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The Hunt

LonewolfNopack

Junior Member
1,503
127
The woods
Guys I am in a weird mood tonight and felt like writing. Here is a short synopsis of how I feel about deer season.

It never fails every year deer season gives me a bitter sweet feeling. I am amazed to sit in the woods of our creator and absorb the sheer beauty of a colorful fall day. I am entertained when a squirrel runs circles around my tree chasing another squirrel as I try my best not to laugh. I am awed by the beauty of a sunrise reflecting off the red of the maples on a calm October morning, and the frozen sunset I see stuck in the sky on a December evening, wondering where time has went. I am perplexed as to where a chipmonk really go's when he suddenly just disappears under a leaf. I am amazed by how loud a flock of turkeys sounds walking through the woods. I am humbled when a deer walks under my stand, and I smile as I watch it keep walking on by. I am thrilled when it all works out and I finally kill a deer ( after all that is what we do is kill a deer, we don't harvest them). I am brought to tears as I hold it in my hands in appreciation of what it has given me. I am saddened because I know I can never give enough back.

These are just some of the many feelings that I have this time of year. Everyone hunts for different reasons, but I wish that every hunter could feel just some of them. I see an increasing amount of hunters every year focusing hunting on just one thing, rather it be just killing as many deer as possible, or getting so caught up on chasing a big buck that they overlook everything else that a hunt consists of. The unethical things I have witnessed people do just to kill a deer has really shaken my image of the modern day deer hunter, so much to the point it has caused me to wonder if it is even something that I want to still be associated with. With a new era of hunters and the recent craze of bow hunting in the past 5 years its time we bring back hunting to what it was meant to be about, the hunt.
 
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at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,944
139
wow this is very well written. I see what you are saying but never give up something you love because of others.

You describe hunting with great passion. Dont let others ruin that for you.
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,856
260
SW Ohio
Great piece of writing Seth! I feel the same way and your refections and thoughts while hunting mimic mine. The other day I had a pair if Horned owls quietly and stealthily fly through and land about 40 yards apart doing soft calls. Didn't see a deer that night but it made my hunt just to witness it.:smiley_coolpeace:

It's nice to hear from you! What you been doing? Did you enlist?
 
Well said Seth. I've been out a hand full of times in upstate NY this year. I've yet to see any deer from the stand but I've seen fisher and coyotes. Makes for a great hunt when you see stuff like that.
 

Outdoorsfellar

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Great write up indeed. I'm pretty sure all of here believe in the same reasons why we go out. Yes, there are those that seem not to fit in, but there's nothing you can do at times, other than to hunt & enjoy for yourself. Just yesterday, as I was attending church, I started a slow burn when two younger guys came in wearing ball caps & never took them off. I told my wife I was going to go welcome them & then ask for them to take off their hats. My wife wasn't thrilled with that, so I let it go, knowing I'd be made out as
the bad guy. I still really wish I had, but the reason for saying that, is that there are some things ya just have to live with & do your best to overlook....right or wrong. At least I gave them credit for being there.
 

bluedog

Junior Member
Great writing!

There have been unethical hunters most likely since the beginning of humans hunting for food. This is not unique to today. Best examples I can think of is nearly wiping out the American Bison and successfully wiping out the passenger pigeon. We humans are a strange lot sometimes. In regards to today's hunting issues, the best we can do is lead by example and preach conservation.

Writing and sharing such as the OP above is perfect for opening eyes and minds to all of the wonders that surround a hunt. Good job!
 

Curran

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,971
172
Central Ohio
Good stuff Seth! That IS what it's all about. The hunt is the journey and the kill is what happens when that journey meets the destination. There is always sadness at that point, for many reasons that we all know and understand.
 

Cummingetit

Junior Member
Excellent post! I grew up hunting rabbits with my grandpa and always respected the hunt just never quite realized everything that was going on. I went a few years (19-22 yrs old) where I didn't really hunt. Once I got back in the woods after a few years, the first time I shot a squirel I felt immediate remorse. I didn't know if I had lost my "edge" or what. I soon realized what I was feeling was a great deal of respect for the animal whose life I had just taken and how greatful I was for the meal and the experiance it provided me with. It was sort of an " awakening " in my life as a hunter. I have yet to take a deer, but I know for a fact I will feel a mix of sadness and great happiness the moment that I take one. Kind of rambling but just my experience as a hunter. I love the wilderness as well as have the utmost respect for all game I take and what that game provides me
 

rsmith

Member
1,835
52
Good stuff Seth! That IS what it's all about. The hunt is the journey and the kill is what happens when that journey meets the destination. There is always sadness at that point, for many reasons that we all know and understand.

This is so true. I have realized that it isn't a about killing but more about seeing the animals and them not knowing you are their. Seeing them interact with each other and not be spooked or even know that you are watching them go about as if you aren't their. Watching the sun rise over the trees and seeing a perfect water painted pink and blue mixed sky above you think, I could and should take a picture of this but it will never do it justice. To see deer come in to a food plot that you spent all summer working to put in with a push mower and a weed wacker and a small rear tine tiller because you hear, if you build it they will come. When i first started hunting 2 years ago I was all about killing everything in my path with my .22, after killing my first deer last year and feeling that rush of emotions when you come up to it and finally lay your hands on it. Than that humbling feeling comes over you and you just say a pray and than call everyone you know to come over and celebrate it with you. This year when I saw my first deer from the stand I almost hit the bottom of the stand because my legs were shaking so bad to see 3 does come into my plot in person, not from a laptop screen, and to know that all your hard work in the summer had finally paid off because you see deer, living breathing deer, eating from the plot you made. Than you pray that the bucks you scouted all summer may come through again and all the work you did making sure all your equipment is right on target, making sure your stand is just right, all for the couple of minutes experience of the opportunity to kill the deer you have been hoping that comes in. It was just such a humbling expletive this year because I feel like I have matured as a hunter and am not just all about killing everything, but am now enjoying the actual experience that everyone talks about, now I can finally say that I know what they are talking about when they say it was just a beautiful morning.
 
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