Boxing These Down, Here
31 minutes ago
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Hiatus from Hunting
The ice has finally left the lake, so I'm finally getting around to picking up a fishing license. Normally I buy my hunting license at the same time. A combination license is a few bucks cheaper than buying them separately. It's automatic for me.
Fortunately, my lovely wife isn't running on autopilot. She pointed out that I really don't need a hunting license this year. I won't be around for hunting season. We'll be heading south to go sailing. I guess I'll take that hunting license money and buy a Florida fishing license when I get down there.
I used to love to hunt. My dad had a hunting camp up 9 miles of dirt road. I've some of my happiest memories from those days. Now the camp is gone. The woods I used to hunt have been clear cut. It's not the same.
Worse, I've no one left to hunt with. My dad's legs won't take him up the mountains anymore. Some of the guys I used to hunt with have passed on. Others have moved away. A few have just stopped hunting as they no longer have the time.
I do enjoy hunting alone, but eventually it gets old. I don't have to carry a gun to enjoy the solitude of the woods.
That doesn't mean I've given it up for good. Who knows what the future will bring?
-Sixbears
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Who knows, indeed? Hope you catch a passel of fish this year!
ReplyDeleteThat's the plan.
DeleteA great way indded to spend in the outdoors. I've had a few hunts turn into looking for arrowheads (still hunting I guess). Seen a LOT of great sunrises / sunsets, the wild is a greap place to appreciate that.
ReplyDeleteHunting will prove to be expensive with the ammo shortage occuring - you need to keep in practice and even the very common .22 rimfire is hard to find for a decent price.
Oh I'll stil get some shooting in. Glad I bought ammo when it was cheap. (thought it was expensive at the time)
DeleteOne Hunter = All Hunter
ReplyDeleteTwo Hunter = Half a Hunter
Three Hunters = No Hunting !
I have virtually given up on gun hunting and exclusively hunt with a compound bow now. I prefer spot and stalk. It gives very good practice for being stealthy in the woods. Who knows what benefit those skills will be in the future...
Bow hunting is great. You have to really become part of the woods.
DeleteI think the wife was spot on with the fishing license from Florida.
ReplyDeleteTrading the cold of hunting season for the warmth of sailing and Florida fishing might not be too bad!
I can live with it. :)
DeleteI'm old and, alone, I still hunt. I take my 'overnight' gear and hike in a ways. I kill my deer and stay at the site, jerking the meat. I strip out the muscles, rub in my pepper and spices mix and smoke it like biltong. A couple of trips out and I've got my winter meat. Good stuff and I also do some fishing. I'm always in great company, the mountains, and nature's bounty.
ReplyDeleteMountain hunter
Good for you. Sounds wonderful. Oh I'll still wander off alone. I have to now and then to keep sane. Maybe I'll hike out to some remote beaver dams with my fishing pole and a frying pan.
Delete