Welcome
A Full Service Booking Agent
Specializing in Big Game Bowhunts, but also offering Big Game Rifle & Muzzleloader Hunts as well as Wingshooting & Fishing
About Us
Experienced Consultant - Started in 1998
I’m Tom Close, owner and founder of Close Encounters, and Thanks for visiting my web site. I grew up and lived my entire life in western Wisconsin. I shot my first deer with a Bow on Christmas-eve morning of 1974. I was a sophomore in high school at the time, with very little Bow Hunting experience, but pretty damn lucky. I’ve learned a little every year, and now hunt only mature Bucks, which is tough going in the country I hang my stands. I’ve been lucky to hunt many fun species, but just love to hunt those Whitetails.
I made my first trip to Colorado hunting Elk in 1977. A graduation present from my dad. I really enjoyed the Elk hunting, but our first few trips would be described as a camping trip with the remote chance of an Elk… I returned many times to those mountains in Colorado, and eventually I learned how to hunt Elk and adapted an effective strategy and started to kill elk on a reasonably consistent basis.
For years, I hunted Elk with a Bow in September, waterfowl in Saskatchewan in October, trapped Mink & Coon and Bow hunted rutting Whitetails near home in November.
I was always the organizer on my trips. I had the meals packed and travel itinerary written and organized for all the out of state hunts. I’m not sure if it was my organization skills or just the most excited member of the group every year, but when I look back now, this was the perfect training for a booking agent..
I love to shoot my Bow, and shoot most days during the summer and league during the winter. I currently shoot a Mathews Halon X, which is my 4th Mathews and probably my 20th Bow I’ve owned. I also like to shoot traditional, but will not hunt with it until I can shoot more consistently. I’ve been shooting a stick bow for 5-6 years, and put it this way- that may never happen.. They are fun to shoot though.
I’ve harvested 11 of North America’s Big Game species with a Bow, including the current # 8 P&Y Canadian Moose, an 8 ½ ft. Brown Bear and a Mule Deer that scored over 190 inches. I’ve Bow Hunted Africa 5 times, killing 16 different species of Planes including a Cape Buffalo & Sable.
About Us
Travis Close - Hunting Consultant
I am pleased to introduce (my son) Travis Close, as an official member of the Close Encounters Sales team. He’s been helping me edit the web site and preparing for shows now for quite a while, but most recently acquired a genuine interest in the business and has asked to be more involved.
Travis is an accomplished Bowhunter, and has taken 5 different North American species, most of which made P&Y. He’s got a nice collection of P&Y Whitetails, his favorite animal to hunt. We’ve been on quite a few hunts together, perhaps the best of which was South Africa in 2005, where he arrowed a good Kudu, Impala and a Warthog.
Travis hit the trifecta when he married Ali. She’s good looking, hard-working with a good job and her dad has a nice farm for hunting. They are great parents and raising 3 little hunters in training, 2 boys (2-4) and a 7 yr old Girl.
Travis is a natural born salesman, something that comes natural to him, but developed after a few years as a successful Insurance agent, selling for Noah Insurance Groups out of Amery. Travis will be a welcome addition to the team, and I’m sure our clients and network will feel the same once you get a chance to visit with him.
Travis Close
(715) 554 - 3465
