My hunting plans this year was to put some meat in the freezer while waiting on the big bucks to show themselves during the rut. I have been able to do that even though there’s still room for another one. The pressure really subsides after that first arrow finds its mark. It’s like catching a limit of fish in a tournament and spending the rest of the day culling the small ones.
While I’m waiting on the rut I like to try my hand at spotting and stalking. This is a fun way to hunt even though the success rate is very low. To ambush a deer and make a good shot on him with a bow is almost like a new hunting sport. It takes a whole lot of patience, planning, and Godspeed. I have to admit that I’ve hunted this way four or five times this year without success, but I have gotten real close. On one such episode I drew on small buck that was only five yards away thinking that it was a doe. I’m glad I didn’t release that arrow too soon. As difficult as this style of hunting is for deer it’s multiplied for turkey.
But hunting is a weird sport where weird things happen at weird times. Last week was one of those weird moments where I was not only able to set up on a flock of turkeys but was able to shoot at three different birds until I finally hit one. I have no idea how something like that could happen, but that’s hunting. And that’s what makes it fun.
Forrest Gump once stated, “My momma said, 'Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.' ” Forrest and his momma were right. And I’m glad that life is that way. This would be a pretty boring place if every day was the same and everything happened as we expected. Most of the time we gripe when things don’t go our way as if our way was the standard. We somehow think that God is under obligation to give us ample warning when our schedules are adjusted. However, the comfort that we ought to find is not in living a life that has no surprises but in knowing that our Father is never surprised and will never be caught off guard by any event in our life. Remember, if the One we have our trust in is certain and steadfast, the rest of our life doesn’t have to be.
Reach Gary Miller via e-mail at gary@outdoortruths.org
