A story I wrote, what do you think? (what being a bowhunter is all about to me)
09-10-2004, 10:28 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Lancaster pa
Posts: 3,015
A story I wrote, what do you think? (what being a bowhunter is all about to me)
I posted this story on here a few months ago but there seems to be alot more members online now that the season is getting closer so I thought I would share it again. The thread about what is a trophy reminded me of this. I know it's a little long but I really think it's worth the read. It reminds us of what being a bowhunter is all about. The story is partly fiction but is based on real feelings and events and is intended to portray a message. Anyone who has shared hunts with a father or son will really connect with this. Thanks for taking the time to read it.
I never really understand why I can’t sleep the day before deer season, or why I stay up so late for that matter. The point remains that every year it never fails. I lay in bed listening to the white tail run through the underbrush in the back of my head. It’s as if I am already in stand as the darkness envelops me, just listening to the sound of the crickets singing outside my window. Eventually the sounds fade away into nothing, only to be replaced by the harsh shrill of an alarm clock, and the sound of my father getting coffee ready in the kitchen.
Most days getting up at four in the morning would be a chore. I would have to wait for my legs to gather enough strength to pull the rest of my body out of bed, but not today, for today is the first day of archery season. It’s as if I was five again, and there was a shiny new bike waiting under the Christmas tree for me. But today is much different from that day. There is no bike, nor friends, nor Christmas trees. There is no snow on the ground or stockings hung on the mantle. There is only the faint silhouette of my father tying his boots at the kitchen table, and hint of coffee as it fills the room. It is at this moment that I realize how the true gifts in life can’t be wrapped up and tied with a bow. They don’t have your name written on them or sat under a tree. No, the true gifts in life are those that are lived. The ones that only a father and son can understand at four in the morning.
As I stand there in silence for the next few seconds I regain my composure and realize that I too must finish getting ready. As I finish my coffee and tie up my last shoestring my father is already waiting at the door with flashlight in hand. I move as fast as I can, snatching up my bow and head out by his side pulling the door tight behind me. The cool morning air hits my face as the crickets that sang me to sleep begin to fade into the distance. All is quiet except for the sound of our breath and the rustle of grass under our feet.
We continue to walk across the power line beside our house, heading to the treestands my father placed earlier in the year. Nothing is heard, nothing is said. We just keep walking with only the two glowing circles created by our flashlights to keep us company. They dance back in forth like two giant lightning bugs playing in the yard illuminating sticks and leaves as they go along.
We finally come to a point where our paths must split. My father heads along the left side of the field as I angle to the right to take my stand along the creek bed. Until this point the moon has helped lead our way but as I stand peering into the forest nothing can be seen but darkness. It almost seems as if the trees and fallen timber would swallow the light of my flashlight. Nonetheless, I manage to find the trail heading down into the trees that leads to my stand. I proceed with great caution, knowing that the slightest noise may alert the deer that are bedded nearby. After what seems like an hour of slipping through the underbrush I finally reach my destination. It’s what remains of an antenna tower chained to a tree with a lock on mounted at the top. There is already a rope in place, so I tie off my bow and make my way up.
Once perched atop the stand, it seems as if God has turned down the volume of nature. Everything seems so much quieter. You can hear the tiniest of noises and notice the smallest of movements. The mere sound of the your feet on the cold steel below you sounds as if it could be heard for miles. It is at this time that I begin to relax. I take a deep breath and sway in rhythm with the trees as they dance with the wind. For a few moments the rest of the world does not exist. I just stare at the stars as they shine through the canopy, disappearing for moments as they hide behind the last few leaves still clinging to the branches. With my eyes now closed I hear those same deer from the previous night in my dreams as they creep through the saplings. Then I realize that those noises aren’t in my mind, but rather coming from the forest floor twenty feet below. I just watch as a raccoon, makes its way back to its tree for another days rest. I wonder to myself, where has he been all night? What has he seen? If only I could see out of his eyes for one evening, just to see this magnificent place from his point of view. Then, as quickly as he appears, he fades into the darkness of the forest.
It isn’t long before the first signs of the morning sun begin to climb over the meadow. The leaves awake from their slumber for one last dance as the few remaining creatures scurry to their daytime homes. In a few moments the sun’s rays begin to penetrate through the oaks, piercing the forest like swords thrown down from the heavens. This is the image that is emblazoned in my mind since I first stepped foot into the woods with my father so many years ago.
