Hunting Heritage

S.O.L. #29 out of 31

Hunting Heritage

Overhauling my outlook on my husband's hunting hobby

I might have been the first to complain about my husband's hobby.   He is an avid outdoorsman.  He hunts deer, turkey, bear and more with every sort of firearm available including bow and arrow in every surrounding state and Canada once or twice. We have lots of deer heads and turkey tails hanging on the wall and  he spends  a lot of time in the woods.  At first,  I thought all it took to be a hunter was the ability to sit quietly while completely camouflaged. But now I learned  that it actually takes a lot of knowledge, skill, dedication and passion.

  Today I want to be the first to acknowledge my husband for pursuing his passions.  To my husband, hunting is more than a hobby, more than a passion. It is his heritage.  His most fond memories are the days growing up and hunting with his late grandpa (his only father-figure). He taught him everything he knew and he is so grateful for that.  Hunting is how they would bond. Now I realize being in the outdoors is how he reconnects, how he relaxes, how he refuels.  Yes, he is sitting quietly in the woods but he is also noticing the little nuances of nature, breathing in the fresh air, calming in the quietness, finding joy in a crazy little squirrel, capturing the birth of the early morning sunrise or soaking up the warmth of the evening sun settling into the horizon.  

Sunrise from the goose blind

I am grateful that my husband has the desire to preserve his past and pass this tradition on to our children.  He has taken my son hunting for every youth season that they have had the opportunity. He has gotten several turkey and his first deer last year.  My daughter is only four and already clad in camo.  I am sure as soon as she is old enough to go with him that she will be tagging along as well.  They will know that hunting is part of their heritage. For that, I am proud to say it is our family's tradition.   

My husband and our two kids-
several years ago

My son with one of his first turkeys

Addendum:   "In 2011, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (PDF), ...Back in 1955, about 10 percent of Americans hunted; today it's around 6 percent." 

I didn't know that is was such a rare skill set to have until I saw this statistic.  Now I am even more proud of my hubby for preserving his past and passing it on to future generations.