- Outdoor columnist Ben Smith says after three years of going it alone during hunting season, he thinks he enjoys having people around even more.
Do you feel that? That hint of a cool breeze can only mean one thing…it’s deer season in Mississippi! Of course, technically it’s been deer season since October 1st, but this weekend kicks off the rifle season in our state. Since I’ve just about turned myself into the area’s best worst bow hunter, I’m welcoming the rifle season with open arms. And since I spent last year’s opening weekend on a beach at my sister’s wedding, this one has me incredibly excited for multiple reasons.
If you’ve been keeping score, you know that I’ve spent the last three deer seasons roughing it from the not so friendly confines of a tent. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t challenging. An aching body and a mostly empty belly made for some tough hunts throughout those seasons. There were plenty of times that I wanted to throw my hands up and give up, but there was just enough stubbornness in me to fuel my passion for deer hunting, no matter how tough it was.
On the other hand, there was a lot of good that came out of spending three entire seasons sleeping in a tent. I was able to prove to myself that I’m still young enough to be an idiot. I also probably got myself into a much better, and healthier, sleeping pattern since I was going to bed around 8:00 and waking up around 4:30 each morning. And contrary to the years before, I never missed a morning hunt. The thing about sleeping in sub-freezing temperatures is you are more than ready to get up moving in the morning to get yourself warm. I also became somewhat of a minimalist. I’m not saying that I had crappy gear, because I didn’t. But I definitely didn’t require the creature comforts that most of us become accustomed to. Not having television, the internet, electricity, or running water made me appreciate all of those things so much more when I’d return home. Not only that, but the omission of those items made me a better deer hunter. I was less distracted and more focused on whatever task was at hand.
So, if sleeping in a tent was so beneficial to my health and made me a better hunter, why in the world would I give that up this year? The answer is simple. Over the last year, I’ve gotten fat, soft, and lazy. Actually, it isn’t exactly that simple, although all of those things are accurate. It’s mostly the fact that the land that I’m hunting this year has a really cozy house on the property and I’d actually enjoy it if my kids came up and hunted more.
Of all of the things that I enjoyed about staying in a tent during deer season, it was the absolute silence that was the best and worst part. While I long for silence so often, sitting in complete silence at night was probably the most difficult thing. More than a few times, I’d catch myself wishing the girls were around. I missed their laughs, and even sometimes their whining, while I was alone in that tent. And I didn’t even really need them to want to hunt, I just needed their company.
And it wasn’t just me missing my family while I was alone in that tent, I missed hanging out with friends, too. Over the years I’d gotten used to deer camp life around other people. I enjoy solitude, but after three years of going it alone, I think I enjoy having people around even more. Some of my favorite memories of hunting season aren’t even about killing deer. They are more about a big meal that a bunch of us would cook, or some funny story that was born out of someone else’s misfortune at the camp. Those are the memories that stick out the most for me.
Another reason, and an obvious one, is that I’m slowing down a little. After having back surgery back in January, I’m a lot more cautious before I do things now. I don’t jump down from the back of the truck anymore, but slowly climb down while holding the sides. Recently I thought of a lot of the things that I’d do when alone in the woods and it kind of scared me. I never thought of what I would do if something bad were to happen and I was out there alone. I know how sissified that probably sounds to most of you, but I’m beginning to value my life and health a little more the older that I get.
And the last reason for the switch is I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hunt this property. I’ve hunted it several times over the years, but never exclusively. It’s a true outdoorsman’s paradise. It’s the type of place that there is always something to do. Chock full of deer, wild hogs, turkeys, alligators, and fishing opportunities, it’s everything that I’d ever want in a hunting property. I have no idea what kind of success I’ll have this year, but it definitely won’t be for lack of opportunity. I’m fired up just sitting here thinking about it!
In conclusion for the week, there are a few things to keep in mind entering the gun season opener. First and most important, make darn sure you know what you are aiming at before you pull the trigger. We are about to enter the greatest time of the year in Mississippi, but unfortunately for several families in our state, it will be the worst months of their lives due to someone’s negligence. Second, make sure to check all of your gear before you put it to use, especially if you plan to hunt from an elevated position. Third, pass on the tradition to a younger person. Like it, or not, they are the future and it’s our job to make sure they have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors like we have!
Ben Smith
