[H&Hhunter]

I'd have to say that the three defining parts of a hunting day are a beautiful fresh sunrise with cool clean air enlivening your nostrils.

A gorgeous sunset with that happy weary boned sore muscle feeling all over.

And the best part of the day is the camp fire!


Other great sensations in the outdoors......

A thunderstorm rolling in.

The smell of the air right after a rain.

Big heavy snowflakes gently falling on the pines and aspens.

That first glimpse of sorrel body against a green and white back drop in the rockies.

The melodious sound of a hound baying in a deep canyon.

The musky smell of a sweaty horse beneath you.

The soothing rumble of a male lion at sunset "NaaaGRooomaaa."

The satisfying wet thwack of a bullet hitting pay dirt.

Lung blood on the trail.

A rifle that points and shoots like it should. Every time from year to year, decade to decade.

Watching your child make her clumsy first attempt at a stalk.

Wind whispering through the pines.

:)

[Bill2k1]

I have always looked at hunting as the poor mans vacation. It is more an escape for me then it is about meat or killing anything. A day in the woods followed by a night drinking with friends and family is what keeps me coming back.

[borrowedtime69]

1. you get to walk around armed to the teeth all day , outside, in the wilderness.

2. it keeps me sharp, lets me get in touch with my inner preditor, stalking, stealth, the calm i feel settle over me as the animal is framed in my scope and my trigger finger starts to slowly squeeze.

3. i like to sit and close my eyes, listen to the wind in the grass and the trees, wearing down the wall i put up to keep the world out when in civilization. I listen for any signs of life that will lead me to my prey.

4. i like bringing home meat for my family. i work hard to make the cash for groceries, so we can always pick up food we need. however the feeling i get from killing my own food and bringing back to my wife and kids.... well, i almost feel like some prehistoric ancestor, 20,000 years ago is looking back at me and smiling, waving, a job well done.

5. i can pass this knowledge and these skills down to my sons, so that they too may feel a part of nature, can feel the pride of being able to feed their families, of knowing there prey and appreciating its role in nature.

Thanks for the chance to post this. -Eric

[deciple-of-keith]

Quite simply ! It's a source of income to me & has been my sole source of income for many years with the exception of about 12mths! It is something I do well & It's my Craft /Trade .

Dave

[H&Hhunter]

Quite simply ! It's a source of income to me & has been my sole source of income for many years with the exception of about 12mths! It is something I do well & It's my Craft /Trade .

Dave


Spoken like a true dreamy eyed romantic.:D

[elkhunter]

Well looking back at my success rate the past couple of years it's obviously not for the meat or trophy.......

It's getting out in the backcountry and spending an entire day/week thinking about nothing else other than where to hunt, what route to take, and how awesome just being out there is.

Other than that you pretty much hit the nail on the head H&H.

[22-rimfire]

I really like the feeling of anticipation that goes with hunting as the sun begins to rise and the woods begins to lighten up. The world wakes up and starts it's daily survival quest. The silence of a fresh snowfall is inspiring. Hunting keeps me in touch with my CORE and the things that I loved and believed important as a kid.

[dakotasin]

the sunrise on a crisp morning over a butte on my right, reflecting off the ice on the river to my left.

the whistle ducks wings make when they buzz over in the pre-dawn darkness.

a soaked to the bone black lab w/ frost on the tips of his hair w/ a focused, burning stare on the incoming flock.

the utter silence, and solace that can only be found on sub-zero days w/ a rifle.

the cautious steps of a buck coming out in the open.

the stot of mule deer, the speed of antelope.

the instant, absolute adrenaline dump a cock pheasant causes when kicked up unwittingly.

purposeful, methodical steps of an unseen deer.

picking out a glint of bone through a spotting scope at 3 miles.

the stalk... the stalk is the greatest part. planning, executing, and setting up a close shot on a critter who has no idea you are there.

utter exhaustion at day's end, leaning against the carcass of a deer, watching the sun go down - and knowing it is 2 miles to the nearest road, and the pack out will be several hours - but that's ok because it is the ultimate nightcap.

first in, last out. 3:30 a.m. alarms. terrible coffee. fog-proofing binoculars. terse whispers. plans, expectations, hopes. scouting reports. coveralls on top of 18 layers of clothes and 1 million gram thinsulate boots.

crack!-pow. <--- doubt i'll ever get tired of that one!

