Hunting

[Capt. Jas.]

Experiencing the cool mornings and fall colors brings forth the drive in me every year. As I get older the feeling remains but more in reflection than in anticipation.

I found this 1735 quote and thought it very appropriate.


"Hunting indeed is a noble game and recreation, not only commendable for princes and great men, but gentlemen, and others too, there being nothing that does recreate the mind more, strengthen the limbs, whet the stomach, and chear up the spirits, so that it was merited the esteem of all ages and nations, how barbarous soever they might have been."

The Sportsman's Dictionary, or The Country Gentleman's Companion, 1735

 

[hoochiepapa]

I like that. Thanks.

 

[Skylinewatcher]

Enjoyed it. :applause: It has a huge subtitle.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Here's another excellent quote - slightly more recent.

A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.


Thomas Jefferson

 

[Skylinewatcher]

I'm right there with TJ. I have never taken to sports such as football etc. I was always a big guy and coaches were pretty rough on me because I wouldn't play. I hunted and fished before and after school school extracurricular activities simply got in the way of that. I received my physical didactics from the woods and water. The Army loves hunters so it helped me there also. I still get looked at weird when somebody asks me if I watched such and such game or who I planned to root for in a certain game. I always state I don't none follow it.

 

[hoochiepapa]

A man after my own heart, Sky!

 

[Skylinewatcher]

The way I wrote that paragraph it seems all of my time was spent hunting and fishing. :haha: :redface:

 

[hoochiepapa]

Iknow it sounds that way, but a lot of us spent much time doing just that. A girlfriend of mine tried to get me interested in track in high school, but I would rather be outside fishing and hunting. I didn't WANT to do anything else.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

Enticed by the popularity of football, I made first string pulling guard in junior varsity. All fun until the leaves started to change and the hunt was in the air. They could not understand why I would want to quit at that point. They probably never will. Told them I would be perfectly willing to give up my Thursday nights for the game but after school and Saturday practices were out of the question. :thumbsup:

 

[Amikee]

Probably my favorite quote of Henry David Thoreau:



"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

 

[SgtSchutzen]

That pretty much describes me too :thumbsup: Never had much use for team sports. Hunted, fished, and trapped instead. Then joined the Army infantry.
Hell,,I guess the Detroit Tigers are in the playoffs this year? It was news to me untill someone at work mentioned it the other day.

 

[hanshi]

I never played team sports either. Instead I spent nearly 50 years boxing and training in judo and other martial arts. Talk about violence on the body! I am something of a canvas showing (and feeling) the wear and tear of every punch and slam. Yes, the gun was always a time of relaxation and restoration of mind, body and spirit.

 

[Mattole]

Hah - I'm yet another fellow who wasn't born with the ball sports chromosome. I tried Little League for exactly two practice sessions but was so unimpressed with the process and so distracted by the plethora of bird life surrounding the ball field that I took off into the woods and was never seen on a sports field again.

Martial arts and shooting became my main focus in terms of the "manly arts', and hunting became the culmination of many of my interests and longings.

My only muzzleloader (a Lyman GPR) is in pieces as I rebuild and refinish metal and stock, so I am sad to report that it won't be joining me in pursuit of deer this season (which ends here this weekend!) - but I will be using it in December for wild pig hunting...

Good hunting to all.

 

[Cascade Pete]

Grew Up in Western Massachusetts. Lived on a 500 acre farm. Deer, Bear, Turkey all over the place. When I wasn't working on the farm, I was sneaking through the woods with a flintlock after whatever was in season or just loafing. Spent a career in Special Forces. Guess all that time in the woods shaped My adult life. Still nothing better than watching the sunrise to the east. Love the West Coast, as this is where L&C were heading and the big forests..Nothing better...