Thankful

[Bobby Bigtime]

Yesterday I was sitting in the cottonwoods along the river. It was a beautiful fall day. There were deer, coyotes, pheasants, grouse, eagles etc. had the whole area to myself. Hunting took a back seat to the atmosphere as I could have sat there all day. A nice 4x4 ambled by and I never thought to reach for the rifle. Eventually an enormous coyote came by for a second time, at 25 yards I missed because I'm sighted in for farther out. He jumped and looked around and took a leak and ambled off. I sat there for another hour and a half watching the leaves fall and smelling the woods. It dawned on me that hunting gives me a reason to cherish these moments that I'm truly thankful for.

 

[antharper]

So true !

 

[Nicodemus]

Yesterday I was sitting in the cottonwoods along the river. It was a beautiful fall day. There were deer, coyotes, pheasants, grouse, eagles etc. had the whole area to myself. Hunting took a back seat to the atmosphere as I could have sat there all day. A nice 4x4 ambled by and I never thought to reach for the rifle. Eventually an enormous coyote came by for a second time, at 25 yards I missed because I'm sighted in for farther out. He jumped and looked around and took a leak and ambled off. I sat there for another hour and a half watching the leaves fall and smelling the woods. It dawned on me that hunting gives me a reason to cherish these moments that I'm truly thankful for.

I understand completely. It`s more than a kill. It`s time in the best place in the world. Many don`t understand that. Treasure your time there because there might come a time when it is taken away from you, and-or you`re not able to get out there due to health reasons.

 

[Resica]

Yesterday I was sitting in the cottonwoods along the river. It was a beautiful fall day. There were deer, coyotes, pheasants, grouse, eagles etc. had the whole area to myself. Hunting took a back seat to the atmosphere as I could have sat there all day. A nice 4x4 ambled by and I never thought to reach for the rifle. Eventually an enormous coyote came by for a second time, at 25 yards I missed because I'm sighted in for farther out. He jumped and looked around and took a leak and ambled off. I sat there for another hour and a half watching the leaves fall and smelling the woods. It dawned on me that hunting gives me a reason to cherish these moments that I'm truly thankful for.

No elk or moose?

 

[Darkhorse]

I understand completely. It`s more than a kill. It`s time in the best place in the world. Many don`t understand that. Treasure your time there because there might come a time when it is taken away from you, and-or you`re not able to get out there due to health reasons.

I can't emphasize enough how true these words are because that's where I'm at now.
I never thought I'd be here physically. I'm a 2nd degree black belt in TKD, I ran 8 to 10 miles daily, I worked out 7 days a week, I benchpressed 315 pounds when I was 56 years old.
But here I am nonetheless.
I had to have severe back surgery and even though I've worked hard to rehabilitate myself I'm now left with nerve damage in the left leg that has taken my mobility away. This is the 3rd deer season I've now missed.
But I have a good memory. Over the years there have been a number of special times and places I've lingered over because I just wasn't able to tear myself away.
Like coming down off a mountain in New Mexico in November. The snow was deep and reflecting the moonlight and it was cold, really cold. We had stumbled onto a place where we could see the valley spread before us and the lights from the ranches below were twinkling in the dark. The 'yotes were hunting and we could hear several packs raising thier voices to the night. The air is clearer there and I just drank in deep breaths while looking skyward. The sky looks different there too with no pollution to dilute the stars. The stars looked like diamonds of all sizes scattered across the sky, millions of diamonds. We were bone tired but we lingered while yearning for hot food and our cots.
This was the 2nd day of our elk hunt. Maybe tomorrow we would find my bull. Tomorrow we would fight the snow again and climb the mountain.
And I will climb the mountain again. It is my destiny.

 

[Nicodemus]

I can't emphasize enough how true these words are because that's where I'm at now.
I never thought I'd be here physically. I'm a 2nd degree black belt in TKD, I ran 8 to 10 miles daily, I worked out 7 days a week, I benchpressed 315 pounds when I was 56 years old.
But here I am nonetheless.
I had to have severe back surgery and even though I've worked hard to rehabilitate myself I'm now left with nerve damage in the left leg that has taken my mobility away. This is the 3rd deer season I've now missed.
But I have a good memory. Over the years there have been a number of special times and places I've lingered over because I just wasn't able to tear myself away.
Like coming down off a mountain in New Mexico in November. The snow was deep and reflecting the moonlight and it was cold, really cold. We had stumbled onto a place where we could see the valley spread before us and the lights from the ranches below were twinkling in the dark. The 'yotes were hunting and we could hear several packs raising thier voices to the night. The air is clearer there and I just drank in deep breaths while looking skyward. The sky looks different there too with no pollution to dilute the stars. The stars looked like diamonds of all sizes scattered across the sky, millions of diamonds. We were bone tired but we lingered while yearning for hot food and our cots.
This was the 2nd day of our elk hunt. Maybe tomorrow we would find my bull. Tomorrow we would fight the snow again and climb the mountain.
And I will climb the mountain again. It is my destiny.

Dadgum, Ron. That hit right to the soul. Yessir.

 

[dwhee87]

I appreciate all the sentiment above. The woods, or maybe more broadly, the outdoors, is my chapel. When there, I find peace, work through challenges that have weighed heavy on me, marvel at the miracles of life, and maybe bring a little food home, whether it be a fish, a hat-ful of chanterelles, or something a little bigger. Most times, I bring home nothing but a clear mind, and refreshed spirit.