[30-06 lover]

My favorite things about hunting are

Solitude. It is so nice to be outside the "real world" in a gigantic wilderness and being able to realize how small you really are and how little the "problems" you have are really.

I always did like to see animals too. There is just something about a deer bedded down in the forest that is really neat. It is alert, yet at rest. Greatly camouflaged, but still visible. I don't know... probably silly, but I think it is really cool.

It is great to sit around a campfire with friends having a beer, smelling the burning wood, and talking about what you saw, where you saw it, and what you plan to do tomorrow.

I love being a "predator with feelings". A coyotes sees a rabbit and out of instinct wants to eat. Humans have sensations when they stalk and kill. I get excited when I hunt, and when the kill is over there is satisfaction and a touch of sadness...all of which remind me that I am a human.

I like "becoming the forest". I once was hunting with a friend and we decided to split up , but still be within 200 yards of each other. I sat down on once side of a hill, he was on the other. He got board and came over to where I said I would be. When I saw him, I noticed he was heading straight for me. I thought "Man, I must stick out like a sore thumb!". Well he came walking up to me and when he was about 3 feet away I asked if he saw anything. He jumped about 4 feet in the and and yelled. It is awesome being able to hone your skills to the point that you can become something in the wild.

The best thing about hunting is the memories. I cannot tell you how much money I had in the bank 4 years ago, what I got for Christmas two years ago, or how many times I have gone to work, but what I can tell you is the exact conditions of the day I shot my first buck, the exact location of the kill, the terrain I was in, the way the deer was standing when I pulled the trigger, what direction he was facing, the way his fur look in the scope when I pulled the trigger, and most important;y, who I was with. You can't buy that stuff and it is something that no one can ever take away

Hunting is truly a beautiful experience.
-Mike

[PCGS65]

The outdoors away from the rat race that's full of people with spite and resentment. The peace and quiet with nature.:) ;) :p

[H&Hhunter]

The best thing about hunting is the memories. I cannot tell you how much money I had in the bank 4 years ago, what I got for Christmas two years ago, or how many times I have gone to work, but what I can tell you is the exact conditions of the day I shot my first buck, the exact location of the kill, the terrain I was in, the way the deer was standing when I pulled the trigger, what direction he was facing, the way his fur look in the scope when I pulled the trigger, and most important;y, who I was with. You can't buy that stuff and it is something that no one can ever take away

Hunting is truly a beautiful experience.


Mike,

Well said and I am exactley the same. I can vividly remember every stalk and every kill I've ever made. I also remeber every detail of every hunt I've ever been on whether a kill was made or not.

[Smoke Rizen]

My most vivid memory happened just two years ago. I had hunted the morning and retuned to the horses to have lunch. I sat about 20 yards from the horses and thought what a great picture it would make. My saddle horse,and pack animal tied in the clearing with all the Aspens gold,and the Rockies in the backround. Then the wind came up the canyon and in 2 minutes time every leaf on every Aspen tree came down. It was like standing in a golden snowfall, I could barely see the horses through the leaves. And of course my camera was in the saddle bag. But I'll never forget the moment, and that type of experience is what makes me keep going out.
Of course the hunting was noisy the rest of the day. Like walking on a forest of potato chips!

[rbernie]

Y'all covered the up-front benefits, so I'll mention the back-end of it all; being able to have my preschool age kids pick their dinner and appreciate where it came from....

"I want the Russian boar!"
'No! Daddy, please - I want the venison burritos!".....

[Terrierman]

All that. But lately, it is going out with my daughter, her husband (who is a great guy) and grandsons more than anything else.

And if it's not with them and not with my dogs, why it hardly seems right somehow.

[Mannlicher]

well, I dont get over to Africa so often, but hunting in North Florida, the things that keep me coming back are much the same.

smells of the woods, the damp earth, or the fresh pine scent

seeing nature's secrets, like how a banana spider spins it's web, or where those squirrels hide their acorns

Hearing the rain on the leaves, the thunder rolling in, the sound that a small brook makes as it winds it's way through the limestone shallows

the excitement of hearing a twig snap, and seeing deer ghosting through the palmettos and pines

flushing a mess of hogs out of a wallow, and taking that first shot

the smell of gunpowder, Hoppes #9

fellowship with my son, and my friends before, during, and after the hunt

The taste of Venison and wild hog, smoked, grilled, broiled, baked,........well you get the picture :)

[Preacherman]

Hunger.