It’s not long until I hear movement coming along the creek bed towards my stand. I slowly turn around so as not to make the slightest sound. My weight shifts from one foot to the other so the stand does not creak from the movement. For a split second the tread on my boot catches the stand and the lightest of noises can be heard. To me it seems as if someone has just slammed a car door and broken the silence. My heart begins to race as all my movements cease. Slowly I look around but nothing has caught this small mishap. Once again I finish turning until the source of the noise is directly in front of me. My eyes strain to see through the dense saplings and I fear all is lost, but a small movement gives him away. A deer, slowly and methodically makes his way along the creek browsing on acorns strewn amongst the leaf litter. Once within forty yards I can see his ivory crown as it intertwines with the rest of the underbrush. It is the king that I have so often envisioned while sitting in stand on long autumn days. He is no longer a myth, but rather one of the most elegant creatures to ever pass through these trees. My heart begins to race and a warm metallic taste fills my mouth as my adrenaline begins to rise. I stare in awe as he slowly moves closer, weaving through the trees without exerting the slightest effort. For a second he stops, merely twenty yards away without a care in the world as to what is taking place around him. Not once does the thought cross my mind to reach for my bow. The mere sight of such a creature keeps me froze in time like the moss that clings to the tree at my back. He is the proudest, most confident creature in the woods, and rightfully so. What does he have to be afraid of? At this exact moment, he is right, there is nothing to fear, for I never even begin to pick up my bow.
I have entered these woods with my father for many years now, listening to him speak about the true meaning of being a hunter. I can still here his words as if he was speaking them right now. "It's not whether or not your hunt is successful, but rather the time you get to share with the woods that is the true measure of a good hunt.” It is at this moment that I truly understand what he has been trying to tell me as my thoughts jump back and forth from my father to the king.
It isn’t long before these thoughts vanish and the king regains my full attention. I know in the back of my mind that if I do not take the shot soon he will be gone forever, and this meeting between the two of us will be nothing more than a memory. This, I say to myself, is exactly the way I want it to be. The king has given me everything I could have hoped for. The last thing in my mind is a few steaks in the freezer and a set of antlers. At this very moment all I can think about is how lucky I have been to be blessed in the presence of such a creature. I know in my heart what could have happened. I know that I was the victor on that day. But I also know that he will never truly be gone. He will be there in my mind running through the underbrush the night before every season.
I just smile as he vanishes into the scrub oaks knowing that no matter what happens the rest of the day, I will always have a trophy to hang in my memories to keep me company.
Eventually day fades into evening and I can feel the last few rays from the sun fade from the back of my neck. It isn’t long until I see my fathers’ flashlight bouncing across the field at which point I decide to join him for the walk home.
This walk is different from all of the other walks we have shared over the years. Few words are spoken and only those same two glowing circles emitted from our lights keep us company. I can faintly see our house in the distance as my father breaks the silence. “Did you have a successful hunt?” he asks me. These words stop me in my tracks. He turns and looks at me with a smile from ear to ear and he knows that the time has come when everything he has taught me about being a hunter came to be realized. I never really did answer the question but we both knew that there was no need for words. He knew by the look in my eye that no matter what happened in the stand that day, just being out there made the hunt “successful”. We stand in silence for what seems like eternity and then slowly finish our journey.
To this day that same deer keeps me company the night before every deer season, and he is the greatest trophy I will ever have. I know in my heart that I will never have a more successful hunt because no single day could ever compare to that one October morning. For that was the day a father and son truly understood each other. That was the day lessons were learned, and memories were made. That was the day every father hopes for and every son imagines. That was the day…I really understood the meaning of the word…”hunter”.
Eric Droege Jr.
6/22/04
I know everyone would say "you should have taken the shot". But that's not the mesage I was trying to portray here. Believe me, I have taken the shot countless times and I am an avid hunter. I am just trying to portray a message in this story that we as hunters often miss. We need not measure our success as a hunter by the amount of meat in the freezer or the size of the mounts on the wall (though I do enjoy both ) but rather the time we share with our fathers and sons and the memories we have to take with us.
THE KING
I never really understand why I can’t sleep the day before deer season, or why I stay up so late for that matter. The point remains that every year it never fails. I lay in bed listening to the white tail run through the underbrush in the back of my head. It’s as if I am already in stand as the darkness envelops me, just listening to the sound of the crickets singing outside my window. Eventually the sounds fade away into nothing, only to be replaced by the harsh shrill of an alarm clock, and the sound of my father getting coffee ready in the kitchen.
Most days getting up at four in the morning would be a chore. I would have to wait for my legs to gather enough strength to pull the rest of my body out of bed, but not today, for today is the first day of archery season. It’s as if I was five again, and there was a shiny new bike waiting under the Christmas tree for me. But today is much different from that day. There is no bike, nor friends, nor Christmas trees. There is no snow on the ground or stockings hung on the mantle. There is only the faint silhouette of my father tying his boots at the kitchen table, and hint of coffee as it fills the room. It is at this moment that I realize how the true gifts in life can’t be wrapped up and tied with a bow. They don’t have your name written on them or sat under a tree. No, the true gifts in life are those that are lived. The ones that only a father and son can understand at four in the morning.