 

[specialk]

Ive told my son that when i die i want some of my ashes spread around my deer stand that ive hunted every year for the past 25yrs or so.....spent countless hours there thinking about things and life type stuff....made life changing decisions while sitting there....always a place for solitude to clear my mind....

 

[Hoss]

The peace I find when in the woods can not be duplicated. Every time I get in the stand, I say a prayer, not for a deer but to see something amazing and wonderful. Never disappointed.

 

[Danuwoa]

Good thread. Hunting is way more than the kill to me. Out there is where I want to be. I love it.

 

[elfiii]

Good thread. Hunting is way more than the kill to me. Out there is where I want to be. I love it.

It's a great thread. If I can't be in the woods or on some water I can't live, for all the reasons stated so far.

 

[Danuwoa]

I’m taking one of my nephews hunting for the first time this afternoon. He needs it. He’s nervous about it cause he’s scared of his uncle a little bit but he’s excited too. What he don’t know is I’m way more excited than he is. I’m looking forward to just watching him have light bulb come on to whatever extent it does. I told my sister I won’t keep him out there any longer than he wants to be there. Ain’t GON make work out of it. I want him to want to go back.

 

[Dan DeBord]

I killed my first buck 1971 in bird gap near Suches . Got to see my 15 year old grandson kill his first monday morning . What a blessing .

 

[elfiii]

I’m taking one of my nephews hunting for the first time this afternoon. He needs it. He’s nervous about it cause he’s scared of his uncle a little bit but he’s excited too. What he don’t know is I’m way more excited than he is. I’m looking forward to just watching him have light bulb come on to whatever extent it does. I told my sister I won’t keep him out there any longer than he wants to be there. Ain’t GON make work out of it. I want him to want to go back.

So how did it go?

 

[Danuwoa]

So how did it go?

Went good. He said he wants to go back.

 

[elfiii]

Went good. He said he wants to go back.

Excellent. Put him on one.

 

[Darkhorse]

I can't emphasize enough how true these words are because that's where I'm at now.
I never thought I'd be here physically. I'm a 2nd degree black belt in TKD, I ran 8 to 10 miles daily, I worked out 7 days a week, I benchpressed 315 pounds when I was 56 years old.
But here I am nonetheless.
I had to have severe back surgery and even though I've worked hard to rehabilitate myself I'm now left with nerve damage in the left leg that has taken my mobility away. This is the 3rd deer season I've now missed.
But I have a good memory. Over the years there have been a number of special times and places I've lingered over because I just wasn't able to tear myself away.
Like coming down off a mountain in New Mexico in November. The snow was deep and reflecting the moonlight and it was cold, really cold. We had stumbled onto a place where we could see the valley spread before us and the lights from the ranches below were twinkling in the dark. The 'yotes were hunting and we could hear several packs raising thier voices to the night. The air is clearer there and I just drank in deep breaths while looking skyward. The sky looks different there too with no pollution to dilute the stars. The stars looked like diamonds of all sizes scattered across the sky, millions of diamonds. We were bone tired but we lingered while yearning for hot food and our cots.
This was the 2nd day of our elk hunt. Maybe tomorrow we would find my bull. Tomorrow we would fight the snow again and climb the mountain.
And I will climb the mountain again. It is my destiny.

Dadgum, Ron. That hit right to the soul. Yessir.

You know it does doesn't it old buddy.

 

[treadwell]

Funny how we transform with age. Even at 63 with the aches and pains I have, I find it easier to do an all day sit. I've finally got to the point of not sitting there thinking of all the things I SHOULD be doing and just enjoying what I AM doing. I find it hard to finally get down and head back to the rat race. I have been blessed to have taken a wall full of nice deer, most with a bow on public land, but my goal now is to see my grandson (11 yrs old) get his first big buck. He will actually do all day sits with me, without a game or cell phone. Just us whispering about life. We hunt and fish together and are building memories. It tickles me to see his knee bouncing when a deer comes out and I tell him to get ready. Life is good. And Darkhorse, I remember riding out of the Thoroughfare in Wyo. at midnight, full moon, heavy frost, clear skies. It was totally amazing, hard to describe just how brilliant the landscape looked.

 

[Darkhorse]

I'm right there with you Treadwell. I remember my last horseback hunt in Northern Colorado. The outfitter knew I had a background in horses and had picked out a fine one for me. It was his daughters champion Quarterhorse "Stride" and he was a good'un.
The other 5 hunters in camp were from Milwaukee and had never been on a horse, we spent the day before the hunt just getting them to where we could ride out the next morning.
I took a bull the next morning and one was taken higher up that afternoon. Both guides were going back in to dress and quarter that bull leaving 4 hunters and me. They had tied thier horses together head to tail and one of them handed me the lead rope and said "Take care of those guys" then rode off into the gathering gloom. It didn't take long before they all (brothers) started fussin' and moving around. They had my legs pinned to my saddle and me all wrapped up in minutes. I had to get loud and mean to stop them so I could extricate me and "Stride" from the tangle.
When the real cowboys got back we were all sitting quietly in line in the dark. One of them took the lead rope from me and said "congratulations, you got the job."
For the rest of the hunt I was just another wrangler. I helped catch and tack up the horses each morning and untack that night. And each time we rode out to hunt or back in at night I was leading my packtrain of Milwaukee brothers.
I didn't mind at all. There were a lot of funny human/horse events to laugh at and nobody got hurt.