D
dogwood
Guest
I just spent the last hour reading through the post 2011 hunt changes and I had this flashback and awful feeling of a conversation my dad and I had some 35 years ago. Let me explain, I am pushing 50 years old, hunting has been such a big part of most of my life, You all understand Im sure, it's a part of me. When I was 15 years old, the year before I could carry my own rifle, my dad and I were sitting on one of our favorite hillsides watch for deer. He told me that one day in my lifetime there might come a day when hunting would not be an option in my life anymore, I could not imagine that, As I sit here tonight, that memory flashback like a prophecy has come true I am afraid,
Many of you will remember the days, hunting was our life, we waited all year for the ?HUNT? it brought together friends and families, we had traditional hunting grounds we would all migrate to each year, our wives and children would come, we set up tents, wood stoves, straw beds and lots of blankets,
It was always such a great time, Often times there would be 20-30 hunters per camp, we planned drives, we hiked our buts off, we had our old 2 wheel drive trucks, and occasionally some one had a jeep. We shot lots of deer, but it was always for the meat, horns were a bonus, We stocked our freezers for the long
Winter months. There was never competition, we worked together, when someone killed a nice buck, we
Were all so excited for the guy who got it. We never asked the score, we rarely cared about the width of the rack, more often the first question asked was how much the deer weighed. We had some awesome big buck contests at Zinicks, Wolfs, and Sunset sports. It was such a wonderful time.
I never imagined what it would turn into, I thought my dad was crazy, we could never lose this, we loved it so much. But here we are in 2010, it has been 3 years since I have been able to draw a deer tag. All my good friends have give it up, My daughters who at one time where excited to hunt, have now lost interest because we can never draw a tag. In all the years of our marriage we have never had to by beef, We have raised our children on wild game, the last few years I have about quit eating meat because the meat you buy in the store has no comparison to some nice venison or elk meat.
Every once in awhile I get the urge to go to the old camp spots, I park the truck and close my eyes and dream of the days gone by. My heart aches like I have lost a good friend. I often walk the hills where we always seen many many deer, there gone now, not many left. The Divison of Wildlife has tried every sceme to try and make us believe its as good as ever. But for those of us with some time under our belt know the truth, Its not about the size of the horns, the B&C score, its about time spent afeild, with family and friends, Those are the memories I cherish, For you young guys that love to hunt, Don?t let it be about the horns, you will find nothing but frustration, jealousy, and envy. You hunt alone, your memories are yours alone, no one to share them with. Deer are few and far between.
Sorry to rant and rave a bit, but my sad day has come, my vision of what the hunt is about is over, to the next generation, I hope you can sit with your sons one day and share your feelings with him about your passion. I hope it won't be just for the few that can afford it. Hunting is still in my blood, but I am afraid its all memories now!
Many of you will remember the days, hunting was our life, we waited all year for the ?HUNT? it brought together friends and families, we had traditional hunting grounds we would all migrate to each year, our wives and children would come, we set up tents, wood stoves, straw beds and lots of blankets,
It was always such a great time, Often times there would be 20-30 hunters per camp, we planned drives, we hiked our buts off, we had our old 2 wheel drive trucks, and occasionally some one had a jeep. We shot lots of deer, but it was always for the meat, horns were a bonus, We stocked our freezers for the long
Winter months. There was never competition, we worked together, when someone killed a nice buck, we
Were all so excited for the guy who got it. We never asked the score, we rarely cared about the width of the rack, more often the first question asked was how much the deer weighed. We had some awesome big buck contests at Zinicks, Wolfs, and Sunset sports. It was such a wonderful time.
I never imagined what it would turn into, I thought my dad was crazy, we could never lose this, we loved it so much. But here we are in 2010, it has been 3 years since I have been able to draw a deer tag. All my good friends have give it up, My daughters who at one time where excited to hunt, have now lost interest because we can never draw a tag. In all the years of our marriage we have never had to by beef, We have raised our children on wild game, the last few years I have about quit eating meat because the meat you buy in the store has no comparison to some nice venison or elk meat.
Every once in awhile I get the urge to go to the old camp spots, I park the truck and close my eyes and dream of the days gone by. My heart aches like I have lost a good friend. I often walk the hills where we always seen many many deer, there gone now, not many left. The Divison of Wildlife has tried every sceme to try and make us believe its as good as ever. But for those of us with some time under our belt know the truth, Its not about the size of the horns, the B&C score, its about time spent afeild, with family and friends, Those are the memories I cherish, For you young guys that love to hunt, Don?t let it be about the horns, you will find nothing but frustration, jealousy, and envy. You hunt alone, your memories are yours alone, no one to share them with. Deer are few and far between.
Sorry to rant and rave a bit, but my sad day has come, my vision of what the hunt is about is over, to the next generation, I hope you can sit with your sons one day and share your feelings with him about your passion. I hope it won't be just for the few that can afford it. Hunting is still in my blood, but I am afraid its all memories now!
