We are already planning her hunting trips and our future hunting trips with her. I can’t wait to see her explore in his footsteps all the knowledge from years of stewarding the land and wildlife. The hunter's way of life.
And while i’m sure they don’t make a bow with a 7.2 inch draw, I cannot wait to watch her send her first arrow at a target. Will she find the same joy and love for it that we do? We can only hope so.
This past week, these two men became a father and grandfather to a beautiful baby girl. I can’t wait to see them take on these new roles. All I want is for this baby girl to know that she is going to follow in the footsteps of these two amazing men just as I have. She is going to be a beautiful, strong, independent woman who hopefully shares the love of the outdoors just like all of us do.
When you think of male influences, our society often immediately goes to a Father or even a Grandfather. And, while those men are extremely influential in many lives; there are many other male role models and influences in a person's life. For me personally, I have several cousin's, a brother, and a husband who were extremely influential in who I became as a hunter and conservationist.
He took 24 Sheep in his lifetime, it was his favorite species to hunt. He took them with a recurve bow, a revolver and rifle. I started shooting traditional archery with him as a child.
We eventually made our way down to his bear. A big, beautiful, chocolate colored boar. After snapping some pictures we got to work on skinning and quartering the bear while swatting the harassing meat bees away. We loaded everyone’s packs up – one with the head/hide, one with a hind and a front quarter, one with the other hind and front quarter, and the other with the backstraps, scraps, and the gun. Then we started our sweaty trek up out of the canyon.
Moving into an adulthood I married my best friend who later became the father of our five children. My husband joined the military and completed many rifle ranges and pistol qualifications in the Marine Corps. He has patiently help me refine my Marksman skills. It's not very often that a homeschool mom of 5 gets a break. But he gives me every opportunity to get into the outdoors. He's been one of the most supportive people in my life and for that I'm thankful.
Even though my father was not active in my life, I always had the leadership through the other men in my life to point me in the right direction. The strong will and determination I was taught from these men is something I am intensely proud of. Others do not always like strong and capable women though and can attempt to twist positive qualities, such as these, in an effort to make it sound like a flaw. However, let us not forget the fire our important male figures stoked and helped build within us. We owe it to them to keep adding wood to that flame and not let others douse it with their disapproval.
June. The month of father figures. Dads, uncles, older brothers, grandfathers, friends of the family. We all have them. We’ve all been influenced by one or another in some fashion throughout our lives.
Join us this month as we feature the strong father-figure coaching we’ve received over the years that has helped shape us into the strong independent women we are today.
I always trotted around with my Dad and my brother usually followed Mom. I remember sitting on a rock with my dad and I had a bit of a cold so I would cough every once in awhile. I got the "look" from dad that told me I would scare the deer away. He gave me a Jolly Rancher to suck on! I was in heaven.
Art found on cave walls from 16,000 years ago depicts various animals from the water that were speared or harpooned. Mentions of fishing spears can be found in the Bible in Job 41:7. And an image of spearfishing from a boat can be found on a wall in a tomb from 1430 BC in Thebes.
From coast to coast, our next guest recounts her earliest memory of the traditional method.
I can remember at maybe 5 years old, my parents created a mini bed of a bunch of pillows and blankets in the backseat of my dads extended cab '95 Silverado. We went out on my moms late cow elk hunt and drove roads.
As kids we didn't really think it through and tried to catch them with our hands but as the summer progressed we would use whatever fishing material was left behind at the lake by previous people. So whatever hooks and lines we found with some old salmon eggs we would rig that up and use a stick as our rod.
This time there were quite a few downed trees crossing our walkway and I was weighted down with snacks, fishing gear, extra clothing, and drinks making my backpack particularly heavy for an out of shape Mom of two who just wanted to give my kids a great experience in the mountains.
If you don’t embellish, overcome some near-death experience, get caught off guard by a wildlife manager, forget your most sacred survival lucky underwear, you aren’t even given a second look. Media and product manufacturers have lost sight of what it means to be a hunter.
But as we stood there with the rising sun to our backs, listening to bugles over the next ridge, searching for those glowing tines in the first light of day, it meant so much more on this day that we are able to do what we love because people love and fight for this country.
I remember the feeling of exhaustion and that pain in my elbow that just never goes away. That savory flavor of nourishment lingers on my tongue. Or at least I think it does.
A sense of trust in those who are close to me is never far out of my thoughts. I would never have gotten to step foot in that wild place without them. And the warmth and humbleness of the opportunity to do something that not many will get to do will not be forgotten.
It did not come without a price.