As I stand there in silence for the next few seconds I regain my composure and realize that I too must finish getting ready. As I finish my coffee and tie up my last shoestring my father is already waiting at the door with flashlight in hand. I move as fast as I can, snatching up my bow and head out by his side pulling the door tight behind me. The cool morning air hits my face as the crickets that sang me to sleep begin to fade into the distance. All is quiet except for the sound of our breath and the rustle of grass under our feet.
We continue to walk across the power line beside our house, heading to the treestands my father placed earlier in the year. Nothing is heard, nothing is said. We just keep walking with only the two glowing circles created by our flashlights to keep us company. They dance back in forth like two giant lightning bugs playing in the yard illuminating sticks and leaves as they go along.
We finally come to a point where our paths must split. My father heads along the left side of the field as I angle to the right to take my stand along the creek bed. Until this point the moon has helped lead our way but as I stand peering into the forest nothing can be seen but darkness. It almost seems as if the trees and fallen timber would swallow the light of my flashlight. Nonetheless, I manage to find the trail heading down into the trees that leads to my stand. I proceed with great caution, knowing that the slightest noise may alert the deer that are bedded nearby. After what seems like an hour of slipping through the underbrush I finally reach my destination. It’s what remains of an antenna tower chained to a tree with a lock on mounted at the top. There is already a rope in place, so I tie off my bow and make my way up.
Once perched atop the stand, it seems as if God has turned down the volume of nature. Everything seems so much quieter. You can hear the tiniest of noises and notice the smallest of movements. The mere sound of the your feet on the cold steel below you sounds as if it could be heard for miles. It is at this time that I begin to relax. I take a deep breath and sway in rhythm with the trees as they dance with the wind. For a few moments the rest of the world does not exist. I just stare at the stars as they shine through the canopy, disappearing for moments as they hide behind the last few leaves still clinging to the branches. With my eyes now closed I hear those same deer from the previous night in my dreams as they creep through the saplings. Then I realize that those noises aren’t in my mind, but rather coming from the forest floor twenty feet below. I just watch as a raccoon, makes its way back to its tree for another days rest. I wonder to myself, where has he been all night? What has he seen? If only I could see out of his eyes for one evening, just to see this magnificent place from his point of view. Then, as quickly as he appears, he fades into the darkness of the forest.
It isn’t long before the first signs of the morning sun begin to climb over the meadow. The leaves awake from their slumber for one last dance as the few remaining creatures scurry to their daytime homes. In a few moments the sun’s rays begin to penetrate through the oaks, piercing the forest like swords thrown down from the heavens. This is the image that is emblazoned in my mind since I first stepped foot into the woods with my father so many years ago.
It’s not long until I hear movement coming along the creek bed towards my stand. I slowly turn around so as not to make the slightest sound. My weight shifts from one foot to the other so the stand does not creak from the movement. For a split second the tread on my boot catches the stand and the lightest of noises can be heard. To me it seems as if someone has just slammed a car door and broken the silence. My heart begins to race as all my movements cease. Slowly I look around but nothing has caught this small mishap. Once again I finish turning until the source of the noise is directly in front of me. My eyes strain to see through the dense saplings and I fear all is lost, but a small movement gives him away. A deer, slowly and methodically makes his way along the creek browsing on acorns strewn amongst the leaf litter. Once within forty yards I can see his ivory crown as it intertwines with the rest of the underbrush. It is the king that I have so often envisioned while sitting in stand on long autumn days. He is no longer a myth, but rather one of the most elegant creatures to ever pass through these trees. My heart begins to race and a warm metallic taste fills my mouth as my adrenaline begins to rise. I stare in awe as he slowly moves closer, weaving through the trees without exerting the slightest effort. For a second he stops, merely twenty yards away without a care in the world as to what is taking place around him. Not once does the thought cross my mind to reach for my bow. The mere sight of such a creature keeps me froze in time like the moss that clings to the tree at my back. He is the proudest, most confident creature in the woods, and rightfully so. What does he have to be afraid of? At this exact moment, he is right, there is nothing to fear, for I never even begin to pick up my bow.
I have entered these woods with my father for many years now, listening to him speak about the true meaning of being a hunter. I can still here his words as if he was speaking them right now. "It's not whether or not your hunt is successful, but rather the time you get to share with the woods that is the true measure of a good hunt.” It is at this moment that I truly understand what he has been trying to tell me as my thoughts jump back and forth from my father to the king.
