It’s that time of year again when you pull out your old .308 Browning and head for the camp to make sure, you’re still on mark. For us, we also use the time to tackle some last-minute chores and clean up any of the trails that we missed, ran out of time on, or have since been hit with a blowdown. It is debatably more looked forward to than the hunt itself. Debatably.
Like many of you, it has become a tradition. What Thanksgiving is to the Christmas season, so is the trip into camp with only the essentials, your favorite guns, friends, saw, and your go-to bullet of choice.
The wives say it’s an excuse to get off the hook. I guess if the trip was exclusively meant to make sure you were still shooting straight, then they’d be right. But there’s more to it than just keeping up. Don’t get me wrong, it’s important to maintain the camp and property, checking & moving stands, getting cameras up, and making sure the firewood is split, stacked, and ready to go. But deep down, we know the real purpose is to strengthen our bond with each other. It’s about being intentional about the time spent living in the moment, serving as caretakers of our heritage, and reflecting on all those “hard-earned, well-lived, spontaneous” memories.
I’m just like the next guy. When you cut the same hole with your first 3 shots, it isn’t “sighting in” as much as it is feeling the gun shoot and comparing your near-perfect round with your buddies’. But to fully experience the Hunt Camp, it takes a group effort. A laser focused effort to make sure this year’s hunt will be as good as the last. Passing on the traditions and honoring those who came before us.
This year, make the most of your time getting things situated. Slow down, breathe it in, and don’t forget about the reasons why you’re out there or who brought you up. If you’re lucky, you might even have the chance to use that same old axe to cut wood or rifle to sight in.
Long Live The Tradition.
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