I was not born into a hunting family. Actually, now that I think about it we didn’t eat much meat at all. My grandfather was an avid hunter but he passed when I was very young. I remember seeing pictures of the bucks and bears he harvested and sometimes we had venison on the table for Thanksgiving.
My passion for hunting started a few years ago after listening to a few podcasts that interviewed hunters. After that hunting was all I could think about. I read every book I could find on the topic and watched any show that had to do with hunting or fishing. I loved hearing the stories of adventure (or often misadventure) and learning about what being in the hunting community truly means. Guess what! It is more than just owning a gun and shooting an animal. It takes an extreme knowledge of the wilderness, animal ecosystems and a desire to conserve the lands they live on.
Well, there is only so much you can learn from books. It was time to actually get out there and experience it for myself. I got my hunter’s safety and got a small game tag. A friend took me out pheasant hunting in Northeastern Colorado. It was only a half day but damn, it kicked my ass. I like to think that I am in good pretty good shape but I used muscles that I haven’t used in a long time. Neither of us got anything, but I learned an incredible amount and I consider that a successful trip. So now, at twenty-seven years old, I can finally say that I’ve been hunting.
I am looking forward to turkey season but in the meantime I will be doing more research and doing a lot of cooking.