Day 279

While my kids continue to hunt for worms, slugs, and tomato-toads, adults in our lives are gearing up (literally and figuratively) for hunting season. I am not a hunter. I don't have issues with responsible hunting. I see it more of a tradition passed down from generation to generation. I was never raised in the hunting culture so I never got into it.

I do, however, have a number of acquaintances who do love to hunt and have expressed interest in hunting our property. Rumor is the golf course we are connected to is a hotbed of big buck action. Last year, the friends who hunted reported seeing plenty of them. However, seeing them and being able to try and shoot them is not the same. Their location wasn't ideal for taking them down. Apparently, the deer have Googled the property lines and tend to start just past our border, safe in the protection of the golf course.

This year, we’ve added a third potential hunter. Since I’m a responsible land owner and keep all my guests safe, I’ve tried to be reasonable in my requests.All I’ve asked is that the people interested in hunting give a heads up so I can make sure my kids aren’t exploring and fellow hunters aren't already occupying the space.

Any time in nature is a good time. I’ve heard more than once that any day hunting is a good day hunting. One of my friends even joked that sometimes he “hunts” without his bow and just uses the time to take a break from the regular world. To me, this is similar to hiking. While I enjoy a good family hike, it is refreshing to occasionally venture off on my own and just reset. This is a great benefit of having a trail to build and maintain in my own backyard. Not only is hiking physically beneficial, the mental and emotional stimulation received from venturing out in nature and improving it with accessible and restored trails is invigorating and motivating. 

Of course, if I decide to go hiking at the same time one of my hunting buddies goes out searching for deer, I could be in trouble.