Some thoughts on hunting and what it means. For those having a tough season.

I was just thinking about those who are having a tough season last night. I know many of you who are having a tough season are thinking that you are wasting your time in the woods. I too am susceptible to thinking I am a failure if I do not achieve my goals. I started to think about a book I have read called, Outdoor Pastimes of an American Hunter by Theodore Roosevelt. I actually started to think about the book the other night as I exited the woods at 5:30pm after I entered it at 5:00am that morning. It was a long day, one that tested my metal. As I exited the woods I could feel that my face had weathered a bit, my body was tired and I was sick, yet my mind was alive. I slept well that night in a comfortable physical and mental state.

Teddy Roosevelt was a man's man, one who would have been a great President in today's scum of a political arena. In his book he talked a lot hardiness, hunting, and what hunting means to one's spiritual development. I think about his quotes a lot as I exit the woods on many days. I look over the landscape and just marvel in the freedom I am granted in the woods. I feel like a kid time and time again even though my grey beard says otherwise.

Here are some quotes to think of the next time you think you did not gain anything from the outdoors just because you did not kill a 190 inch buck.

"...its toughness and hardy endurance fitted it to contend with purely natural forces...to resist cold and wintery blasts or the heat of the thirsty summer, to wander away to new pastures, to plunge over the broken ground, and to plow its way through snow drifts or quagmires."


"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. "

I challenge you to really soak in your surroundings the next time you go hunting and specifically as you leave the woods. Look around at the setting sun and think of what you have achieved in a more holistic sense and do not focus on what you did not accomplish in a very specific sense in terms of not killing an animal. Think inward and outward to gain a true understanding of what your place in the woods means. I think you will be surprised at how you will feel at the end of the day.

Here are some pictures to open up your mind to the legacy of which we are carrying on our shoulders. They should put you at ease. Hunting is not meant to be easy.










PUT UP THE GOOD FIGHT AND NEVER GIVE UP.

"JUST HUNT"

 

Thank you for that. I was sitting here thinking how much I am frustrated. Guess I should step back and enjoy myself.

 

Great Post! Thanks for putting it up. I missed a nice deer on Oct. 2 and also missed two does this season. One of them was at 14 yards last night. I practice often but have missed for various simple reasons. Passed on a few others and killed one doe this year. It has been a fun season on public land for me so far. However today was the beginning of gun season and I was bowhunting on public land that is archery only. I was sitting there in my stand this morning, not seeing a deer feeling like my season was passing me up and my opportunity at a big deer is slipping away. This post gives me hope and reminded me that I am just lucky to be able to chase the critters.

 

Very good post. Exactly what I do when I'm tired, sore, beatup, frustrated, discouraged, having a pity party, mentally french fried etc..... Sit back and smell and look at what you are blessed to be able to do. A lot of people don't even get to experience what we do. Can get hard and frustrating at times.... that's all part of the game. But at the end of the day we are lucky. Imagine life without hunting?

I used my buck tag the first week. I've been out there going at it just as hard as ever just to enjoy it.

 

This is truely some great stuff!!

 

I've loved this quote for many years. I actually heard Tom Watson cite it the first time I heard it. I think about it a lot, and I never tire of hearing it.

I don't want to say I stopped caring, because that would be a lie. But, I've stopped pressing (myself). It's unbelievable how much that'll set you free. I have no expectations, this year. Funny thing is, I'm seeing more bucks than I ever have. I have my theory......

One for the books, this morning (where we saw 4 bucks and 0 does, BTW)....My cousin is 3 weeks older than me. We grew up like brothers. We were close all the way through college, where he played ball for another team in my conference (He was a pitcher). We fell out of touch for many years. He called me and came bowhunting with me this AM. He's hunted every season, for 27yrs., and I was there to help him retrieve his 8th bowkill, this morning.

What a GREAT day. Hang in there, all. We could be doing a LOT worse.

 

That's cool, Josh!

Hey....Speaking of Gri22.....He sent me a book (which I forwarded to PT) called 'What a hunter brings home'. If you wanna get your hunting back into perspective, I HIGHLY recommend you read this book.

 

"He's hunted every season, for 27yrs., and I was there to help him retrieve his 8th bowkill, this morning. "

Cool Jeff!

Gri22---cool story. That kind of stuff lets us know that we are a very small piece of the puzzle in this world. The struggles that take place in the woods every day dwarf our problems.

 

I'm still frustrated.

 

You are a Marine, general rules of psychology do not apply to you Sean. It is do or die.

 

I usually wait until I kill a buck until I drink a few beers to celebrate. Well I haven't drank a beer since October 2nd. I am having a few tonight and celebrating a valiant effort so far.

 

Nice post Brett. Good stuff!

I don't get too frustrated anymore. I've decided that at this point in my life, with so many irons in the fire....I know my hunting time (and effort) will suffer. The past couple years I struggled with that....this year, I have not. I know down the road I'll be able to spend more time, right now time with my kids is more important. The time I do spend in the woods I thorougly enjoy.

 

FABULOUS! Thanks I needed something like this so bad to bring me back.

T

 

Great post, and while it certainly is valid, I just have too high of standards each season, and when I don't meet them, I just get frustrated beyond belief. Did I enjoy my time in the woods? Sure. Am I upset with the results and my inabilities? You bet. Not sure I will ever change in that regard.

 

MGH I have high expectations as well. The one thing I have to remember is that I am bound to the rules of where I hunt. I cannot put up trail cams, virtually cannot ever "glass" anything pre-season, cannot hunt areas I want to hunt because they are shut down due to military training...the list goes on and on. But one thing I can control is my mental. Although it bothers me that I have to deal with certain things sometimes I cannot let it ruin my optimism. I have to keep forging ahead or risk quitting and giving up on my dream that one day I will kill a slammer. That keeps me going each and every hunt.

 

Great great post, thank you. I love those quotes.

 

Good points. Don't get me wrong, I would love to have a much more positive attitude, but until I step up my consistency in taking good deer, I will always be disappointed. Not the best attitude, I know, but it is what it is.

 

Great post and great book! This post helped me a lot. Especially since I have a beautiful wife and 2 children (5 and 2) at home without me when I am in the woods. Lots of times this season I have second guessed all of this and actually got pissed at myself for going out religiously and coming home empty. Our season is not very long here in NY (4 weeks bow, 20 days shotgun approx), but to the family it is an eternity.

I'm going to keep pressing on, because I am a hunter. It is all I know to do.

Sal

 

i have had two missed opportunities this year....two nice bucks...really nice. 8 point, and anothe buck that was 140 plus....


gotta keep fightin and coming back, thats why we hunt...

my girlfriend always ask why do you go hunting when you come back empty handed 90 percent of the time...i told her thats why its called hunting.

 

Is it hunting season? That about sums it up for me. Not feeling the mojo this season one bit, mainly due to outside circumstances. Even when I 've been able to get in the woods my mind is elsewhere. Just a ton of priorities that come first this season and I can't hit my stride so to speak with hunting.

A little bummed but no big deal, I'd still like to get my boys on a deer with the gun or crossbow so that will be my focus if I can get in a couple of more hunts before January. I agree with Jeff, it could be a lot worse and it is for many so I count my blessings.

Some seasons you're the windshield and some seasons you're the bug.