Recently, I had the opportunity to take a friend’s son out hunting and help him harvest his first deer and process it. I get requests from people all the time asking about hunting, fishing and horseback riding. However, very few of these requests are truly serious. I may need to open up a class though for the ones who are!
Things like hunting and fishing are becoming a bit of a lost art. Our society doesn’t have time to go outside and learn the skills necessary to become proficient let alone skilled. We have turned into a people of instant gratification. Noise and constant motion are our companions. Outdoor activities are often the opposite of this, they feel unnatural and confusing at first. Even I have moments where I feel squirmy and bored when sitting out in the woods.
Does this mean that we should just forget about the world around us? Absolutely not! I hear people talking about how stressed and anxious they are all the time. It makes me wonder the last time they disconnected and went outside? Personally, I can’t remember a single time I was out in the woods or out horseback riding when I was stressed and worried.
This is a huge reason why I was thrilled to have my husband and I teach someone about hunting and gun safety. Luke and I got to spend a fun afternoon teaching gun safety and basic shooting skills. It was so enjoyable to watch a youth pick up the skills necessary to become proficient. Not only that but answering questions! Luke and I got to have our brains picked and were able to pass on valuable knowledge to a new hunter.
Then came the actual trip out to the woods! Sharing a tree stand with someone who has never had the experience of waiting for deer to come through was great. Listening to the different woodland sounds from the screeching of raccoons fighting to the flocks of black birds flying through, there were teachable moments at every turn. Watching the deer and deciding which one was appropriate to take and if we had a clean shot were also great learning moments.
To top it off, once you harvest an animal there is a process that goes along with it! Cleaning the animal and dragging it to where it can be hung for processing takes time. I loved the fact that we were able to walk this young hunter through every part of using the animal he had harvested. Quartering it out and then cutting up the meat and bagging/wrapping the meat for the freezer is just as important as making a great shot.
All of this came together as a perfect first experience and introduction to hunting. This was a hands-on experience from start to finish. I can’t think of anything better than having the opportunity to teach someone the building blocks of lifelong skills and creating good memories! Part of me wishes that I could spend all my time teaching others and giving them the same opportunities. However, I believe that it is best to mentor a few students well rather than too many and spread yourself thin. I want to encourage anyone else who has unique outdoor experiences to share that expertise with those around them! The payoff is great memories and lots of smiles!