After my hunt last Friday, and my all day sit without seeing a deer, I was a little put off by the whole activity that we call hunting.  Sure, there’s more to hunting than seeing deer, but sometimes hunting has a tendency to be a pretty frustrating activity.  You can put in hours of preparation, cover miles of ground to check trailcams, scout, etc.  But ultimately it comes down to being in the right place at the right time – and that doesn’t always happen.

Every once in awhile, though, especially after days like I mentioned above, it’s nice to be able to put things in perspective; to be reminded why we hunt, and what draws us to it in the first place.  Suzee, in her latest post over at Base Camp Legends, did a great job of helping me to realize what the most important parts of the hunt are – and they have nothing to do with seeing deer or killing anything.

Honestly, the story in this post should be an inspiration to all hunters; it should inspire us and cause us to look within and realize exactly what we will remember the most when it comes to hunting.  I’m sure we’ll remember a few of the deer we took while afield, or the feel of the prized duck we held in our hands, but ultimately we’ll remember the camaraderie and experiences associated with the hunt, before we remember any kill.

I know the things that I would miss the most would have nothing to do with killing any animal.  I would miss the sunrises, the sunsets, the smell of a crisp November morning, all the sites and sounds of the woods, and the many hunting stories shared with friends and family after the day’s hunt.  I’d miss the feeling of walking through the woods with my bow in hand, and that deep connection to nature that it provides; and I’d miss being one with nature – being with an old, good friend.

The lengths that the Base Camp Legends crew go to in order to hunt, and especially the ingenuity and improvisation they used in order to get Suzee’s dad up onto that ridge, is inspiring.  Watching the little video she put together, and seeing the smile on her dad’s face, and the sure joy they were experiencing just being together – while sitting under a pine tree, or enjoying a fire-cooked meal – was awesome.

I may never shoot a monster buck, and I’m going to have a few more frustrating days of hunting.  But, when I think on these things, I will flashback to Suzee’s post, and remember the sheer joy her dad was experiencing from just being there – no kills or animals required.

Note: If you enjoy hunting, in any capacity, you need to head on over and read this post.  It is awesome, and if you don’t take the four minutes to watch the video, you’re missing something special.

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