Remembering in a trad way

[longbowman]

Last Saturday morning the temperature read 9 Deg. with 9" of snow on the ground.  The 75# Northern Mist rode feather light in my hand as I made my way through the dead quiet woods.  A couple of gray squirrles caught my attention for a few minutes but and errant shot sent them scurrying.
     I watched them leave and was taken back 49 yrs. to when I was 8 and sitting at the base of tree with my big brother as we waited for a black squirrle to give him a chance with his freshly made hickory longbow.
     What a brother to have.  I made my way to a group of Larches and kicked the snow away and made a fire with my flint and steel.  It's flame felt pretty good.  This spot was where I went to hunt 4 seasons ago on the day I got the call that cancer had taken my big brother.  I can still remember that hollow feeling and then seeing the huge buck coming towards me.  As I melted inside over my brother I still felt that bowhunter feeling watching the buck slowly make his way towards me.  The buck stopped just out of range but the beauty and excitement seemed so apporpriate at that moment remembering the brother who taught me how to do this stuff.
     A branch broke in the wind and snapped me back to today.  I kicked the fire out and grabbed my longbow and looked around and said "Thanks big brother for all of this".
     It was a good remembering day.

[Mudd]

Thank you for sharing such a bittersweet and awesome time with us.

God bless,Mudd

[YORNOC]

Such a mixture of feelings. That hollowness is always present, but like you said, the thankfullness and fond memories usually blanket them.   I hear ya, and appreciate the tale.

[Gray Buffalo]

I also have been remembering back. My hunting pard. Rudy Ott passed last week. We hunted together for some 25 years and I'm already missing him.

[bow_man_66]

All I can say is thank you for sharing, brings on feelings that i cannot explain. God bless and know that he will always be with you.

[lpcjon2]

All I can say is WOW!! very touching and inspirational.

[David Yukon]

Real nice! Thank you!

[Steve Clandinin]

Real nice my friend,your roots grow deep,all the best my friend.

[wooddamon1]

Sounds like an awesome brother to have had. Great tribute!

[team fudd]

Thank you

[maineac]

Nicely shared.

[Butchie]

Thank you!  Reminds us all to remember those that have touched our lives and are no longer here to hear us tell them how much we love them.

[JAG]

[Swiftspeed10]

great read.

[JamesKerr]

Thank you for posting this. My family and I also lost are hunting partner last year just before the season opened. He had hunted with my grandfather since they were teenagers and was missed this last hunting season.

[sou-pawbowhunter]

Thank you for sharing a poignant memory.

[Terry Lightle]

THANKS

[huntingarcher]

Thank you for sharing this.