So the first time I saw a tarantula was driving at night down a dirt road my dad and I were looking for wild life. Deer, coyotes, what have ya. When I look ahead and see a big ol' spider running across the road I said "dad a tarantula!" He has very poor hearing so he looks at me and says "what?!" by that time he has already driven over the poor tarantula scampering across the road.

I got out and examined it. This was my first tarantula, you see. I was still very excited even though it was flat as a pancake so a few days later I'm riding my bike. I've got my water bottle, my backpack, and I'm just peddling as fast as I can up this hill. When sure enough a big ol' tarantula runs across the road. I stopped immediately and got it to stand still. I wanted to capture it and keep it as a pet.

I spied my water bottle and seconds after the water was drained and I had cut the top off. I scooped the tarantula into the lower end and reversed the top, placing it into the lower section. This allowed me to bike back with the spider in my water bottle holder.
I got back and the first thing I did was begin researching tarantulas online.

I found out that male tarantulas go out in search of females
they also have spurs on the front pair of legs that help them in the mating process. I identified mine as a male, but then to my dismay I found out that he would soon pass away. Within a year or so. I then discovered that females live twice as long compared to males, if not more. Females burrow and wait at the edge of their holes for prey to pass by. After that I had my eye on every hole I ever passed.

One night walking around my uncles condo I found a female sitting at the edge of her burrow all I could see were four legs perched, ready to strike. The hairs on the back of my neck began to stand up. I walked around until I found a cricket. Making sure not smoosh the cricket I crept back to the burrow and threw the cricket near the edge of the whole flash!
It was gone.
Now all the hair on my body was standing straight up checking the area further I found the burrow was located right next to a water meter box. This is basically a plastic box stuck in the ground to make sure no dirt covers up valves, meters, timers, etc.

The next day I opened the box and peered inside.
All I could see was white!
The place was caked with web and the exoskeletons of old prey.
The tarantula was nowhere to be seen. I wanted to capture the female, so I took a 2 liter bottle and basically did the same thing as with my previous water bottle. I kept checking the box about twice a day. I had crickets handy so I could entice the spider to not run away. One night going to check it I slowly popped the lid as to not disturb the spider if it was there.

It in fact was,
It began to lurk towards the exit to hide in the shaft of the burrow where I could not reach it. I quickly threw a cricket behind the spider. The cricket struggled against the sticky web. Finally after several moments the spider realized it was there and turned around and grabbed it in its fangs.

I grabbed the top of the 2 liter bottle and jammed it down onto the spider. Making sure not to damage any part of the spider
I then relished in my victory and decided to take a quick breather. My heart was pumping fast and the adrenaline was kicking in. Grabbing a handful of golf ball sized rocks I went back to the box.
I plugged up all the exits making the box a larger enclosure.
I then lined the spider up just right and scooped it up and placed it in the lower section of the 2liter bottle.

Victory.

I let the male go that same night. I got an enclosure for the female and I've had her ever since. Coming up on 4 years.