To become a man.

[Benha]

TO BECOME A MAN

   Hunter hadn’t spoken more than a dozen words since they had been home. He had always liked shooting the old Wing Hunter his father had given him but only at stumps and hay bales wearing paper plates. Every year as deer season drew closer his father would start talking about all the fun to be had at the deer camp that once was his great grandfather’s farm. Every year he had found an excuse not to go whether it was a term paper to be written or plans he had made with friends. The truth was he was scared of letting his father down when it came time to take an animals life. It wasn’t that he was squeamish or that he didn’t like venison, he just didn’t know whether he had the right to choose if an animal lived or died.
   This was the first year he couldn’t come up with a good excuse not to go so opening day found him in camp with his father and two uncles. On the way to the farm in Grand Junction he decided that even if a shot presented itself he would say he hadn’t seen anything. The first morning his father woke him early enough that he could get Hunter settled in the Ripped Drawers stand before going to his own stand over the ridge next to the Parson farm.
   After Hunter was settled in the stand his father whispered good luck and then left. Hunter watched his father’s flashlight beam until it faded out of sight. After his father had left Hunter settled in to watch for the first hint of dawn. He had nearly drifted to sleep when the sounds of hooves caused him to jerk awake. He looked towards the sound and noticed two does making their way toward him. He was aware of his heart racing even though he had no intention of killing anything. As he watched the two does intermittently feeding on acorns he noticed how beautiful they were. He watched as they fed out of sight.
   Shortly before noon he heard the sound of his father coming to meet him for lunch. When his father reached the tree he was perched in Hunter lowered his bow and made his way down to the ground.
   “See anything?” His dad asked.
   “Nothing but a squirrel.” He lied.
   “Well I’m hungry. Let’s go see if your uncles had any luck and get something to eat.”
   When they arrived at the old farmhouse the boys uncles weren’t back yet so they grabbed a couple of sodas and the stick of summer sausage they had brought and went out on the porch. The boy’s father sliced the sausage and offered the first piece to Hunter who popped it in his mouth. Taking the next slice for himself Hunters father chewed slowly before commenting how good it was. As the two of them sat eating the sausage and sipping the sodas Hunter’s dad had an idea.
   “I think we’ll hunt together this evening” he said
   “What? I mean I uh don’t want to ruin your hunt dad.”
   “Don’t worry about it. I want you to have a shot at a deer.”
   The rest of the afternoon Hunter worried about what would happen if a deer presented itself and he just couldn’t take the shot. He came from a long line of hunters and if he didn’t kill a deer he wasn’t sure he would be able to look his dad and uncles in the eye. He prayed they wouldn’t see a deer this evening.
   That afternoon found them both in a ground blind in the corner of what used to be an orchard. They had been sitting there watching a trail that fed out of the woods joining the pasture for about an hour when the first deer showed up. When Hunter saw the doe making her way towards the orchard his heart sank. Go away please he kept saying over and over in his mind. He felt his fathers hand tighten on his shoulder and heard him whisper to get ready.
   Hunter knew that he had to at least try and if he was lucky the doe would catch the movement and bolt. As the doe made her way into the overgrown orchard Hunter tightened his grip on the bow and slowly raised it. The doe was less than twenty yards away and if she had been made of paper Hunter would have already made the shot.
   Hunter tightened his fingers on the string and slowly pulled but he was shaking so bad that his arrow jittered off the rest and he had to start the process over.
   “She won’t wait forever son, take the shot.” His dad whispered.
   This time when he drew back he felt the limbs flex but he knew he couldn’t let the string go. He held a moment before letting down. The doe finally caught his movement and blew before running back the way she had come. Hunter stood up and without looking back at his father he started towards the truck... His father made it to the truck right after him and they drove back to the farmhouse in silence.
   The next two days Hunter stayed at the farmhouse while his dad and uncles hunted. Both of his uncles killed a doe and his dad shot a smallish eight point. Sunday evening everyone packed up to leave for the long drive home. Hunter and his dad were headed to Lexington and his uncles both were headed south to Mobile.
   On the ride home Hunter’s father made small talk but nothing was said about the doe.  They had been home two days and were headed to town to run some errands when Hunter’s dad decided to bring up their weekend.
   “You know it’s alright don’t you?” His father said.
   “What’s alright?” Hunter asked.
   “Not taking the shot if you’re not ready.”
   “I’m sorry I let you down dad.”
   “What do you mean Hunter?”
   “All the men in our family hunt but I just don’t know if I can kill something.”
   “Killing something doesn’t make you a man Hunter. Being able to think and decide things for your self does. Don’t be a sheep. Not for me or anyone else.”
   “You’re not mad?”
   “Sure I’m mad. You ate all the summer sausage.” His dad said smiling.
   Hunters father started to pat his son on the shoulder but to show how much he respected his son's sticking to what he believed in shook his hand instead. They spent the rest of the afternoon talking about how the Cubs would do this year and whether Hunter was going to try out for the football team and all sorts of man things. Because after all Hunter had left boyhood behind and had became a man.

[TexMex]

Cool!

[BrianC]

Awesome post!!!  My oldest daughter, now 13 could have been Hunter in this story, but we were rifle hunting 2 years ago.  We went out opening evening to a little 5 acre food plot on my dad's property.  We set up on the ground in the NE corner and settled in.  Several does and fawns came out on the field.  I asked her if she was gonna shoot and she said I don't want to shot a doe that has fawns.  That was fine with me, as at times in my hunting career, I've felt the same way.  Finally a buck comes out, but because of the other deer and trees in the way, no shot presented itself.  The next morning we had a forkhorn come running right at as and hit the brakes at about 5 yds.  We could hear the hoof beats before we saw the deer, but again no chance for a shot.  She didn't feel like hunting that night, so I went out and shot an old dry doe.  We hunted the last weekend and no shot presented itself.  She didn't hunt last year, but we did go out on a duck hunt and a couple grouse hunts.  She would rather hunt small game than big game.  I told her that's fine with me and that the choice of to hunt or not to hunt, shoot or not to shoot is up to her.  All I want is for her to have an appreciation for the wild places and wild things.
GREAT POST!!!

Brian

[Benha]

Brian:
Thanks for getting the real meaning.

[Shaun]

I have two sons. One is 21 the other is 26. In spite of my dream of raising hunting partners, they both have chosen not to hunt. They are fine young men and I'm damn proud of them. My grandfather was the only hunter in my immediate family. We find our own paths and follow our own hearts. Good Hunting!

[The Whittler]

Timberhawkman, thank you for a very fine story. It's a lesson many could learn from. Alan

[woodchucker]

Thank You for telling us your story My Brother!!!!!

[Benha]

Thanks guys.