It isn’t long before these thoughts vanish and the king regains my full attention. I know in the back of my mind that if I do not take the shot soon he will be gone forever, and this meeting between the two of us will be nothing more than a memory. This, I say to myself, is exactly the way I want it to be. The king has given me everything I could have hoped for. The last thing in my mind is a few steaks in the freezer and a set of antlers. At this very moment all I can think about is how lucky I have been to be blessed in the presence of such a creature. I know in my heart what could have happened. I know that I was the victor on that day. But I also know that he will never truly be gone. He will be there in my mind running through the underbrush the night before every season.
I just smile as he vanishes into the scrub oaks knowing that no matter what happens the rest of the day, I will always have a trophy to hang in my memories to keep me company.
Eventually day fades into evening and I can feel the last few rays from the sun fade from the back of my neck. It isn’t long until I see my fathers’ flashlight bouncing across the field at which point I decide to join him for the walk home.
This walk is different from all of the other walks we have shared over the years. Few words are spoken and only those same two glowing circles emitted from our lights keep us company. I can faintly see our house in the distance as my father breaks the silence. “Did you have a successful hunt?” he asks me. These words stop me in my tracks. He turns and looks at me with a smile from ear to ear and he knows that the time has come when everything he has taught me about being a hunter came to be realized. I never really did answer the question but we both knew that there was no need for words. He knew by the look in my eye that no matter what happened in the stand that day, just being out there made the hunt “successful”. We stand in silence for what seems like eternity and then slowly finish our journey.
To this day that same deer keeps me company the night before every deer season, and he is the greatest trophy I will ever have. I know in my heart that I will never have a more successful hunt because no single day could ever compare to that one October morning. For that was the day a father and son truly understood each other. That was the day lessons were learned, and memories were made. That was the day every father hopes for and every son imagines. That was the day…I really understood the meaning of the word…”hunter”.
Eric Droege Jr.
6/22/04
I know everyone would say "you should have taken the shot". But that's not the mesage I was trying to portray here. Believe me, I have taken the shot countless times and I am an avid hunter. I am just trying to portray a message in this story that we as hunters often miss. We need not measure our success as a hunter by the amount of meat in the freezer or the size of the mounts on the wall (though I do enjoy both ) but rather the time we share with our fathers and sons and the memories we have to take with us.
09-10-2004, 11:11 AM
#3
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Manorville NY
Posts: 312
RE: A story I wrote, what do you think? (what being a bowhunter is all about to me)
That was a great story....my father wasn't the one who taught me to hunt I was actually taught by friends and learned myself as I went along. But I like to think I carry my dad's values and lifes lessons with me in everything I do.
I hope to teach my son to hunt someday. He is 4 now and I can't wait to bring him on his first hunt. I will hopefully find that connection with him in the woods someday.
Thanks again for reminding us all of what is important in life.
I hope to teach my son to hunt someday. He is 4 now and I can't wait to bring him on his first hunt. I will hopefully find that connection with him in the woods someday.
Thanks again for reminding us all of what is important in life.
09-10-2004, 11:34 AM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: A story I wrote, what do you think? (what being a bowhunter is all about to me)
This was the first I read the story and I absolutely love it. It shares a very strong message to anyone willing enough to read, understand and accept it.
I was self taught as a hunter and bowhunter. I started bowhunting by myself when I was 16, that was over 20 years ago and I'm yet to have children but if I do, your message is what I will teach my child. Very nice. I hope you don't mind if I print that and share it amoungst my friends and family.
I was self taught as a hunter and bowhunter. I started bowhunting by myself when I was 16, that was over 20 years ago and I'm yet to have children but if I do, your message is what I will teach my child. Very nice. I hope you don't mind if I print that and share it amoungst my friends and family.
09-10-2004, 11:46 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Lancaster pa
Posts: 3,015
RE: A story I wrote, what do you think? (what being a bowhunter is all about to me)
Feel free to share it with whomever you like. That is the intent of this story. To help people remember the real reason we enjoy this way of life.
09-10-2004, 05:06 PM
#6
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Dekalb, Illinois
Posts: 431
RE: A story I wrote, what do you think? (what being a bowhunter is all about to me)
Great story Bearklr, it brought back memories of when i was in Cub Scouts in the 1960's and we had a magazine that was called "Boy's Life", it sure brings back the true nature of being outdoors with all that we love.
09-10-2004, 11:25 PM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: hortonville wi USA
Posts: 165
RE: A story I wrote, what do you think? (what being a bowhunter is all about to me)
great story, i have been bowhunting for 2 years now and that could teach a beginner like myself quite a few things since i am the only one in the family that hunts
09-11-2004, 08:30 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SouthWest OH, Remington Country.
Posts: 2,058
RE: A story I wrote, what do you think? (what being a bowhunter is all about to me)
i just love that story............realtree.com has a good one posted also, kinda a tear jerker though
