I recently tagged along my first whitetail hunt with famed outdoor writer and communicator, Ken Perrotte, on Tuesday.
He has a great column in Fredericksburg Free Lance Star, which he publishes the outdoor column. This week’s edition is called “Despite missed shot, hunter still fawning over experience.” Here’s an excerpt:
Gabriella, a media consultant living in Alexandria, posted about her experience on Facebook. She was philosophical and humble. She made no excuses. She wrote, “I blew it. Sigh. I fired but missed. The deer wasn’t harmed, thankfully…”
After the hunt, she explained that she wants to learn all she can about hunting and appreciates people willing to invest time in her and other young, inexperienced hunters. She knows she needs to practice.
“I just started hunting fall 2017,” she said, “and I’ve got many years ahead of me and experiences to be had. I’m not doing this for kicks or fame. I like organic meat and enjoy testing my endurance to an extent.
“Admittedly, I was nervous taking that shot. Not because of impending or supposedly impending guilt, but I’ve never pursued animals like this. It’s a conflicting feeling. Hunters care deeply about the wildlife they pursue. Alternatively, they enjoy fair chase and free-range meat.”
She wrapped up her thoughts with, “Hunting is NOT just the harvest; it’s an all-encompassing experience. The mistakes, the surroundings, the lessons, the little instances of hope—that’s what matters. The harvest is a bonus.”
I like Gabriella’s perspective. Taking another life, including one of a beautiful white-tailed deer, should be a serious, contemplative act. Taking that first deer is a life-changing occurrence.
Read the full column here.
###
What did you think of this piece? Am I on-target or off-mark?
As always, I recommend you follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to stay in the loop with my musings. Subscribe to my newsletter–now LIVE. Chime in below with your comments!