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First year not hunting in a long time. #6965451 11/19/17 05:49 AM
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themoonrulz Offline OP
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So this year due to losing our lease (owner passed, ranch was sold) and the birth of my amazing baby girl, I will most likely not be doing any hunting. Money is tight and time is super limited. My wife asked me what I'll miss most and here's what I came up with. I thought I'd share it with THF. Make sure y'all aren't taking your time spent in the woods for granted.

Things I'll miss this year:

1) The anticipation the night prior to heading out to the lease. I never got any sleep the night before. I felt like I did when I was a kid on the night before Christmas.
2) Driving up to the lease and entering through the front gate. The moment you walk through that gate you shed all the stress from life/work and enter a place of Zen.
3) Entering the cabin. Sure it's a old run down cabin but it's filled with great memories that mask the dirty floors and the crappy plumbing.
4) Morning cup of crummy coffee. For some reason Folgers tastes like Kona Coffee up at the deer lease. Nothing beats a warm cup of out on the patio after the morning hunt.
5) Walking up to the stand. Trying to tip toe like a secret agent while not making a peep.
6) The long 3 hour sits in the stand. This is my favorite part. This is where I'm able to truly unwind. It feels like my whole body relaxes and as I sit I absorb my surroundings. Minutes feel like seconds and hours feel like minutes. The calm and peace of nature travels through me and rids me of my unrest. The disconnect from the loud world that I'm used to restarts my system and yields new life in my achy bones.
7) The harvest. When that deer or hog walks out I go from a harmonious state to a highly invigorated state. Instinctively my heart starts beating a thousand beats a minute. I have laser focus and a heightened sense of awareness. I have to talk myself back down to earth in order to reel in my senses and take an appropriate shot. Seconds seem like a lifetime, time stops right before I pull the trigger.
8) Post trigger pull. Once the shock and the warm smoke from the rifle clears things start to slow down again. I can feel the adrenaline leaving my body. I feel calm and relaxed but I also feel nervous. I struggle to be patient and not run out and look for my kill.
9) Skinning and quartering. Knowing exactly where the food that you put in front of your family came from.
10) The celebratory beer!! I can't think of anything more perfect than an ice cold brew under the alluring starry Texas sky.

There's quite a few more things that I left off but y'all get the gist of it. I work at MD Anderson and everyday is a constant reminder to be thankful for what I have. Our time here is finite so please relish your time spent in the great outdoors!


A real hunter never returns empty handed. Spending time in the wilderness temporarily satifies the soul, but leaves us longing for more.
Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6965553 11/19/17 02:09 PM
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That's a good read, and I agree with it 100%. So much so that I bought a ranch 20 years ago, was able to move here full time in 2009. That's how much I enjoy it.


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Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6965559 11/19/17 02:14 PM
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You'll be back, and of course you know that your daughter is more important. Love on that baby. We'll see you in the woods soon.


...and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1:28
Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6967921 11/21/17 03:44 PM
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D'hanis Offline
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Fantastic write-up and I could not agree more. Thank you for sharing

Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6968271 11/21/17 07:53 PM
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upcongrats on the baby girl!


Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.

Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: JKC] #6968350 11/21/17 09:08 PM
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Originally Posted By: JKC
upcongrats on the baby girl!


We all go through the skinny times when your young and starting the family. The best thing that happens in life is when something you enjoy is temporarily taken away. I would always explain this to my girls when they were sick. How we take good health for granted until it's taken away. The silver lining in being sick was they would appreciate good health more. As you have hunting already in sharing your post with us. Well done!

cheers


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Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6968596 11/22/17 12:06 AM
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Dude - you almost made my eyes leak!

Thanks for the reminder of why I love getting out in the woods with family and friends. Thanksfully I do it often and what's funny everything you noted happens at our lease.

Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6968615 11/22/17 12:18 AM
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Good write up and I agree with your thoughts as well. Unfortunate you lost the lease in as much those who inherited the place sold it which happens so much of the time.
Have no doubt you will be back in the field. up

Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6968794 11/22/17 02:09 AM
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themoonrulz Offline OP
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I appreciate the words of encouragement. A lost year of hunting cannot hold a candle to the blessing that is my new baby girl. I have no doubt that I'll be back soon. I just wanted to offer some perspective on what hunting offers my mind, body and soul. I notice it's absence and for that I appreciate it even more. I'm glad to see that so many of y'all can relate. A lot of people that don't hunt his don't get it. At face value hunting just seems like walking around and shooting things to some people. They have no idea how deep it can get. They can't appreciate the history and the primal connection to nature. Please, please, please enjoy yourselves out there! Make sure to spend it with someone that's important to you, like I know I will be doing for the rest of my life with baby girl!


A real hunter never returns empty handed. Spending time in the wilderness temporarily satifies the soul, but leaves us longing for more.
Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6969648 11/22/17 07:55 PM
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My baby girl will be arriving in January. I’ve only been able to get out to hunt once. I hate leaving my pregnant wife by herself, so I stay home with her. Congratulations on your baby! Hopefully next year both of us will get the opportunity to resume our hunting.

Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6969900 11/23/17 12:28 AM
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I shouldn't have read this while cutting onions, my eyes are watering

Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6969951 11/23/17 01:09 AM
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You my young friend know what it's all about and this short term set back happens to us all but being blessed with a gift from our Lord that will add additional meaning to your life cannot be underestimated. I know you will get passed this distraction and be back sooner then you think enjoying the simple but meaningful things you defined and we all cherish!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats on that Baby girl. I was blessed with three and can never adequately express my appreciation!!

Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6969959 11/23/17 01:24 AM
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God is good!

Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6969985 11/23/17 01:50 AM
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You will never, ever regret the time you spend with your children/family. All too soon, much sooner than you can believe, your daughter will be leaving home to go out on her on and you will be wondering "where did all the years go." Enjoy!!

Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: Creekrunner] #6969991 11/23/17 01:58 AM
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Wonderful post.


Originally Posted by Russ79
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.


Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6970080 11/23/17 03:14 AM
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Wonderful read. The memories of going back years going hunting with my dad setting next to him falling to sleep, carrying the BB gun. You never lose those. Now you will have even greater ones, congradulations on your baby.

Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6970152 11/23/17 04:35 AM
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Agree on all points, well stated.

I know those feelings well. I went as far as going into significant debt buying land, so that I can live those points on a weekly basis. Killed hogs yesterday morning, yesterday evening, and this evening. "The fix" still does not disappoint.


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Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: themoonrulz] #6970247 11/23/17 12:53 PM
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I've been hunting for almost 60 years, and harvesting an animal is always just the icing on the cake and nowadays I mainly go for all the other points you mentioned in your post.
You will never get tired of that part, and as you get older you will appreciate all the little things even more.



Thursday at 12:45 PM
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Once i learned that i didn't "NEED" to kill something, and that if i did kill something all the fun stopped and work began, i was a much better hunter.
Re: First year not hunting in a long time. [Re: D'hanis] #6970311 11/23/17 02:33 PM
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Originally Posted By: D'hanis
Fantastic write-up and I could not agree more. Thank you for sharing
For sure. Very nice read. up


Life is too short, as is. Don't chance it.
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