"My Heaven"
by Randy Grider
My home is in the bluegrass region of Kentucky. I have never, and probably never will, been to exotic, faraway hunting havens that we read about in all the popular hunting magazines. And I'm all right with that. Frankly those stories bore me. I can't imagine having any more fun hunting in Africa, as I do right here close to home, and if I did, I probably couldn't stand it anyway! Don't think I’m bitter, just content. To me the magazine articles that grab my eye, and get the first read are always the "good ol' boy goes squirrel hunting with a longbow" type. I've done this, and enjoy it immensely. Not to say that I feed my family in this way, but the memories of those hunts have fed me for years.
Just love remembering the time I dropped that squirrel from the top of a tree with my recurve and a broadhead, and the time I emptied my quiver at one , never touched , a hair, and spent the next 30 minutes hunting arrows! Jumping a herd of bedded deer one morning, and drawing on a scared fawn at twelve yards, just to ease down, and let him walk. Knowing I could have.., but didn't, gives me a lot of satisfaction. "I've got food at the house, we'll let this one grow." I had a memorable experience one time just scouting the day before season opened. Seeing a doe and fawn approaching, I crouched down in a weedy fencerow. When it was all over, the couple had walked by me at arms length, me expecting any second an explosion when the doe finally scented me, but she never acknowledged me, and nonchalantly sauntered by, even crossing my scent. Go figure! I even contemplated lunging at her just for the hell of it, but decided instead to just see how long I could pull it off. That’s success. Sure, I could spend twenty grand on some African safari, but never really cared for bought success.
One time, late in the season, when everyone else had given up hunting, I gained permission to hunt a neighbors farm. Dense brush, large oak trees, and snow falling heavy. The ground was covered with tracks.., and the peace and tranquility was awesome! I stood for 30 minutes at a time before easing to another location, finally jumping a large buck. That was just icing on the cake. No I didn't kill the buck. Actually I have never killed a big buck, and that’s okay. Something left to look forward to.
Am I crazy? I like to think not. Like I said before, just content. I have a lot to be thankful for, and spend a great deal of time in deer stands reflecting on just that. A great wife, kids, friends, the most important things in life.., I’m blessed. when that time one day comes when I’m called to the happy hunting grounds, the transition should be easy, you see, I’m used to heaven.
Topic: My Heaven - Randy Grider (Read 2415 times)
