Deer Hunting revolves around the moment of truth, which many would agree to be when a deer presents a shot opportunity in range. Hunters can buy fancy new gadgets, set up tree stands in certain spots, and have the most expensive rifle produced, but if you’re not prepared and ready when the opportunity presents itself, all is naught. The same is true in all aspects of life: we need to be ready for opportunities in our lives.
Hunting season lasts for a good share of the fall and winter seasons; however, opportunities are not always easy to come by. After the first week of rifle season, I know there are quite a few hunters out there, scratching their heads, confused, and even frustrated, about missed opportunities and close encounters gone wrong.
Any hunter who has missed a chance has most likely played the event over and over and over again in their mind, trying to find some answer to what happened. Some might put the blame on themselves for choosing to sit and look in the wrong direction, others might blame their gun or other equipment, while still others might just call it good old bad luck. Any hunter will likely be able to tell you all about a miss with great detail to the story, and if someone claims to have never blown an opportunity, they probably don’t hunt much, or else they’re a liar.
Often while hunting it seems that Murphy’s Law tends to find its way into the equation. “What can go wrong will go wrong.” I think most people would agree that when something actually works out the way they planned it, it feels quite nice. When bad luck seems to plague your hunting season, it makes you wonder if you will ever get another opportunity at all for some redemption.
For all of those who have dealt with this so far this year, I wish I could say that another chance at a huge, monster buck is soon to come, but then I’d be lying. However, I can promise you that in the case of deer hunting, you can’t kill them from the couch and sitting around pouting about blown opportunities will do nothing for you, except make you look like a little crybaby; if that’s the look you’re going for. You may be, or may know others who get out in the woods for the first weekend and maybe for a little while over the Thanksgiving holiday, but to call it a year after that would be silly when there are still plenty of deer out there to be found.
Personally, I’ve seen some of the best deer hunting to be in the latter end of the season, with some of the best days actually occurring on the very last day! The age old adage that persistence pays off is true regardless of whether you are deer hunting, or in your general everyday life.
Speaking of everyday life, each one of us faces choices daily that have the potential to be life changing. Whether you realize it or not, every little thing you do makes a difference, and all of us have the opportunity to make a major difference in our lives and also those around us. I feel like there are three ways to handle the occasions we’re given, the right way, an obviously wrong way, and an apathetic way, not caring and doing nothing. None of us are perfect, and we certainly are not always going to make the right decisions. If you think you are perfect, I’m sorry, but you better think again. We not supposed to be, though, and what is really important is that we are ready and willing for the opportunities we’ll face and to take action. In deer hunting it’s about staying alert, and awake, on stand so that you can make the shot when that big buck walks past.
Last week I wrote about hunting for deer, but more importantly, for inner peace, hope, and truth. So in life, as in hunting, we all need to be looking, “hunting,” for opportunities… to change our lives if we need to, break away from the busyness of everyday life, to find more ways to love on others around us.
Regardless of whether or not you’ll be out chasing deer, I’m sure you are in the same situation as everyone else; looking for something more in life and no matter what you’re hunting for, getting outdoors and taking a walk in creation around us is always a good start in the search.
