09 Jul SOON!!!
Summer is here and antlers are growing big. This is the time of the year to relax, recharge, and regroup for the next hunting season. In several weeks, we can begin to hunt for the big racked bucks.
Make sure that you do not forget to address your other responsibilities to your family, friends, work, and faith. Your early morning, and late evening, hunts will soon take you away from them. Now is the time to fulfill your other needs, responsibilities, and obligations.
Hunters look at life differently than non-hunters. The forests, fields, and marshes call us. We do not feel whole unless draped in camo, scent, and our natural surroundings. Concrete, walls, and crowded places sap our energy. Hunting renews our energy and spirit. Sadly, this comes at a cost. Wives, family, and friends will always take a back seat to the bugling bulls, grunting bucks, and the Rut.
We hunt despite the missed dates, birthdays, and events. Hearing the screams, whines, and comments from our acquaintances can be deafening. Some of this can be prevented. Marry a woman that approves, enjoys, and accepts hunting. Avoid women that have birthdays on or near opening days. My wife was born on the annual trout opener. Every year this is a challenge. Plan your children to be born during off season. Ironically, you need to plan 9 months ahead. This seems like sound advice but…Good Luck.
Dinners, cookouts, field trips, winery tours, boating, shopping, and other special activities can help pass the time. Wives and girlfriends do have short memories and will not remember the extra effort you are putting in now. Your mates will never be completely happy. That is just the way it is. At least you can say you tried.
Fortunately, there is always an upcoming season. Fishing season is always around. Camping, boating, and outdoor adventure keeps you in shape and allows you to be close to nature. Taking kids to share in these events allows you to grow future outdoor companions. Hunting buddies are hard to find. Growing your own is a sound plan. When the kids are away with you, your wife has more freedom to do her thing.
Technology when hunting can be a blessing or a curse. Rarely do folks turn off the cell phone. Your GPS will always let them know where you are. Sharing pictures and videos is nice, but getting your phone blown up because you are late for a date is another matter. Practice the new apps and technology now so you can send the correct emojis and images when needed. Text, call, and communicate to the max so that they know you care and are safe.
The truth is that when it comes to matters of the heart and soul, we are all at the mercy of our emotions. Our family and friends get angry because they love us. The hunting spirit in our souls needs to be fed. This will always be a quandary. The good news for hunters is that our addiction is managed by laws, limits, and seasons. The bad news is that the only cure is to feed the legal and honest addiction.
Hunters need to hunt! It is not just about the food or antlers. Hunting is about the adventure, patience, and hours of waiting, highlighted by a few moments of intense excitement! The following of a blood trail, or tracks, that leads us to our quarry is magnified when we must touch the antlers of this magnificent creature called a Deer!
The experience and success of the hunt has a huge ripple effect in a hunter’s life. Our attitude improves and we give more attention to the things we sacrificed. Generosity, fellowship, love, and happiness are all amplified after a successful hunt. Success is not just measured by a filled tag or harvest. The joy, memories, and process of the hunt will also initiate these feelings and outcomes.
Hunters were once the heart of a community. Their skills fed families and friends. During conflict, these skills again brought peace and prosperity. Being a skilled hunter meant that you were a crack shot, knowledgeable about your environment, and a survivor. In many ways, these truths are still evident. Hunters champion the protection and management of our wild public places. The self- discipline learned from shooting is such an empowering asset. Hunting is now more gender friendly than ever. The hunting community embodies American freedom, sportsmanship, conservation, and values.
As we celebrate the summer, it is important to be reminded of why and how we hunt. Each hunting season is one less in our lives. Embrace what you love in life and rest for the next hunting season. It will be here before you know it!
Soon!!!
Montana Grant
For more Montana Grant, visit his website at www.montanagrantfishing.com.