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

Every time I go hunting, I learn something new.
Every time I go, I see and experience something different.
Since my son hunts now, Every time I go, I get to teach something new.
Every time I go, I look forward to the day that my youngest son will accompany us.
Every time I go, I look forward to the commaradary of friends and family in the field and around the camp fire.
The flow of the spirits. The odor of steaks on the plate. Beans in a pot. Fresh Grouse in a pan of pasta. Telling and hearing the events of the day from other hunters in camp. Oatmeal at 4:am. Watching Eagles fly at sunrise. Witnessing the forest 'wake-up'. Watching it go to rest. When I'm in the back woods, knowing that at any time, I might not be at the top of the food-chain. Trying to figure out how to cross a rushing creek without getting too wet. The grin on my face as I look back at the creek having done so. The view 'from' the peak that I'd been looking up at for the last three hours. The first sighting of intended game. The chase. The stalk. The sighting. The squeeze of the trigger. The respect I give the animal. The respect I give mother Earth. The bounty she provides.

These are just a few of the reasons I go back into the woods.

-Steve

[critter]

Not to be too sappy, but this is an absolutely beautiful thread!

[f4t9r]

love the outdoors and friends

[sm]

Memories:

People: From a little kids first hunt, to a great grandpa's last.

Dogs: From a pup's first outing to a great dog's last.

Shotguns : Words cannot express -

Conveyances: Crop Dusters, private planes, Tractors, Mule drawn wagons, horses,canoes, jonboats, inner-tubes, Limo's, A "wife's car" , a "teenager's car" Church Vans, Old trucks,... and sleds.

Food: From Home cooked, small town diners, truck stops, Do-Nut Shops, gas stations, vending machines, campfires, cooking out...and that can of vienna sausages from back in '72...

I miss the quail terribly so.

Nothing like the person hunting quail for the first time..easing along..of a sudden the Earth EXPLODES !!.

After all the stepping and fetching, cursing, laughter, seeing that small Quail fly away without a shot being fired...

You mean you are supposed to shoot that thing with pee running down your pants leg?



We humans are still cracking up, Dog(s) say it all by turning around and looking at the new hunter:

You missed.
In fact you didn't even fire a shot.
Futhermore you never got to the part of shouldering your gun ...sniff...sniff...urine...you new at this ain't cha.

:D

[Matt King]

I just love to be in the great outdoor's enjoying mother nature in her fullest.Hunting and fishing allow be to do that, with the added thrill of the hunt and the catch. What :cuss: PETA doesn't understand, is that hunter's and fisher's appericiate nature more than any :cuss: :cuss: PETA nutcase, by taking from mother nature what she has to offer, and giving back what she needs.

[Lennyjoe]

Watching the day come to life while in a tree stand. Bugs, birds, squirrels and such waking up and starting the day off.

Sunrise in the foothill of the Arizona desert.

Sunset in the same foothills.

A day away from the filth of city life

Sharing the thrill of a hunt with a close friend.

Sharing stories years later of past hunts with friends from long ago

Venison backstraps on the grill cooked medium rare.

I could go on and on. :D

[duckjihad]

That feeling of anticipation as the sun comes, knowing you're in a good spot and the prey doesn't suspect you're there.

That Smell of the woods, that's still in your hunting coat back at the truck.

That sense that you overcame an animal who was better prepared to detect you in its environment than you were to find it.

The instant gratification as your firearm splits the silence, your shoulder heads rearward with recoil and the bird folds up in flight.

That sense of satisfaction as the dog you trained retruns with the bird you shot well. (Got a kid now, I'm guessing seeing the dog come back with the bird she shot well must be as good as it gets).

That realization that no one but you and the other hunters ever fully appreciate what God gave us as the Sun comes up full red over a flooded marsh.

[danurve]

Tons of things, like outdoors experiences;
Such as just the other day Turkey hunting with my son, his first year out. I was maybe 5 yards behind him doing some calls. Just after sunup some whitetails poped out of the woods 50-60 yards up along the side of the woods (11 o`clock). Two of them were curious enough to check out the deeks, one got 10 yards out. He kept his cool and didn't move.

[Matt G]

Some of my most wonderful memories of hunting come from The Golden Hour:

Moving around the edge of a clearing, stopping just in treeline, and knowing --knowing-- that this was the Time. That there was a deer just... about... to step into the open. Watching, watching, and feeling a new excitement, and knowing even without any sound, sight, or smell to prove it, knowing that the game has arrived. Smiling when the deer steps out, and saying "There you are!" as one would to a date that has arrived late.

