The meaning of the hunt

As my 2016 Deer Hunting season comes to an end I can say I've had a great time even though I never pulled my trigger.  Many will not understand my view of nature and wildlife.  I truly revere the natural world our Lord created.  It is AWEsome.  While I do hunt for trophy bucks and for deer meat to eat, I completely respect and love the animals and being "out there" with them.  There are certain things about being in the woods as the world wakes up and as the sun sets that are so unique...the air and dampness, the changes in coolness and the variances in the birds' singing, the scampering of squirrels to their eventual silence, the watchful mama does and the frolicking of playful fawns.

For me it's about the hunt, not the kill.  I had a great year.  I saw lots of bucks including one in velvet. I saw a nice buck from afar but never got a shot.  (He's a smart one).  I got to be a part of three hunters getting their first deer this year: Stephen, Chase, and Hunter.  That's always memorable.  John got a nice buck and Libby got a doe.  I had a lot of early hours and quiet still mornings. Lots of nice sunsets in the woods.  Always good for my soul.

"Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt"  --John Muir

"The earth has music for those who listen" --Shakespeare

"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees"--Thoreau