I’ve been hunting most of my life. When I was growing up, I’d often walk about 1,000 feet from my house and find myself in rabbit, squirrel, and grouse habitats. As soon as school ended, I’d grab the old bolt action .410 shotgun and head out. Sometimes, I came home with something, sometimes not. Everything taken became part of a meal.
To this day, for me, hunting is all about feeding my family and sharing the bounty with others. You won’t find deer heads or stuffed birds on the walls of my home. After 10 years in the army, I find no thrill in killing anything. Hunting isn’t a sport for me. Baseball is a sport; hunting is not.
Hunting Is a Learned Skill
Hunting isn’t just a matter of getting a license, going into the woods, and shooting something. To be a great hunter takes years of practice and working with some really good teachers. It’s about learning respect for the animals you’re hunting, respect for the environment, respect for other people’s property, and, above all, respect for yourself and your abilities.
I was lucky to have many good teachers over
