STEVE MERREN: The pressure of the hunt and the pressure of the hunt

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Steve Merren

The autumnal oranges of the fall foliage are really coming to life, and with them, you can hear the distinct dialect of whitetails rustling through the trees.

In my opinion, there is no better time to be in the woods, but that appreciation has been earned through countless hours of simply being there and watching in real time as the fall swallows the desert.

It is a common misconception that the forest is calm. I found that after the initial buzz of getting in has settled down, all hell can break loose at any moment. Between the squirrels fighting over acorns and the birds foraging for berries and insects, the supposed peace and quiet of the forest is little more than a myth. But from time to time within the rest of the noise there is the faintest sound of a twig snapping or a soft growl. In that moment, when you realize that a deer has approached, the sound of your own heartbeat can consume all the other sounds that are being produced.

Getting started hunting whitetails can be a serious undertaking, but it is easily one of the most rewarding tasks in life. Normally, it only takes one deer hunt for someone to fall in love with big game hunting, but sometimes achieving that first success is a difficult task in and of itself. Some hunters have a permanent place that even in the worst of circumstances can produce a harvest. Some hunters seek out the most remote areas for a different experience each year.

All hunters wait for the right opportunity to arise and deliver the satisfaction of a complete hunt. In any case, the motivation to be in the booth or in the woods has to be there and sometimes it is the pressure of success that drives the motivation.

I can remember my younger years and how much I wanted to see deer, let alone catch one. Days went by without a single sighting, and as I put pressure on the deer in the area to be there, I could feel the pressure of achieving my goal. As those days passed, I began to notice the small differences in the everyday processes of flora and fauna, and before long, I was as enamored with the wait for an opportunity as I was with the premise. of a success; all the while gaining the patience and dexterity that hunting on the trail requires.

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