For those of you new to SmoothingIt.com, those that may have become followers because of my posts about parenting, fishing, camping, canoeing, or spending time in the backwoods, I owe you an explanation for what is about to happen on SmoothingIt.com. You see, something changes in me every fall. To most easily describe this transformation, let me provide you with a conversation between my wife and I when we first awoke yesterday.
Duncan: Woah! That dream was so intense.
Wife: What were you dreaming about?
Duncan: I don’t remember. I don’t know what anyone was saying or doing. All I can remember seeing or hearing were deer, and lots of them.
Wife: So, it wasn’t that different than hunting season.
What happens is that I become obsessed. I see deer beside the road. I see them in my backyard. I see them when I’m out hiking. Good grief, I even see them in my sleep.
I’m not sure when this obsession began. But I know that it is a prevalent part of my life. My wife just accepts that sometime in September she will lose a husband, only to find him again sometime after deer season.
With all of that being said, I’d like to point out a few things. Yes, I am a hunter. Occasionally, I do kill deer, squirrel, groundhogs, and such. However, I consider myself an ethical hunter (there will be a follow-up post on the ethics of hunting.) I consider myself a safe hunter. And I consider the game being taken. I don’t wastefully slaughter deer for a good time. I respect wildlife and understand their importance.
I enjoy watching deer and frequently spend half-an hour or so watching them from my back porch or through my windows and sliding-glass door. It seems that every evening, a doe and her two fawns visit our backyard and surrounding woods foraging for suitable food.
So as you visit SmoothingIt.com, receive emails from me, or see my posts in your Reader, understand that although I am an avid outdoorsman who fishes, camps, hikes, paddles, bikes, builds fires, and plays with all things woods related, for the next several months my brain becomes foggy and most all I can think about is deer hunting. Rest assured that my logic and life-balance does come back, usually around December January February.
In the near future, I’ll be providing quite a few hunting posts. Here is a partial list of ideas that will likely see the “publish” button:
- Firearms Safety
- Hunting Ethics
- Making a Ghillie Suit
- Applying Face Paint
- Scouting
- An Inexpensive Archery Target
- And More as the Season Approaches!
If you aren’t a hunter, hate the very thought of hunting, or are just tired of hearing about bow hunting (or my trying to learn to bow hunt), I promise that I’ll be back to my normal self… someday.
In between hunting posts, I have quite a few camping and backwoods trips coming up where I’ll be reviewing gear, providing a few “how-to’s” and detailing a few beautiful places in West Virginia.
Thanks for reading!
Duncan
SmoothingIt.com 
I too am blessed with a wife who understands that I like to be out in the forest during hunting season. Normally after I harvest a deer my time out their lessens. I am very much looking forward to being able to walk out my back door to hunt very soon. Our hunting season runs from Oct. 1 through Jan. 1 if you are willing to employ different methods of hunting. Good luck!
I’m counting down to our season start – September 28th. But as I’m sure you know, “hunting” season starts a lot earlier than that with scouting, checking gear, practice shooting, etc. My wife understands all of my crazy outdoor obsessions and has even embraced some of them as her own. She accepts bow hunting but by mid-October, I think that she is ready for it all to be over!
Reblogged this on The Best Hunt.
My husband talks about fishing all summer, but that is getting ready to change to hunting very soon. I don’t mind it, but I too will be ready for it to be over before it starts…lol! 😉
Fortunately for me, when I talk fishing, my wife gets excited about going on a river trip. But I don’t think I’ll be seeing her in pink camouflage in a treestand anytime soon. lol
Lol! I do like the river too!
I can’t wait!
It’s killing me! I was out scouting today and even just being out and sneaking around in the woods was a great time!
We have about two weeks till ours starts. I am so ready. See, I also hunt. But no pink camo.
Very nice! West Virginia’s bow hunting season doesn’t start until September 28th and the waiting is killing me.
Good luck Duncan,i wished we could bow hunt in the uk.
I hunt with terrier,lurcher,ferrets,guns and even sling shot.
That’s awesome! I’ve only followed along on a hunt with dogs but think it would be a lot of fun. I’d never even thought of hunting with ferrets but that sounds like a fantastic experience. I’ve never hunted with slingshot but sure shot one a lot when I was younger. In a perfect world where we were both rich, I could cross the pond to do some animal-assisted hunting with you then fly you over here for a bow hunt. lol. Thanks a lot for the best wishes, being a reader, and for the comment!
For the wife losing her husband it is a quite natural annual occurrence like the post office rain snow wind nothing can hinder it have a great hunting season
Very true. But unlike the USPS who probably dislike the rain, snow and wind, I like it pretty well for hunting – especially the snow.
Looking forward to your hunting-related posts!