The Lense of a Hunter - Perspective on an Early Morning Hunt

The snow fell gently to the ground on a brisk Saturday morning in New York. The sun had just emerged, and the rays began to warm my face. I was perched on top of a rock overlooking an adjacent hill, hoping an opportunity would present itself to take a deer at 1,000 yards. As I scanned the hillside with my binoculars I noticed a figure emerge out of the corner of my eye.

I lowered my binoculars and turned slightly to my left. Standing there at 50 yards were a couple of yearling does and one spike. They grazed slowly and I watched contently as they worked their way to the bottom of the rock. To my surprise they bedded down a stone’s throw away from me; ever clueless to my presence. I watched them for an hour or so. They never moved. No head turns. No ear flicks. They remained as still as a statue. In the quiet of the morning, I could hear my grandfather’s words as if he was standing next to me, “They are beautiful and elusive creatures”.  

Hearing those words in my mind brought back a surge of memories. Vivid flashbacks of the first buck I ever harvested, the first time I heard a turkey gobble, and more importantly his smile when I shared with him the tales my successes. In that moment, while reflecting on the beauty of nature, I remembered what hunting is about. It is about making memories and enjoying the beauty of nature. This appreciation has been lost over time. Too many people care about inches of horn and do not value the events happening around them. Make memories, and every hunt will be a success and a trophy.