Having dove fly in on suicide course at eye level to roost in the trees you're standing in front of, minutes before the end of legal shooting light, laughing with your good friend because you've each got two down and don't dare look up until you've retrieved those, even while the cooing and wingbeats are mere feet above your heads and hot guns.

Seeing the doe in the clearing, and scanning the treeline looking for... and finding! the large buck watching her from what he thinks is good cover.

Noting the suddenly heightened senses you have when the breeze is to your face, the sun is low and to your back, and the golds are more distinct and brilliant than you had ever seen them. Movements are clearer, sight pictures better, and the flights of birds have more meaning.


But Greg, the last good hunts that I went on, the most important part to me was the exchange. I had a great time out and about, but it was how we talked at campfire that hit home, lately. Of course, a LOT of that has to do with who I go hunting with. :) I'd rather hunt public lands on opening day with bad chances and good friends, than to hunt private game preserves with unworthy strangers.

[killzone]

This thread was one of the best ones I have read so far.

I love hunting because it makes me feel alive. It is like a reflex that we all born with. Why not use it. That is how I look at it.

[Volkolak]

I'd love to have a go at hunting. Sounds like something I'd really enjoy.

[KINGMAX]

I feel as if hunting is a personal sport. You make the decision to take it, or let it go by to be hunted another day. Every trip out is different, no two hunts are the same. Every hour I savor, placing them into my memory to be recalled and shared w/ other hunters, talking a language that only another real hunter would understand and appreciate. :D

Take care of our land - Leave it better than you found it. :scrutiny:

Take a girl hunting, she will love you for it !!!!!!!! :)

[Roadkill]

Gives me a chance to justify all the money I've spent on guns and such.

rk

[bearmgc]

Volkolak, just try it... upland game, walking the hills, steam rising from the earth and creek on a cool morning, all the scents of the forest.
Everything that's been said and more.

[Volkolak]

No can do. It's illegal over here.

[Big Larry]

The day waking up. Listening for the first bird to chirp in the morning. Clear crisp morning, a buck easing down the side of a draw. Seeing his breath in two snorts from his nostrils. Spending time with my son when he was young, sitting in the stand, wrapped up in a quilt, waiting on me to wake him up and tell him, "there's a deer". Spending time with him now, when it's just me and him at deer camp, sitting around the campfire, laughing and talking about how many hunts we've been on. Remembering good hunters we've hunted with, and a few bad ones.

This past year, I let 4 nice 8 pointers walk, a young 6 and 2 forkhorns, and a mess of does, cause I'm selective now. Two of the 8's I was able to get within 30 paces of them, and they never knew I was there. One of the does, I had less than 18 paces from me. I was sitting on my 4 wheeler, and we just stared at each other. She was bobbing and weaving her head, trying to get me to move, she kept trying to wind me, but it was in my favor. Seeing that my skills have improved over the years.

Seeing elk moving down the mountain in Norwood, before a snowfall. Finding a fresh elk trail by the odor as they passed.

Campfires, whiskey, good friends, family. Life don't get no gooder.

[H&Hhunter]

Volkolak,

No can do. It's illegal over here.


Where is over here?

[Karbon]

Any excuse to grab the dog, my gun and soon my son (11 more years) to spend time with my father, enough for me...

Plus Nothing beats watching cupped wings coasting into your decoys at dawn.

[Volkolak]

"Where is over here?"

Ah, merry old England. :cuss:

[bearmgc]

Aawh, man, Bummer. Sure looked like the Amesbury area by Stonehenge woulda been great for upland game....what a waste of land, except for Stonehenge.

[Matt G]

I had understood that there was still some bird hunting and stag hunting in England?
Example: http://www.countrysports.co.uk/sheets/map.htm

I know that Scotland still has some...

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

You can still enjoy most of what we're talking about. You may not be able to hunt, but getting into the great outdoors is 80% of the passion to go back. I know there are hills to climb out your way. There's got to be peaks and rivers and valleys not traversed recent days as generations of clansmen did ages ago. (No, not southern state clansmen, he knows what clans I'm talking about)

I know there are forests. I know there are sea shores to explore. If you can't hunt, Go Fish. Get out of the city, with it's busses, snarled traffic, Bobbie's, (isn't that what you call cops?), subways, the tele. Take a girl friend. Take a good friend. Take a child. Learn together.

