Glancing at my watch I realized I had five minutes of shooting light left. I sat in my tree stand as darkness started to surround me thinking “what the hell is going on.”
Twenty nine hours over two and a half days. That is how much time I spent bow hunting whitetails in Nebraska without seeing a deer. Let me clarify. I literally did not see a deer since harvesting the buck in my previous blog article.
Slumps are part of hunting, however I have never experienced anything like this. Put in the time during the rut and you will see deer. This has always been my philosophy and it has always held true. However, I walked back to the truck questioning my decision to spend the past thirteen hours in the same stand.
I pulled myself together and reflected on a quote from legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden “You can always look back and see where you might have done something differently, changed this or that. If you can learn something, fine, but never second-guess yourself. It’s a wasted effort.”
My bow hunting was going to be over for a while with the Nebraska rifle season starting in a couple of days. I contemplated my options. Take a couple of days off from hunting or head to Missouri for the rifle season opener. My buddy Tyler invited me to come hunt his farm. I had never hunted whitetails in another state. It never made sense paying for an out of state tag with a healthy whitetail population in Nebraska, but I felt like I needed a change of scenery.
The next night I broke the news to my girlfriend Stephanie. We were out at dinner and she asked if I was planning on hunting the upcoming weekend. I replied “Well I might go to Tyler’s.” An awkward silence fell about the table. Hunting season is tough on any relationship, and the thought of another weekend apart wasn’t ideal. However, she is a good sport and understood my decision.
So that Friday I purchased an out-of-state deer tag and headed to Missouri. That night Tyler and I strategized for the next day. He gave me directions to the stand I could hunt. Saturday morning I found the stand in the dark and sat with optimism that my luck would change. During the morning I saw two does in the distance and thought things were trending in the right direction.
Tyler connected with a nice whitetail midmorning and I went to help take care of it around 11:00 am. He broke his leg before hunting season and was still wearing a boot. After his deer was hung I went out for the afternoon hunt. A couple more does came through and I was enjoying the activity.
Sunday morning rut activity exploded with a buck chasing a hot doe. He pushed her into a grass patch I was watching. I was amazed of how fast they disappeared in the thick cover. I could hear the buck grunting less than 50 yards away, however I couldn’t even see him from my elevated position. By noon two 4x4’s had passed within 20 yards of my stand. However, I held off waiting for something bigger.
After the morning hunt I headed home. I was leaving for Florida on a business trip Tuesday and needed to get ready. I honestly thought my time hunting in Missouri was over.
The next weekend I started to get the itch. The season was still open and I still had a permit. Saturday afternoon I decided to head back to see if I could punch my tag. It was a long shot, but I have learned you can’t get anything from the couch.
Sunday morning was a bust. I didn’t see a deer. That afternoon I decided to go to an area of the property that hadn’t been hunted much. It wasn’t long and I heard the distinct sound of a deer running through leaves. I was still on the ground and saw a buck. I realized he was running right towards me. Free handing my rifle I found him in my scope. He stopped 40 yards away and the 300 Win Mag dropped him in his tracks. In a matter of seconds the action was over. I just shook my head and thought “Holy smokes, I can’t believe that just happened.” I had just killed a Missouri bruiser.
During my three hour drive home I reflected on my original questions from Does Size Matter? Part One. I had harvested a young 4x4 in Nebraska with a bow and a 150+ whitetail in Missouri with my rifle (his G1 and main beam were busted off on one side).
I am intrigued by the strong opinions regarding this question. Social media and hunting shows almost make you feel guilty for shooting anything younger than a 4 and ½ year old. There is truth behind the opinion that if you want to shoot mature deer you have to let the little ones walk. However, one deer did not bring me more satisfaction than the other and both provided meat to feed my family for another year. After serious consideration my answer is: do what makes you happy! Both hunts were fun, challenging, and taught me something about myself.
How Does This Apply to Business
When deciding on a lively hood I wanted it to have three qualities:
1. Make a good living
2. Engage in an occupation that truly helps people
3. Have fun
I believe the insurance industry accomplishes all three. As I get older I put more of emphasis on the third quality…having fun. Working isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but at the end of the day you have to ask yourself “Am I having fun?” If you are not passionate about job, find something that you are passionate about. Life is too short to not have fun.
The same holds true for hunting. If you are having fun (and following the law) don’t worry about the opinions of others. Do what makes you happy.
Until next time remember…You’re Going to Have to Earn It.