What if you took a moment before setting out on a hunting trip, maybe planned just a bit more, got somewhat organized? I can almost guarantee it would be a better trip. Believe me, I speak from experience – learning the hard way so you won’t have to.
First, some philosophy: abandon all the woulda-shoulda-coulda thoughts that creep in as you cross the county line. Once on the road, it’s time to begin living in the moment. Make do with what you have, adapt, enjoy. Maintain an open mind, be flexible, optimistic. Nobody likes a whiner, so quit bitching about your forgotten lucky hat.
Next, a more practical lesson: Take a duplicate of anything that would – if lost, missing or forgotten – kibosh your trip, force you to go home or worse yet, watch your buddy have all the fun. This category includes shotgun, ammo, license, boots, glasses, medicine and dog (don’t ask how I know this). Along the same lines, before you go, test everything that is critical. I’ve found shredded space blankets and leaky water bottles in my vest and had a boot sole tear off on a chukar hunt. Talk about buzzkill.
OK, you have the critical stuff. Now, on to the things that have helped me maintain most of my sanity while hunting in 26 states with few regrettable incidents (other than questionable taste in hunting partners).
Your four-footed companion
この記事は The Upland Almanac の Spring 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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この記事は The Upland Almanac の Spring 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Tail feathers - STANDARDS AND PRACTICES
\"An armed society is a polite society,\" the NRA says in one of its dicta, cribbed from Robert A. Heinlein, a 20th-century American science fiction writer.
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I Don't Wanna'!
I'm an old hand at being retired, though - have been practicing for 25 years.
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AN EXTENDED STAY
There is no reason to leave Michigan in the fall unless the opportunity of a cast and blast adventure at a historic sporting lodge in Maine comes calling.
KEEP IT HANDY
If you think shooting a ruffed grouse on the wing with a shotgun is tough, try shooting one in flight with a still camera.
A Longtime Love Affair
It's possible to hunt your favorite birds in a lot of different places, I suppose, but I don't do that.
Profile of an Artist: Harley Bartlett
Harley Bartlett was born in 1959 near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. However, having lived in Rhode Island for most of his life he considers himself a Rhode Islander.
