Hunting...and stuff

Last Summer I blogged on "Camping with your man"...and the Top Ten things you should keep in mind when venturing out into the woods. Hunting is no different. This is man territory. Whether a Hunting Virgin or a Veteran...there is something to be said about wandering out into the wilderness with men, their dogs and guns.
There are rules.
I didn't take a pencil and pad, so I will just say, there are rules, so ask. My biggest fear was that there would be no talking and I would FAIL. I am not sitting anywhere with a group of people for hours on end, and not saying one word. This is outrageous to me. What is the point of bonding if there is no talking? I don't know many humans capable of this type of interpersonal relationship.
I was assured I would be able to talk...when appropriate.


And then we sat...and waited...and waited...


I already appreciated the concept of men, "getting away with the boys", but now I further appreciate the concept of sitting in a "duck blind" or a "tree stand" (Ladies, you should know what these words mean) with a couple other dudes, for hours on end, quietly, waiting for animals to roll by.
It takes patience, and determination - so no matter who your man is in the real world, he has to be a patient, controlled guy to even attempt this feat.
I brought my ipod, so I could at least listen to music while I lurked in the bush.
The gunshots are loud, so be prepared to be continually startled by the sound of gun fire. I have to admit, I live downtown and every so often I hear a couple gunshots, but never, do I hear rounds of shotgun shots, and it is startling, no matter where you come from. At one point when everyone jumped up, kicked down the duck blind and started firing at the group of birds flying overhead, I felt like a war veteran in the middle of a full contact zone with the enemy.
But... this is not what got my heart beating and emotions rolling.
There was a point in the day where one of our hunters clipped a bird and the bird went down slowly. Slowly, slowly... another hunter had to track the bird and end the death process so the goose would not suffer. All I heard was the shot in the distance which I knew was ending the life of another breathing creature.
For a second, I became a bit emotional, thinking about horses that break a leg, or rabid dogs...all the things Hollywood has deemed, "OK" to put an animal down... to end it's suffering. Then I paused...how could I possibly ever eat duck again? I asked, do they make pate from the ducks that are shot down here it the country?
"No", was the answer.
Then OK, I think I will survive this experience.


Then the sun set...

and once again, I had to acknowledge the beauty of a simple existence and how it all started.


How small we are in the big picture.


How man still rolls through the wild to maintain contact with the earth and each other.