It may be the fletch-tite fumes but I'm just sitting here fletching rethinking my day at work and my quick lunch break.
I had two ladies that sit in my department and always ask what I bring for lunch. It's usually leftover venison, duck, goose, or something like that.
Well today the bambi comments started again so I took a 15 minute lunch break and took a drive over to Valley Forge National park. Well in my ride I saw two bucks bedded, 4 does, a huge red headed hawk, and a rub line about 20 yards from the road leading into a real nasty thicket. This particular rub line had a sign post rub about half the diameter of a telephone pole. This was all from the road and not even walking around. It's really a shame what most people never understand about the outdoors.
By the way my lunch was leftover cream chipped venison that I made last night. If you have a smoke shop near you, it's something to put on the list.
most will never understand, many its a waste of time trying to explain BUT a few know exatctly what your talking about and its a beautiful thing!!!!!!
You said it Brother! Nonhunters that ask me why I do it just don't seem to understand that its not the kill that does it for me...its just being there! I remember the sunrise and sunsets just as much as any game that I may bring home. I really feel privileged to continuously witness nature on her own terms.
Stacker
its funny the small things you notice that are just so beautiful while hunting. for instance everyone knows how beautiful a cardnial is in his bright red coat but how many have auctually heard him sing for a 1/2 hour? what a voice!! i doubt most bird watchers have ever heard one that long as i have had the chance to many days in my stand. i also watched a flying squrriel jump and glide 75 feet last week while in my stand. yes i am a hunter but "hunter" is only a word that does not describe it to well.
I even know some hunters (not trad)that don't understand. They are just out for the kill it seems.
I'm not sure I feel sorry for them I am a little selfish. I figure it leaves more room for those of us that do enjoy the outdoor life.
There are so many simple things that a lot of people miss out on that I've experienced while hunting and they have nothing to do with hunting. Anybody can experience these things by being quiet, still and observing the surroundings. Things like: the sound of a flock birds flying over and breaking the silence with the sound of the wind rushing over their wings, watching a spider build a new web from start to finish, having an owl silently fly into the next tree over and watching him go about his life, watching fawns play and seeing a coyote hunt.
There are so many cool things that can happen while we hunt and a lot of them have nothing to do with killing anything but, one simple experience can make getting up a 4 AM all worth it even if I come home empty handed.
Adkmountainken (Ken) what are you holding in your avatar picture?
when my teacher was saying that she hated the thought of hunting and that it should all be banned, I offered to bring her somme deer sausage to make her feel better :D , she did not think it was very funny
Quoteyes i am a hunter but "hunter" is only a word that does not describe it to well.
So true, Ken...
I feel peaceful and calm in the bush, anxious and stressed in the city. Is there a choice?
chrisg
I love to hunt. My sister in law equates that to killing an animal. 'How cruel'--her words, not mine. I've tried and tried to explain to her that I like to hunt and sometimes I even like to harvest. I've taken her on hikes and day outings and have convined her that there is a lot more to hunting than just killing an animal. I think I have opened her eyes alot. She is not a harvester and probably never will be, but that's OK. It's not for her, but she still likes to eat, so I just don't flaunt it to her.
She has come to realize that there is more to hanging in the woods than just looking to kill something. This is a good feeling for me.
Take a non hunter out to the woods, listen to the quiet, see the tracks, enjoy the moment.
Pat McManus has a great story about some of this. It's called "Fried flies please, hold the vicyssoise"(at least I think thats pretty close to the title).
I agree completely, my family has mostly moved off to Boise and they all wonder why I still stay right here in my foothills.....guess they don't get it either.
So many things happen out there that we see that the non-outdoor public doesn't see; its a shame.
The birds and mice and squirrels - I love to watch flying squirrels; and pine martins and bear cubs.. such fun stuff.
I had a red squirrel screaming at me once; and a snowy owl dove on it- but hit a cedar branch and that stopped it cold. The look the squirrel got; the look the owl had: sitting right in front of me and looking right at me - was precious. Its been over 30 years and I still remember it like it just happened.
This year my favorite moment; was stalking along the Salmon river; through dry grasses on a deer trail.
In the distance I saw several does and fawns headed my way; with a fawn in the lead.
As the fawn got up to me: it had no idea what I was. I was on one knee and it got so close I had to move my arrow aside so it wouldn't stab itself.
It stood nose to nose with me trying to figure out what I was. The doe came up and tried to push it with her nose on its rump; and it just crumpled up.
Then the doe looked at me - and its eyes about popped out of its head.
I fell over and about busted a gut laughing.
Its all great; just the wind in the grasses; and the timeless nature of it all.
Yep - those that stay indoors miss a lot!
Nearly every sunrise I spend in the woods I think about all the yuppies who are missing the most serene and beautiful part of the day. It's no wonder their liberal views cloud their judgement.
this post and these responses are why i call this place home and why i feel so close to the traditional family. i feel honored to be among all of you and share views like this!
you folks'll understand..
sitting on a hillside,after a 15 minute climb,1 friend 75-80yds east, another 100yds or more to the west...squirrels playing ,birds singing, the sun setting and the chill falling.
just as the light fades, the radio in my pocket whispers. 'i can't see, i'm going up'.
i stand, deer blows, i laff..climb the hill and share the scene.
at the end of the hunt, i'd made new friends and new memories. neither would have happened indoors.
I've often been the only one staring out the glass elevator at the sunrise over the river on my way to the 26th floor of a 39 floor office tower. Everyone just stands with their backs to it looking at the elevator doors or futzing with their electronic gadget of chioce. It's sad. My favorite story for non-hunters is about sitting in a perfectly still autum woods trying to figure out what the 'clicking' sound was I had been hearing all afternoon. I figured pretty quickly that it wasn't a deer or squirrel. The sun was shining through the yellow leaves bathing the entire woods in a golden glow. Finally sitting looking straigt up through the yellow leaves at the sun shining through I saw the leaf disconnect from the branch just as I heard the 'click'. I was in awe!
