But, underlying that primary reason, there is such diversity as to why hunters seek the hills under the coverage of “going 'hunting.“ There is more than meets the eye than just filling the freezer. Any hunter will know that a hunting trip intended to gather some meat can often turn into an “armed tramp“ with nothing gathered to bring home. So, if we aren't successful in obtaining some game meat, what else might we gain out of the whole experience and time away in the outdoors?
Historically, I feel that as hunters, we haven't been very good at articulating all of the 'extra' benefits that we experience, feel or get from our adventures in the outdoors. One trend in the hunting community is the growing emphasis on mental health and wellness in outdoor activities.
MAKING THE CHANGE
There was a significant increase in workload, responsibilities and managing staff, plus the regular day to day tasks escalating kids schooling activities, sports practices/ games, family members going through health challenges, and the list went on. I could feel the pressure building, so I tried to 'work smarter, not harder', which worked for a while, but then the blinkers camezoom out. My regular routines of daily exercise and intentional time with the kids, wife and dog became sporadic, and I became too focused on my work performance, as well as trying to juggle all the balls in the air - it was running me into the ground physically and mentally. I needed a circuit breaker to get me out of the rut and back into healthier habits.
