I’ve written extensively about how fortunate I am to have
the hunting experiences I’ve had. I know that hunting with my father and
granddad shaped who I’ve become as a person, what I do for a living and where I
live. But, while looking at a picture from a recent hunt the other day, I wondered
what I would have missed without hunting in my life..
I know plenty of kids who have great relationships with
their parents and grandparents without going hunting. I will assert, though,
that I think spending time with kids one-on-one teaching them to hunt and fish
is a great way to build solid relationships; it may not be the only way, but it
might be one of the best. But what would I have missed with those hunting
experiences.
I would have never felt my heartbeat surge when a rooster
pheasant flushed at my feet. I wouldn’t have seen the gleam in my granddad’s eye
when he bragged about the shot I made on a pheasant. I would have never known
the incredible anticipation of approaching a Brittany on point.
And those are just the very beginning. I could go on and on,
but the point is that I can’t imagine my life without those experiences that
have become indelible memories. Every year, I look forward to adding a few
more. Of course things change, people come and go in our lives, but hunting
still gives me optimism for the coming year.
Hunting is about relationships, passing on a treasured
heritage, and sharing experiences that stay with us for life. Without the
experiences of hunting with my family, friends and cherished dogs, my life
would have been – well I don’t even want
to think about it. Never underestimate the power of passing it on.
