By chasephase
I recently visited a great friend and his lovely family. Too much time had passed by for whatever reasons.
He was a hunting buddy who has introduced many to the sport of hunting. He attracts people and friends like moths to a light. He is a teacher and a coach in his professional life as well as in his personal time. It’s what he does and he excels at it in a unconventional manner.
Coach, as I will refer to him; not only brought new guys into the hunting fold…he gave them a place to learn to hunt. He opened his land and tree stands to the new guys. For awhile, he even was a Hunter Safety Instructor.I was fortunate enough to hunt with him quite a bit. I knew many of the new hunters and found myself in a role of helping these new recruits out. Passing on the knowledge that I had about hunting. I enjoyed sharing with them and listening to there new experiences as they came back after each hunt, eager to tell about their encounters.
Over the past few years, I often wondered how this “club” was doing. Sitting in my tree stand on opening day of shotgun in the pre-dawn; my thoughts would pass to them for a moment. Curious about their success as hunters after gaining a few seasons under their belts.
Well, stopping in to see Coach the other day; I was completely rewarded to hear about many of the deer these guys have put on the ground. I was damn proud to hear about the deer they had bagged. It brought me joy knowing they have been successful and continue to pursue hunting.
Coach has done well and has continued introducing the sport to others. Heck, he has reversed the urban migration in a small part as some of the guys have left the city to stake their claims on fertile hunting grounds.
Now, I only hope that they too bring more new hunters into the fold. Passing the buck fever on to their friends and families. It is a beautiful gift to give to another.
Coach shared a passion with just a few friends and can now see how it has all flourished into something bigger. I don’t want to say that Coach is Jesus….but teach a man to hunt and he feeds more than just his hunger…and his family. You feed a natural instinct that began in the dawn of time and was found in the genetic coding of our primal ancestors.
It is an instinct we all have, no matter how much education you receive in life. No matter the organizations you become a member of, for example PETA. The Spirit of the Hunt is in all of us and people like Coach can help you tap into it.
Be a hunter and not just a gatherer. If you have already experienced the hunting spirit; pass it on to others and bring someone into the fold.
