Very Special
. Reminds me of when I introduced my son Jarrett to the sport. He and I would practice for hours in the cold winter outside in the snow (when he first was introduced - xmas present). I had feed bags stuffed full of shrink wrap hanging all over the yard. I had shoulders drawn on them and a kill area. We would sneak around pretending and then we would both pull back and letter fly.
Then we would come back to the log house and make some hot chocolate (old style - hot milk in a pot on the wood stove - or electric). We would sit there by the stove on the couch(noses running) and talk about just being together and sharing time. He would ask me about why I chose this way of hunting instead of guns and compounds etc...because that's what my friends and dad did.
I would explain that I loved the challenge of getting close and of fair chase (well I think that's what they used to call it) and how that's was why in the old days we got the right to hunt in different seasons to the rifles.
He would ask me about he compounds and that his buddy was using one. It had all the technology with it too. I just explained that fair chase was just that....FAIR...fair for the animal and fair for the hunter.
I can't see with all the gadgets now that's it's fair chase anymore for anyone who doesn't do it traditionally :( . If you do it our way you need to spend the time practicing to be good and it's good for your soul to be out there in nature. I don't know if he ever quite got it, but I was in hopes that he would.
You see I don't bait animals and I don't have fancy blinds and I don't sit in tree stands all day either (and I don't have any problems with ppl that do)...just not for me.
I like wandering through the bush sloooooooooooooooooowly. Checking tracks out, listening to the quiet or not so quiet forest in the fall with the leaves. Those days when you sit still on a log and you swear a freight train is coming through the bush and it's only a rabbit or a willow grouse.
Following tracks in the powder and trying to figure out when you see a squirrel track and watch the pattern where in his tracks did he sit up and chew on a pinecone or did he hear something that startled him and he dashed to a nearby tree.
Or following a red fox trail and trying to see through his eyes. You see the track stop. You can tell he stood there listening, sniffing because his tracks are more melted in the snow. Then he takes a step or two left, stops then backs up and then he is pouncing...hmm maybe a mouse.
This is what we would talk about. His eyes would start go wide and we would finish our hot chocolate and he would lay his head on my lap and I would tickle him till he fell asleep and I would be afraid to move cause I might wake him up. He was so beautiful just lying there.
As I sat there stroking his hair I would be thinking of what the world would be like as he got older. With all the changes coming. People getting busier and spending less time with their loved ones.
Tree huggers trying to stop ppl like us from wandering the forests. Anti hunters trying to stiffle what I have come to believe is sacred. What it be like for him when he was 40ish. Dunno, but it won't be the same I know that
......it's very important we keep this way of life alive and I am so greatful you are doing just that..my cap is off to you...great pics
Jer Bear
Topic: My six year old Coyote sees his first buck! (Read 671 times)
