Fall Outdoors

Not only does fall bring great weather and college football, it also marks the beginning of one of my favorite pastimes, hunting. In fact, today’s featured pic is the view I had this weekend!

I didn’t see anything and to be perfectly honest, I usually don’t when I hunt. For me, getting up in the middle of the night, stumbling through the woods to my spot and enjoying the grandeur of sunrise over nature’s beauty provides my primary enjoyment.

Of course those times when I do see game makes the experience even more rewarding! Nothing like a gobbler calling back or deer walking past the stand…even if you never take a shot.

When fortunate enough to harvest game, the satisfaction of providing for the family from nature’s bounty stirs up some sort of primal instinct that is hard to explain. It is a great sense of reward.   

I understand hunting can be a controversial topic. I’ve never been trophy hunting and probably never will. I don’t really understand hunting just to mount a trophy, but I’m certainly not going to judge those who choose to do so.

Growing up I used to hunt just about every weekend on our farm. I was raised with one simple rule and I’ve passed it on to my sons. Do not kill an animal you do not intend to consume. I hunt primarily to enjoy nature but also to occasionally put meat in the freezer, plain and simple.

There are some more broad benefits to hunting which I don’t completely understand. I normally hunt public lands and often attend mandatory briefings from the wildlife conservationist on how hunting helps manage animal populations and diseases.  The calculus they use to establish harvest quotas is pretty interesting!  

Although I’ve hunted all my life, I’m certainly not what you would call an expert or even an avid hunter. Nowadays I make it out to the woods during deer and turkey season about a total of ten times a year. I might make it out for small game once or twice a year if I’m lucky.

There have been years in my adult life where I didn’t hunt at all due to deployments or living overseas. Perhaps for this reason, I’ve never purchased the top notch gear, but always ensure my equipment is safe and serviceable. I only hunt public land near my home, I’ve never set foot on a game preserve.

I don’t get in my tree stand as much as I used to, I’ve found hunting from a blind is quicker and of course safer since I usually hunt alone. Branching out to different aspects of hunting over the years has been an enjoyable plus to the hobby.  About 15 years ago I started turkey hunting and really got hooked! Turkeys are amazingly instinctual and challenging.

A few years ago I picked up a black powder rifle and really enjoy hunting with it. Makes me feel connected to our pioneering ancestors! Most recently, I picked up archery, specifically crossbow hunting. It is amazing how powerful and accurate modern archery equipment is.

So why stick with a hobby that I only put into practice less than a dozen times a year and seldom harvest any game? I honestly don’t know. To use a line from an old song, I guess I am just hooked on a feeling.

I’ve tried to describe and share that feeling with my two sons. One is not interested and the other will hit the woods with me on occasion, but for now sleep is much more valuable to him. Perhaps hunting really is just a feeling that some possess and others don’t…it really is hard to articulate.

My hunting experience that best described the “feeling” occurred while we were stationed at West Point, New York for almost four years. Just 50 miles from New York City but seemingly a world away, the big woods and mountains of West Point are excellent spots to hunt. I was fortunate to have a job at the time that allowed me to spend time in the woods.

Winter hunting in upstate NY is beautiful but a little demanding. Sometimes there is a foot or more of snow on the ground and those mountains are no joke! Spring turkey hunting though is another story. Spring is a lovely time of year pretty much everywhere, but in upstate NY it is truly majestic. Sitting on a mountain top overlooking the Hudson River as the sun slowly rises is hard to describe in words.

I haven’t hunted as picturesque a vista in recent years but I’ll take the view I had this weekend. Not far from the banks of the Tennessee River, watching the sun pierce through the towering woods and dense fog was really beautiful.  

Perhaps when I retire for good I can get out in the woods more. Maybe my sons will join me. Who knows, I may eventually start bringing home more game!

I’ve been hitting the “living” theme pretty hard for a few weeks. Next week I’ll transition to some thoughts on leading as Veteran’s day approaches.

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