Why I Hunt (even when it's cold)

This weekend I was going to run a 5k but decided to sleep-in instead. It was wonderful to spend some time with Vanessa and Ellie. Sleep-ins don't actually contain sleep anymore but it was fun being lazy for a change.

The rest of the weekend I hunted with Dan Barnes from church. It felt great to get back in the woods. The chance to calm down, sit in silence, and enjoy God's creation is amazing. People always ask, "How do you sit in a tree for 4-5 hours without moving just waiting on a deer?" 4-5 hours seems very short when you reflect on the people you love, personal relationships, people you miss, people you hope you never see again, things that need to be done, things you should have done, mistakes you have made, things to improve, and so on. I guess you get the point. If a deer shows up, great.

Other advantages are out there. Introducing kids to the sport allows them to become familiar with archery, marksmanship, navigation, knife handling, anatomy, basic survival skills, knot-tying, maintaining equipment, responsibility, time-management, and more. I'd have to say it has made me a much more competent Soldier.

Memories are the element of hunting I cherish the most. You can't lose them very easily, nobody can take them away from you, and you can use them any time you want. Every time I go to the woods I think about how it used to be hunting with the upper two generations of my family. It will never be that way again, but it was. I'm sure Pa would get a huge kick out of me hunting on public land with a bow, or anywhere with a bow for that matter.