Howard
I just tell them "You eat what you want, I'll eat what I want." Have fun in the mall while I go to the most beautiful market in the world!
I can relate to each post so far. It is hard to explain to some non-hunters how I can love the outdoors and animals so much yet still kill them on ocassion. I try and explain how I enjoy so much more than just the "killing" but too many times I end the conversation with a comment like "It's just something you have to experience and if you haven't experienced it you probably won't understand".
I do feel a little sorry for them, but then again I don't mind if they stay at the mall and leave the woods, fields, and mountains to me.
Mark
Don`t forget to offer some lost soul a chance to experience what we all love so much. Invite them along sometime. You will probably never get any takers, but by offering they will at least think of it, even if only for a moment.
People can be downright stupid, but some of the non hunters notice a difference in a person who truely loves the outdoors. Wild places bring a calmness to a persons spirit that people can see.
Some will never "get it". For them, I do feel sorry. Can you imagine how it would feel not to
understand why deer hair changes from red to grey, or why rain is so important to acorns, and how many animals rely on acorns?
You and I smell decaying leaves and it takes us
somewhere nice. Those who don`t "get it" just smell rotting leaves.
JD, great post and perfect timing. I was hunting a peice of public ground this morning and had a chance at a nice buck at 15 yards. Well being on public ground that's been hunted real hard for the last 2 weeks the deer were wound tighter than banjo strings. The shot looked good when it left the string but that sucker dropped like a sak of bricks as soon as I released. Bottom line it went just over his back, clean miss. It must have taken me 30 minutes to settle down playing the shot over and over again.
Well, finally I realized I was sitting in a virtual bird santuary. What a sight. I saw more different kinds of beautiful birds than I had ever seen in one place hunting before. I glassed them one after another for about an hour just marveling in mother nature. It took me back to reality and why I truly love the fall hunting season.
JD, I know we've talked about hunting ops in Maryland and this place is another that's close to the Liberty area I told you about. It doesn't open until November 10th. This is a natural enviornmental area that has very distinct and endangered grasses and soils. A really neat place.
Bonebuster: "You and I smell decaying leaves and it takes us somewhere nice. Those who don`t "get it" just smell rotting leaves."
Right on my friend... Right on!
Dave
I as well feel sorry for those who do not experience the outdoors. The wonder of the woods. I love to go in, and hate to come out. I always have the memories. The owl that coasted by at 8 ft off the ground, the black squirl that almost sat on my boot, the young buck who came to within 4 ft trying to figure out the smell of garlic (don't ask). All my memories of hunts past are what get me throught the times in the city, and the rat race. I wonder what those who do not have my memories use to get by. I think I will make some new memories this weekend. :)
I drive for a car service and it amazes me how many people, especially the younger ones, are so oblivious to the environment. The leaves have been in peak colors, I love this tme of year. I am thinking of being in the woods while driving. Most of the young people can't get their eyes off their phones, either talking or texting. I'll sometimes point out a particularly beautiful tree, in color or shape. I'll also point out wildlife to them. Most times they just grunt and go back to texting or playing games on the phone. The older folks are better, they are glad to be out, though we're usually going to a medical appointment. Sometimes I get a passenger that is actually interested and asks questions. I feel sorry for them since it's generally not their fault where they grew-up, and what they were taught growing-up. I was lucky my Dad was a country boy from the mountains of W.Va./MD, and he taught me the woods and hunting, even though we lived in the city. If not for my Dad I'd be just like them, oblivious to the wonders of the outdoors.
Oh, to hear the distant squirrels sound off as the redtail makes his way silently thru the woods. I know exactly where he is according to the squirrels crys. He come thru exactly where he did yesterday and jets directly towards a solid wall of laurel and briars. He picks his spot, folds up his wings and shoots thru the other side, wings wide open again and continues on his way...all without a single sound. All except for the squirrels, that is...
Oh yea, I can dig it!
JL
Some people just don't get it."Hey you gonna sit in a tree this weekend?" Sure you never know when a Blackcapped Chickadee is gonna land on your shoulder, or watch a little Sparrow hawk grab a Hen Pheasant that's bigger than him out of the air and bring it to the ground, or watch a Bobcat run past you, or listening to the coyotes at dark, or have an immature Red Tailed Hawk try to take the beaver balls off your bow string. To me being in the woods at Grey light right before the sun comes up and having the woods wake up is sometimes enough for me to make my day.How about the smell of a pine forest after a rain? When they can bottle that smell I'll buy a bottle for sure.This is my therapy.
Bentpole, well said brother. how about the complete silence of a heavy snow storm, the cleansing blow of a gentle wind, whispering pines that talk to each other in their own language, these are the things that are so special yet so over looked.
When you have to answer the question Did you get anything? with no and you get that look of then why do you hunt. I just laugh inside "They have no clue!" Maybe it was the bobcat 3 feet away or watching a fisher cat chasing a squirel up a tree or being stalked by 3 coyotes to get the blood rushing. That's Why!! As others have said, the beauty and magic that occures when we slow down and become part of the woods, fields,and animals. That's why I hunt and always will. Bringing something home for the table is just the cherry on top of the sundae.
Ken you nailed it. The complete silence of a snowstorm. If there is anything more peaceful or serene than watching the snow fall silently while sitting in a stand of oaks, I haven't found it yet. I feel closer to God there than anyplace I've yet to go.