When I pulled into the parking lot it was apparent a good turn out was in store and, upon entering the room, I was surprised to see several repeat attendees from last year. Mr.Deet James & Mr. Tom Padgett with the NCWRC did their thing and, as a volunteer for the Land of the Pines Branch of The QDMA, I did mine. We did the best we could to engage the participants and provide them with useful information that would get them one step closer to the deer woods for the first time or maybe one step closer to reinvigorating their drive to hunt.
At the end of the night, on my hour and twenty-minute ride home, I reflected on the stories I heard and the folks I heard them from; the questions I was asked and the answers I provided. I couldn’t help but feel very fortunate compared to some of the hunters in the room. It became even more clear that my hunting heritage had been handed to me on a silver platter by my friend Jody and his family – not everyone is blessed with such a mentor and friend or prime hunting grounds on which to chase their dreams.
In a world where the lines outside of the woods are so blurred and the troubles we face ever-increasing – hunting matters; mentorship matters. For me, the pursuit of the White-tailed Deer and all that it provides is part of the anchor that keeps me grounded; part of the oar that stirs my soul. For me, Hunting Matters.
If you find yourself with the opportunity to attend one of the many hunting related seminars being offered – don’t pass it up. They’re as much about connecting hunters with hunters as they are about providing information. As a mentor, the positive impact you stand to make in the life of another is life-changing for you too. Your selflessness won’t go un-noticed or unrewarded. To someone you haven’t yet met – Hunting Matters. To someone you haven’t yet taken into the deer woods – Hunting Matters. To the homeless man headed to the soup kitchen – Hunting Matters….