There's a great world out there. You just have to put a mind to it and explore it.

-Steve

(Else, you could imigrate to the new world, like most of our forefathers did. Come, enjoy the west. It'd be nice to have another 'english speaking' imigrant set foot on American soil instead of another illegal coming from the south.. Don't get me started now..)

[rlt7272]

Hunting has been a family tradition for years. When I am out at first light, when everything looks like a deer, I feel connected to my grandpa and great grandpa who have long since past but I know are right there with me. I also enjoy every second of the time that I get to spend with my dad and I dread the day that he cannot go. I am now ready to pass this experience along to my children. I hope that they will also have this same connection.

Watching two young deer playing in a field like puppies because they have no idea you are around, being out in your stand earlyand being able to hear the birds get up and great the morning, sitting in a ground blind drining hot chocolate with your 9 year old daughter know full good and well that you will never see a deer but not caring, laughing at a buddies missed shot and celebrating with him on his buck of a lifetime, these are some of the things that also keep the 3 week of November circled on my calendar.

My only regret is the years I wasted on selfish pursuits. That time could have been spent with family hunting or fishing, or just being together.

I feel sad for those who have never had the opportunity to hunt or be in the outdoors, I cannot imagine a life without these activities.

[KIMBER45TLE]

Hunting is a skill when done right. Months before the season you begin scouting territory, you learn to see the difference from one track to another. Was that a doe track, was it a buck track? Each and every year you under take hunting you learn something new. You learn that game will change patterns according to food, water, cover, and activity levels. You read books about it, you read magazine articles about it you apply it to where you are and learn from it. You learn to read trails, you look for scrapes, rubs, bedding areas, dens, what ever it is you are hunting. You then place your stand where you think your best chance is, or where you can best conceal yourself on the ground. You read the prevailing winds for the time of year you're in.

In the preseason in conjunction with the above, you're making trips to the range checking your sights, loads, and target practice. Depending on where you're going, you check your tent, sleeping bag, blaze orange if required, and other equipment you might need. You shop at Gander Mt., Cabella's, Bass Pro, or what ever venue you choose. You make arrangements for hunting licenses's where you're going, tags, permits etc.

The day arrives and there you are in the woods, still dark, freezing your back side off, wondering if it has all been worth it, when that 10 point buck walks into view. You don't see all of him at first, maybe just a leg or tail movement, or maybe you see horns glissen in the sun light. Your heart starts pumping adrenilin into your system, you worry you may not be able to stop shaking long enough to take the shot, or the deer might hear your heart thumping ninety miles an hour. It's pounding in your head for sure.

You try to settle your nerves and ease you weapon into a good steady shooting position. You try to remember what all the experts have said. "Don't look directly at them, they'll feel your eyes on them." All sorts of things will start playing mind games with you. "Did I chamber a round once I got settled in, how far is it, is he/she going stop, and you ease into position." Cross hairs line up on that small place on the shoulder, the safety clicks off, and you begin adding pressure on the trigger. Recoil belts you in the shoulder momentarily taking your eyes off the game. You recover, looking through your scope, you see nothing, you look more and you begin to wonder, "Did I miss?"

Your heart is beating so hard and fast you begin to think is Iron Butterfly playing Ina Gadda Da Vita just two stands away from you. Your eyes squint, then you see it. It might be just a last twitch of the tail, the white under belly of your deer, or a horn glissen in the sun light but you know he's down and he's yours. You climb down, and begin your trec out to "your" deer. When you get just so close you check to make sure he's down. You throw twigs, then closer, then a muzzle poke and you realize he's down and out for the count. He's your's, in the bag and you are finally on the last stanza of Ina Gadda Da Vita. You squat down beside him, grasp his horns and amaze yourself at his size and stature. Some men thump their chest right now, some bow their heads in prayer, some stroke the animal in wonder.

Now the work begins, dragging out, loading on a 4 wheeler, back to camp, skinning, quartering out, and finally cutting up for an ice chest. You'll tell the story ten times at least around the camp fire that night and have the bragging rights for days to come until one larger is taken. If you recovered the bullet, it will mean more to you than your 5 year service pin at work. Each time you go to make venison chili, or cook what ever meal you cook using his meat the entire hunt will come back to you.

