December 7, 2011
Today's Photograph . . . . Mule Bucks in Velvet (NPS) |
Proverbs 22:6
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. (NIV)
Thoughts
When I was a very young boy, my father started taking me on hunting trips with him in the desert. First, it was on bird hunts. I was the retriever. Then, deer hunts.
My earliest recollections of deer hunting involved countless hours of driving around the desert on two-track roads and washes searching for deer tracks. Sometimes followed by countless hours of tracking ones that were fresh and looked like a large buck. My Dad would track a deer across the desert pavement as if it were a blanket of newly fallen snow. After a few miles, I would soon lose interest in this pursuit, become very weary of the hike, and wonder when we were going back to the Jeep.
Just when I'd least expect it, Dad would freeze and take a shot at a buck that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. This intrigued me, and I eventually started taking this tracking business a little more seriously. As I grew older, I learned the art of tracking from him and have utilized those skills to this day, whether I'm tracking a wounded elk in the forest or an elusive buck in the desert.
Never underestimate the importance of tracking in your bag of hunting tricks. It can give you great clues as to when and where animals are traveling, nearly as accurately as a game camera.
(Ruben C)Action Point
Tracking game animals is a learned skill, not something you're born with. Neither are our children born with Christianity.
First and foremost, we must set the example and teach them to walk as Jesus did. As in tracking, they are never too young to learn these things. When they are young is a great time to teach them about the importance that God places on wildlife. "And God said, 'Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.' And it was so," Geneis 1:24 (NIV).
Our appreciation for God's creation should not be limited to whether or not we are successful at a kill, but that He gives us the opportunity to simply experience the hunt.
Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
Learn to track without the benefit of a blood trail from a wounded animal. It will pay off dividends in the end. Also, learn not only to age tracks, but to attach a gender to them as well. Tracking an animal for hours, only to discover it's the wrong gender for your tag can be frustrating. But, still a learning experience for both you and your children. Regardless, they will love getting to see game up close. These days, most major sporting goods stores are full of books on tips for tracking. If you don't have the benefit of someone to teach you, take advantage of this resource.
