Perfect Time To Go Hunting
So when is the perfect time to go hunting? Obviously, your quarry dictates the parameters, a rifle season for elk or deer here in Colorado pretty much answers that question for you. But what about those longer seasons? Small game, turkey, and waterfowl - one thing I am loving as a new hunter with a family and typical household responsibilities is the flexibility these seasons offer in terms of scheduling hunting.
One thing I struggle with though is the perfectionism of getting started, especially with a new species or type of hunting. This is the first year I am trying turkey hunting and I am finding myself building up the reasons not to go out of intimidation. Maybe you can relate, thoughts like:
there are probably still “too many” hunters out right now;
this was a hard week at work, I should probably go hunting when I’m more rested;
the weather kind of sucks, maybe I should wait for it to pass.
But one thing I am already learning having hunted over the small game season, is that once I’m out there, I never regret it (barring one extremely cold morning out east hunting jackrabbits). And one skill for those of us in the thick of family life, work, and other responsibilities that can need developing is scheduling and accountability.
I found that by taking the time off work, working through my plan with my wife, and building it up in my mind, my second-guessing takes a back seat to the planning and excitement. And it seems like from everything I read about hunting, especially hunting solo as I do, you have to build up the tolerance for solitude.
During the small game season my hunts were typically within one to two hours from home and would last two to five hours. Itchiness to get back home started to creep in even when I had a lunch packed and no reason to rush back. Like my thoughts bubbling up on reasons why I shouldn’t go hunting, thoughts would start percolating like:
if I leave now I could be back for a late lunch;
I still have to complete x, y, or z chores before Monday, maybe I should get started;
and guilt creeping in because I am away from my family.
It’s tough, setting out alone to pursue something you love when it means leaving those you love behind. When you only have so many hours in a day, days in a week, etc. taking an entire day out for yourself, at least to me, can feel selfish. But if the passion is there I have to remind myself, and maybe you do too, that we’re better people when we get to express our desires. Especially when it’s in the great outdoors, and I have found slipping into the rhythm of the forest is cathartic in a way that’s hard to find elsewhere.