Why do I hunt?

ACTS 10:13 from your Bible

[lawson]

What keeps me hunting?

arizona sunsets. i don't think they get any more beautiful than the ones we get here.

calling 'yotes at dusk after a long days hunt

carrying a 70 lb javelina on my shoulder 8 miles back to camp. there's no more satisfyng chore (it's been several years since i've been drawn for deer, so i take what i can get :D )

learning from guys who have been hunting for twice as long as i've been alive.

sitting down at camp after a long day in the brush, only to see a huge flock of quail fly directly overhead when your shotgun is in the truck, especially when you haven't seen a single bird all day. you can't help but laugh. i also can't help but wonder how quail know to land in the thickest thornbushes the Sonoran desert has to offer.

standing around a campfire telling dirty jokes and sharing funny stories, we've heard them all a million times, but we still laugh like it's the first time.

and finally, the feeling you get when you take off your boots and crawl into a nice warm sleeping bag, and waking up to the smell of coffee.

[Atticus]

Mike nailed it. I never really thought about it that way...but it is definately true. Everytime I look at the mount on the wall of my first deer, it seems like yesterday. I can smell the smells of fall, and feel the first hint of chill in the air. It gives me chills.
That's one of the reasons I love bow season here in Ohio. There's something magical about walking back to the truck along a freshly cut corn field, with a big ol harvest moon hanging low in the sky. It reminds you of what is right with the world and how things should be.

[Hokkmike]

I live in a county which triples its population during deer season. Sadly, over the years, I have seen a real decline in the number of hunters, especially youth, who take to the field. The appeal of hunting to me is manifold.

1. The friendship of hunting buddies and family. Meals, stories, somparing equipment, ideas, etc. Going to local gunstores together.

2. The appreciation of nature. Sitting in the woods all day is very calming.

3. The thrill of the hunt. An appreciation for the value and difficulty of the game. (thank you wiley whitetail)

4. The planning, strategy, tactics, and things that go well.

5. I enjoy the quality and technology of my hunting rifles. They are good tools.

6. I eat what I get, so food too!

7. A sense of accomplishment!

[Pax Jordana]

These are all really nice replies. Some strike me as more relevant (to my experience) than others.

Dad is an old leathery technician from the days when cash registers had gears in them. He grows his beard out, now completely white, for every season.

Brother is a techie who lives on his coffee. Found himself a girl that mom doesn't ever quite approve of because she thinks she's catholic (she's wiccan!). He drives a sports car and thinks body piercing is about as cool as it gets.

I myself am an aspiring nurse, currently knee-deep in the aged and generally crazy. I love my rock music and shave my hair off closer than most guys can manage with their faces. I pump too much iron and will consider anything female that walks by.

Yet every season, out come the old boots and the flannel-lined jeans, the blaze orange stocking caps, the Woolrich-plaid jackets, and a trio of springfield 03A3's, or two marlins and a winchester 94 (brother's a leftie). These things are, with very few exceptions, artifacts from Grandfather, who passed from this earth two months before my first hunting season. Standing together in the raiment and arms of our forefathers, we are for a few days each year men equal and alike. Once we leave the beaten path, there is a certain unity that sets in: weighty glances are exchanged, eyes scan fore and aft. We lead and follow, we flank and turn and advance.

Hours later, we emerge from the woods with hardly a word spoken, perhaps frozen half to death or sweating from the effort -- admittedly, Pennsylvanian winters have been iffy this past half decade or so -- and retire to a favorite local restaurant for honest-to-god birch beer and roast beef so heavy it's hard to keep awake for the drive home.

Another wonderful thing about hunting, and my continual reassurance that it is A Good Thing, is how out-of-place I feel for those first few hours home in the suburbs, just within the limit of the glow that emanates forth from The City. It's good to remember, and be very proud, of never feeling quite like I fit in perfectly in a civilized world, and I hold on to that feeling as long as I can.

[Tiber]

Yep, I'm the geek (did the AR15 thread tip anyone off?) driving the sports-car (MR2 turbo) who thinks body piercing is cool (left to your imagination)...

I go out to hunt for the same reason I go out to geocache, it gets me back into nature and lets me see how the world is doing. Unlike geocaching, hunting is about the animals and less about the plants and trees.

It also is a chance to bring something new to the dinnertable and the guys at the office absolutely freak out when the server has a squirrel tail hanging out of it...