"Among the Lucky"

The Sunday side of weekend hunting trips are always the same. The hopes that rode south on a strong north wind and the first light prayer delivered by a friend have been burned into memory. Dirty hands, musty clothes and a man’s tired eyes serve as physical reminders of the time spent afield. The low pitched hum of truck tires serves as a stage for all of the “If I’s” and “What if’s” that every wingshooter contemplates on his silent journey home. While the total harvest may be the highest of importance to some, it is not to all. For a smaller group of wingshooters, the worries of not filling a bag limit have been replaced by spending time away from crowded streets and concrete walls and spending time among brothers. In reality, the pursuit of one’s passions without the fellowship, without the crowded rooms and without the shared experiences, has little to no value. Those of us who realize such are among the fortunate, among the lucky and among legendary company.

“A true sportsman hunts many other things besides game. He hunts the unfolding secrets of dawn, the wisdom of the woods and the message of the wind.” –Gordon MaCuarrie

“The sun rose and revealed a magnificent landscape. It teamed with game from the horizon and was a grand site. Indeed, it was to be a very good day.” –Ernest Hemingway

“In all my travels, nothing has made a hunt more enjoyable than the company of great friends and a warm fire.” –Theodore Roosevelt

“Hold dearly the traditions of the outdoors. For they not only preserve the past…they are inherited by the stewards of the future.” –Theodore Roosevelt

“Sometimes, hunting success is measured in limits , species and bands. More often than not, it measured by stories, friends and laughter.”