In Defense of the Hunter

by Joanne Buckley

An editorial in response to this article.

Getting up at predawn, you shower with unscented soap, grab a quick cup of coffee and head out in the still of the morning. By then, there is silence everywhere. There are a few lights in houses off in the distance but most are dark. Walking towards your stand, you hear the crunch of the grasses under your feet from the heavy frost. The air is crisp and you can see your breath.

You move quickly in the anticipation of seeing that buck you missed last week and getting another chance. You sit there, in your stand as the dawn just starts to lighten the day thinking just how peaceful is this? You become one with your God as your senses take in the different textures of the hickory bark, peeling away from the trunk; the huge oaks standing like the fathers of the woods, the delicate maples that seemingly grace the landscape like matronly mothers watching over you. There is a twinkle rush of the aspen leaves started by the slight breeze that has come up This sends a chill to remind you that you are alive and life is good. If you are lucky enough to have fir trees where you hunt, there is the whirr of the wind that sings a song for you. Here and there you hear a squirrel scamper away, hiding acorns and hickory nuts for the long winter.

Your thoughts might wander for a minute to that little warm sleeping child snuggled warmly in his bed and you wonder just why you are out here. You may have a few worries that cross briefly through your mind, but you are able to suppress them because this is your time. Being in the woods makes you feel alive and in control. So this is your time to just feel life for a while.

Suddenly, you hear a crack of sticks under foot and you freeze. You stop breathing for a minute. You try to move so very slowly to get a look at what made the noise. Your arms tingle with anticipation and the muscles in your neck and shoulders tense. You tell yourself to just calm down and be in control. As the crackling starts again your eyes look to see that it is a large buck!

O.K., whether you pulled off the shot or not, your time was not wasted. You got that chance to chill out, literally and mentally. As the sun starts to rise and the shadows grow long, you have spent some time with nature and your maker. You have stopped to listen to your thoughts and were in wonder at the sight of such creation. He really thought of everything didn't he? The maples look like they are on fire. The leaves trickle down, one by one from the trees. The chickadees are chirping up and down the bark of some trees and you hear a pheasant cackle in the distance. You begin to hear movement on the roads as the day begins and for some reason you feel fresher. You got a walk in, you got some fresh air, and you got a chance to be with your creator and many of his creatures. Whether you can put venison on the table today or not, you are refreshed and isn't that what it's all about? Life is good.

So ladies, when you look at the times your husband abandons you for the woods, realize that his peace of mind will bring you peace of mind in knowing that his mind and body will be stronger and he will be happier when he is with you. Of course you need to figure out what gives you the same peace of mind and when you do, he will understand what it means to you. Men, nurture your wives and see that they get their peace of mind also. You need to listen and hear them. They will be more patient with you if they really understand. It is worth your time.