For as long as I can remember September has been hunting month. I went hunting with my dad for the first time when I was 6 years old and I've been every year since then. It's quite amazing to imagine that I've been hunting for over 20 years. It's a tradition that I look forward to every year and spend a good portion of the year preparing for. This year I was in better shape than previous years, I had purchased a new bow and was shooting accurately and I was ready for the season. I feel so lucky that this year I was able to take 3 different trips for a total of 18 days spent in the Colorado wilderness. Yes it's a lot of time but I wouldn't trade it for anything.
First things first...I didn't get anything. Certainly I'm disappointed when the season ends and I didn't get anything but I go hunting for so many more reasons. I love getting to spend time with my dad (in fact just about every hunting trip I've ever been on was with my dad.) I've learned so much from my dad and from my time hunting. Some kids play sports...I went hunting.
The chance to spend time disconnected from the world and more connected to myself is something I enjoy every year. We are so inundated with information that we forget to spend time in thought and prayer. We also are losing our ability to focus on just one thing, we try to multi-task (which I think is a myth.) Hunting gives me the chance to focus all of my energy on one thing. I have to be completely involved in what I'm doing, it needs all of my attention and all of my focus. Hiking up and down all day long, sometimes through snow and rain and sometimes in very hot temperatures. Using all of my senses to try and find elk. Hiking by myself in the dark trying to get back to the tent. Being mindful of your surroundings so that you don't get lost and mindful of your body so you don't get dehydrated.
Trying to decide what to do when we spot some elk. Go after them? Be patient? Be aggressive? Be quieter? Hike faster? Stop and drink some water? Or just keep going? All the while I'm completely focused on the task at hand. I'm not thinking about what to tweet or what's happening on facebook. I'm not thinking about the messages on my phone or the e-mails I've missed. That's what I love about hunting. Using all of my senses, all of my energy both physical and mental to keep hiking and keep hunting even when sometimes it seems futile.
Yes I've loved every single moment of those 18 days this year. And every single moment of the last 20 years. Heck I'm leaving tomorrow morning at 5:30 a.m. to setup our tree stands for deer hunting. And that's the great thing about hunting...there's always another season.
Here's a few of my favorite images from my 18 days of elk hunting...
This bear was about 30 yards away from us and couldn't have cared less about us being there.
The skies are pretty amazing when you're at 10,000 feet.
This was the moonrise over Eagle's Nest Wilderness.
My dad looking for some elk.
September in Colorado is so awesome.
We had to hunker down under a tree while it poured rain.
Later in the trip we had to hunker down under another tree while it snowed.
This was the last day of our trip on the hike out. Not a cloud in the sky.
