Going on a hunting walk
Going on a hunting walk
By Allan Olson 11.17.10 CLT
It seems that all I’ve done this year during hunting season is walk. I walk to the deer stand, walk to track deer when another hunter’s aim hasn’t been true ... by the end of the day I’m tired from all the walking.
Last weekend I came in from walking and I asked my oldest daughter Abigail if she wanted to go on a “Hunting Walk,” with me.
Of course the answer was “yes” – a very enthusiastic “yes.”
“I’m going hunting with daddy,” she said.
So I started getting her stuff together. I found her boots, gloves, snowpants and hat. Everything needed to keep her little body warm.
“This is my rainbow hat,” she said after I put her winter hat on her little head. I then proceeded to cover her outdoor clothes with a three-sizes-too-big orange jacket and covered her rainbow hat with an orange hat.
On the way down the deck ramp of my parent’s house, she grabbed an empty five quart ice cream pail to bring with her.
As we walked across the yard she was swinging the bucket and holding my hand and she was all set for her hunting walk.
A little ways down the road we turned down the firebreak lane and then she started asking questions.
“Why are those tires there?” Abigail questioned.
“Because that’s where Grandpa put them,” I replied.
That answer seemed to satisfy her, so I continued to use it when she asked about other items that my dad had left back near the woods from his farming days.
Soon she started singing, “going on a hunting walk, going on a hunting walk, hunting walk.”
I just laughed to myself.
A few steps later, she said, “My legs hurt.”
“Too bad,” I said.
After a few more steps, it was, “I’m cold.”
“Oh, well,” I replied.
Obviously she wasn’t very cold and her legs didn’t hurt too badly because she never mentioned either of those factors again during the next 30 minutes of our walk.
As we left the firebreak and turned onto a logging trail in the woods, she asked, “Why are we going into the woods?”
“Well, I’m hoping daddy will see a deer to shoot,” I told her. I really didn’t think we would but it I wanted her to believe that.
“Is it okay if daddy shoots a deer?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she said. “Can I shoot a deer with you?”
“No,” I said. “This gun is a little too big for you.”
As the walk continued, she began to collect grasses and leaves. “These are for mommy,” she said, picking stuff off the ground.
I was just glad she wasn’t picking rocks or twigs because I wasn’t sure I could carry the bucket, hold her hand and carry my rifle all at the same time.
In all, we were gone less than an hour, and I had a great time taking her on a “hunting walk.”
We saw no deer, but like I said I really didn’t expect to. As one Cass Lake mom and grandma recently said to me when we were discussing kids and grandkids, “It’s not always the quantity of time, but the quality of time.”
For me that was great quality time. On that walk I spent one-on-one time with my four-year old daughter, doing things I enjoy – hunting and spending time with my children.
As for my hunting party, collectively we’ve done well. Personally, I’m still waiting to see something other than a fawn.
Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great week. We appreciate your comments and feedback so feel free to drop us a line at cltimes1@arvig.net.
By Allan Olson 11.17.10 CLT
It seems that all I’ve done this year during hunting season is walk. I walk to the deer stand, walk to track deer when another hunter’s aim hasn’t been true ... by the end of the day I’m tired from all the walking.
Last weekend I came in from walking and I asked my oldest daughter Abigail if she wanted to go on a “Hunting Walk,” with me.
Of course the answer was “yes” – a very enthusiastic “yes.”
“I’m going hunting with daddy,” she said.
So I started getting her stuff together. I found her boots, gloves, snowpants and hat. Everything needed to keep her little body warm.
“This is my rainbow hat,” she said after I put her winter hat on her little head. I then proceeded to cover her outdoor clothes with a three-sizes-too-big orange jacket and covered her rainbow hat with an orange hat.
On the way down the deck ramp of my parent’s house, she grabbed an empty five quart ice cream pail to bring with her.
As we walked across the yard she was swinging the bucket and holding my hand and she was all set for her hunting walk.
A little ways down the road we turned down the firebreak lane and then she started asking questions.
“Why are those tires there?” Abigail questioned.
“Because that’s where Grandpa put them,” I replied.
That answer seemed to satisfy her, so I continued to use it when she asked about other items that my dad had left back near the woods from his farming days.
Soon she started singing, “going on a hunting walk, going on a hunting walk, hunting walk.”
I just laughed to myself.
A few steps later, she said, “My legs hurt.”
“Too bad,” I said.
After a few more steps, it was, “I’m cold.”
“Oh, well,” I replied.
Obviously she wasn’t very cold and her legs didn’t hurt too badly because she never mentioned either of those factors again during the next 30 minutes of our walk.
As we left the firebreak and turned onto a logging trail in the woods, she asked, “Why are we going into the woods?”
“Well, I’m hoping daddy will see a deer to shoot,” I told her. I really didn’t think we would but it I wanted her to believe that.
“Is it okay if daddy shoots a deer?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she said. “Can I shoot a deer with you?”
“No,” I said. “This gun is a little too big for you.”
As the walk continued, she began to collect grasses and leaves. “These are for mommy,” she said, picking stuff off the ground.
I was just glad she wasn’t picking rocks or twigs because I wasn’t sure I could carry the bucket, hold her hand and carry my rifle all at the same time.
In all, we were gone less than an hour, and I had a great time taking her on a “hunting walk.”
We saw no deer, but like I said I really didn’t expect to. As one Cass Lake mom and grandma recently said to me when we were discussing kids and grandkids, “It’s not always the quantity of time, but the quality of time.”
For me that was great quality time. On that walk I spent one-on-one time with my four-year old daughter, doing things I enjoy – hunting and spending time with my children.
As for my hunting party, collectively we’ve done well. Personally, I’m still waiting to see something other than a fawn.
Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great week. We appreciate your comments and feedback so feel free to drop us a line at cltimes1@arvig.net.
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