"By the glow of the campfire we broil savory loin steaks (vension), and when done eating, we sit in the gloaming and watch the stars come out. Great Orion shines in all his glory, and the Hunters' Moon rises golden and full through the skies.
Drowsy with happiness, we nestle down in our sleeping bags, resting on a bed of fragrant boughs, and dream of the eternal chase."-Saxton Pope from "Hunting With the Bow and Arrow".
In a hunting world of fist-pumping and endlessly chasing the biggest trophy, often not being fulfilled because of this singular goal, this quote is comforting and fulfilling in it's own way. It is the thrill of the hunt, the sharing of the experience with others, and the blessing of sitting before God in all His glory as His creation shines in the night sky as a vision of His awesome greatness and love for us. It is a bonus if your belly is full from the rewards of your skillful and often lucky journey afield.
By reading this book I will be mindful of the next trip into the high places how spoiled I am. I will sleep in my high-tech fabric tent upon my non-recycleable soft foam pad and think of Pope, Compton, and Young as they went into the woods with only 20lbs of provisions on their back for a week. They killed game for their meat cache, not so they could run back into town and show off the large elk rack and receive pats on their backs. They were as close to living off the land for that week as a white man could be. The gratification and fullness from sharing this experience was their reward, their goal. Thank you Mr. Saxton for reminding me of this.
Topic: Morning Quote......... (Read 378 times)
