I am troubled by the deer management visions presented by various hunting groups in our state, visions that rarely align with each other or with traditional hunting values. The APR initiative, desires for increased deer numbers, and the arguing over which style of hunting reigns supreme are based in selfish, short-sighted thinking. The focus of these ideas is often on the destination rather than the journey. Our hunting associations' infatuation with trophies and numbers has nearly erased the foundation of why hunting began - the need to eat. As hunting evolved from a pursuit of food to a pursuit of antlers a third desire emerged - a pursuit of experience. The true hunter knows where the beauty of hunting lies; it's not in the freezer or hanging on the wall, but in the mind and in the soul. The experience of being able to hunt, the journey we take each time we enter the woods, became the lure of fall for countless hunters through the years. We are losing that mindset in our hunting communities.
I wrote those words this weekend on an application to become an at-large member of a statewide (MN) whitetail deer management committee. I am not holding much hope for being invited onto the committee; indeed, I'm not sure I would accept the invitation due to the time investment required of membership. But I have a passion for hunting the wily whitetail, and rather than sit around talking about how the deer herd should be managed I thought I would at least make a token effort to be involved in the process.
Passion. I don't use that word often...or ever, really. I find it's overused by folks who like to talk, blog, or Tweet about their...well...passions. I have a hard time believing people who claim to be passionate about more than one thing; passion is a time-sucker. Passion consumes. Passion leaves little room for other feelings. So I avoid passion (though I'm not exactly bursting with other feelings). Until the leaves start to change color. And the first frost crushes what's left of summer. And November's scent tauntingly dances past my nose on the whispers of an early morning breeze. My one passion is triggered, pun intended, and I become consumed by thoughts of the hunt.
I am less than a week away from my first hunt of the year. On Friday I will drive home and, for the first time in my life, spend a couple of days archery hunting for deer. If time and weather allow I'll also take a stroll to hunt for ruffed grouse. The official seasons for both opened nearly a month ago but for a variety of reasons this coming weekend will be my initial attempt at putting some fresh meat on the table. To say I'm counting the minutes until Saturday morning would be completely accurate.
So, back to the idea of passion and the ideas I opened with. Hunting is as varied as any hobby - the types of game, styles of pursuit, and weapons of choice could be combined an infinite number of ways. I applaud those who choose to hunt, regardless of the season or style or weapon, and admire the passion so many hunters display for their hobby. I worry, though, that the hunting community, especially the deer hunting community, has lost sight of what makes hunting worthy of the passion we give it. The quest to have trophies for all and the nearly constant complaints that there aren't enough deer are evidence of a "destination" mentality, an approach to hunting that completely misses the mark of what makes hunting so special. It's a shame to see such a spiritual activity reduced to a race for results.
If you're familiar with my blogging you know that I write on a variety of topics but generally stick to nature and education...thus the title of the blog. (And how many of you just gave the whimsical "ohhh...yeeaaah" as the light bulb clicked on?) For the next month or so the topics are going to run pretty heavy to hunting. I'm going to continue the thoughts I've started in this post, share some reports on my adventures afield, spin a yarn or two from the vault of past hunting adventures, and selfishly enjoy adding this medium to the mix of reasons why I am so....deep breath....passionate about this time of year and the outdoor opportunities that come with it. I hope you non-hunting readers will find my musings enjoyable. If any of you are anti-hunting, well, you may be surprised to know that I often don't blame you - but I'd especially appreciate your readership to continue. Maybe I can give you a different perspective on hunting and explain why I understand your stance on the practice.
Thanks for reading, and happy hunting! As if there's any other kind......
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