RE: Why do you deer hunt?
I have to admit that when I was younger I hunted because it was the thing to do. When you grow up in a rural area, and you've been around it so long, it's not questioned. However, the older I've gotten, I began to question how ethical hunting really was. That all changed when God gave me the buck of a lifetime. I've respected hunting all of my life, but it was only three years ago that what I realized I was doing was very special. My dad had a chance during bow season for him, but the neighbor drove up in his Bronco and scared the deer away. Then, the neighbor harvested a buck in Southern Wisconsin (where he grew up) but needed to fill a doe tag where we hunt, and he saw the giant but his tag was already used. On Thanksgiving morning, around 9:00 I asked God to send me the big boy, and literally, a minute later...I saw him coming from the hillside. I was in a state of shock, and could not believe that it was him...and even stranger...I've never held a gun so still, so steady in my life. I still shake on does, but for some reason, that second, that minute...I was calmer like some unknown power was holding the gun for me. Knowing that God gave me that deer proved beyond a doubt how ethical hunting is, and I live my days on earth respecting everything about hunting and nature, and I've grown more aware of how incredibly fortunate I am to be able to enjoy it.