too can experience what I have experienced," he said. "It has been great to be able to have the platform to share my hunting experience and to be able to have the freedom to share about the God that I believe is behind it all at the same time. That is really what I enjoy most about the opportunity."A 1987 graduate of Palmerton Area High School, Guedes graduated from Dickinson College with a BA in Political Science in 1991. From there, he served 3 1/2 years as an officer in the U.S. Army.He is currently on the pro staffs for Brock Ray's World of Outdoors, Mathews Archery, Ripcord Rests, Tru-Fire Releases and Broadheads, and Schaffer's Performance Archery.Contact Guedes at

matt@mesaairnet.com.