At the end of a hunting season Eric Krewson does a ritual before he leaves the woods on his last hunt by saying "Thank You" speaking 4 times toward the North, East, West, and South for the privledge he has had that season.

And this new season I plan to follow these words:

"Go afield with a good attitude, with respect for the wildlife you hunt and for the forest and fields you walk, Immerse yourself in the outdoor experience. It will cleanse your soul and make you a better person."- Fred Bear

   

Great thread!  I agree 100%.

I'll freely admit, I prefer to hunt the afternoon and evening hours, as most mornings I'm trying to catch up on as much sleep as I can,

This season I will try and take stanza 58 from Hávamál to heart, mind you it was written with war in mind, but I think it applies equally well to hunting:

"He should get up early, the man who means to take another's life [or property]; the slumbering wolf does not get the ham, nor a sleeping man victory."

Good luck out there and may your wanderings in the woods bear fruit and restore your might and main, as well as reverence for the wild places!

I just say to my self All season long.. Keep the faith..

The faith that any day now, and minute, second, hour, through tough climbs and environments that chance will come. So I need to push my self to stay on stand longer, hunter harder, ride out the storms longer than others around me and luck will fall into my lap. And it usually does though pure relentless pursuit. So... Keep the faith! Be a hunting grunt..

My hunting has little to do with taking an animals life... that is just a byproduct.

I would rather be in the woods thinking about my Creator than in church thinking about hunting.

"I would rather be in the woods thinking about my Creator than in church thinking about hunting."

Well said!  It's as simple as that!  

I have hunted with individuals/ coworkers before who literally hope they 'nail' something 5 minutes into the woods or by the truck, I just chuckle to myself and think why don't you just save a few bucks (no pun intended!) and go buy a steak at the store?  LOL.  So much can be learned about the world and oneself in quiet contemplation among the trees and beasts.  We are truly blessed to have the wild places to enjoy.

I will try.  My goal is just that.  Go out, open my eyes and soul and enjoy being out there.  

The rest is frosting.  

Clearly the journey is more important to me than the destination, however, it is sometimes nice to get where you are going.

ChuckC

"I come home with an honestly earned feeling that something good has taken place.It makes no difference whether I got anything; it has to do with how the day was spent".-Fred Bear

Right On The Mark!  

... mike ...

What Legalas said!  

   

Amen!

That's what's it's all about now if I could always live in that

I LOVE THIS THREAD!!!!

This is my kind of thread.  
Here is one I enjoy from Mr. Bear....
"I feel like one of God's chosen people, having had the opportunity to share with many fine companions , these varied and lovely realms of our natural world."

Good stuff.  

Charlie Lamb would know this but I think Fred may have had a sense of humor because one of his sayings was:

"When a hunter is in a tree stand with high moral values and with the proper hunting ethics and richer for the experience, that hunter is 20 feet closer to God."

I truely believe if any bowhunter decides to follow Mr. Bear's advice, he or she will truely enjoy the outdoors, become a more ethical bowhunter as well as a better person.

I thank God every day I can go in the woods.
Jawge