Hunting season and a time to reflect on life.
December 12th, 2006 | by audit |Well this is the first time I’ve missed opening day of gun season in 20+ years of hunting, actually I missed the entire gun season and more or less the entire hunting season this year. I can’t really complain because the new job pays me very well and due to the amount of time that i work, weekends are spent with my wife and kids so I don’t get out to the woods at that time either.
I really miss my time out in the woods as it gives me time to reflect on my life and to relax more then anything else. Just watching the chipmunks packing away for winter, the birds rebuilding their nests, and the only noises coming from nature. Sure I live in the country and it’s nice and peacefull but NOTHING beats what you hear when your sitting in a blind, sipping on a cup of coffee in 20 degree weather. It took all of 2 times for my kids to go with me for them to understand why I always come home in a great mood after hunting or fishing in the summer. It’s not about killing a deer, I consider that a bonus. It’s about listening to what’s around you and taking all that in.
When I’m out there, the brisk cold air gives me a clear head and I can really think about what I’ve done in my life and where I want the rest of my life to go. Those that know me, know the problems I’ve had with health and also how I’ve been trying to deal with my daughter’s health issues and my wife’s health issues. I have a few friends that are amazed that I’m still around and have not left to try to start a new life again or worse yet, had a stroke. My Dr even has said that with the amount of stress that I’m under everyday with work and and then at home, that it’s amazing that I haven’t cracked yet. As I tell my wife, when I have my breakdown, it won’t be preaty so just call the local mental hostpital and tell them to get a bed ready for me.
Well that’s my rant for today and maybe the end of 2006. I’m taking my wife and kids down to Florida next week to spend Christmas with my wife’s Mom and stepdad since she hasn’t spent a holiday with her mom in over 7 years. The kids are really excited to go down and I’m trying to figure out how to forget about work and relax while we’re down there. We’re driving down and after i sell off 1 more gun, we’ll have the $ to get there and back.
2 Responses to “Hunting season and a time to reflect on life.”
By Shankar on Mar 8, 2007 | Reply
I have always thought why hunters hunt, i mean i can understand for food but why otherwise,then i read somewhere, its not that you are only killing animals but even worse you are hurting your own soul.
Im sorry if this sounds bad but its the truth.
By audit on Mar 8, 2007 | Reply
Shankar,
You have that right to state your opinion and I respect that. As I said above, It’s not about killing a deer, I consider that a bonus. It’s about listening to what’s around you and taking all that in. Have you ever just gone in the woods and just listened to nature? Watching the chipmunks, birds, snakes, etc? At the start of hunting season here in Michigan is when all the small animals are packing up and getting ready for a long and cold winter. I don’t shoot every deer that I see, I pick and chose what to shoot as the 6 point that comes in might be a 8 point next year or better yet, bigger which means more meat and food in my freezer. Whatever is left that doesn’t fit in my freezer goes to the homeless shelters in the area’s and believe it or not, they love it when hunters do that. I’ve done that with many fish that I’ve caught in the summer also after I’ve fully cleaned them.
Maybe you don’t have the area around you like I do where i live in the sticks and can actually see the stars at night instead of the city lights blocking it out, or be within walking distance of the woods. On my way to work this morning, I had 7 deer run out right in front of me and I just pulled over and watched them feed in the field. After 15 minutes, I felt nice and relaxed. That’s the feeling everyone should feel.