Off The Grid

It's not all about the kill... as a majority think it is. It's about what it took to get there... the gas, the food supply, the planning, the mood. Turkey hunting is about the hardest hunts I have ever done. That is the joy of it, though! Being with family, friends, and laughing about it in the long run. We almost killed a badger on our way home tonight... yes, road kill. With a vehicle. It isn't the gun that kills people. I had my gun locked and loaded to get that turkey... which never came. But, I still manged to safely unload at 12 gauge shotgun. Always, remember that. It is the safety you learned. YOU are always in control. Just as if you are in control of a knife when cooking dinner. There is something great being in the wilderness. The breeze when it met my face, hearing my dear friend make those turkey calls. Hunting is about building those relationships, that are held dear, deep in your heart.

Not ready for school to start tomorrow... It's been a month's break from endless deadlines, countless papers, & out-of-the-blue quizzes. I've fed giraffe's, rode on a sky lift, shot two rabbits, ate them, caught two fish, went hiking, & ran my butt off... Still day dreaming about what this year will bring with hunting. I already know what I'm putting in for, where I'm going to get it, & how I'm going to do it!  My goal this year=bull, deer, bear, & even more rabbits! This break has brought life back into me. I breathe, eat, dream, wish, hope, & work for being in the in the wilderness. Some people want roses for Valentines Day... I want the smell of the great outdoors, maybe a new gun, hiking, & living my life to climb that mountain! Success, for me, is to overcome my fears, hold those antlers in my hand, & feel accomplished for filling that freezer! 

If you have been hunting, shot your animal, and processed it yourself- I give those people props! It isn't just hard work and dedication... It brings a whole new perspective to the animal you killed. Seeing their meat, having it in your hands, getting dirty, putting it in a bag to go into the freezer to feed your family... It is an experience I will never forget. People often think buying from the grocery store, their meat is "easy" and it's accessible. Which, yes it is very accessible. You grab and go. But, to have to work hard on hunts, make sure you ethically shoot your animal, cut it up, process it- makes your feel 100%.  I wanted to go to the hot springs today with family. But, I didn't feel right to not cut up my own animal I took a life from. The smell, the taste on your tongue, the constant hand washing between cutting and bagging. My hands are raw. Like taking a long bath. Feeling like an old wrinkly lady. It took us 8 hours to process all the meat we ...

Nothing was awake. The air was crisp like a winter night, the birds weren’t chirping, the fog was near the water, and when we got on the four-wheeler our breath was crystal smoke. It was a good morning. Until, I was putting on my chap stick on and it fell out of my finger tips from a bump on the road. It was no longer chap stick. My husband offered over-and-over to go back and get it. I was so in tune to just get a buck. We hiked 3 miles in a basin where the skies were blue as a young boy’s room wall. It was like touching the clouds. My lungs felt heavy as we climbed further. We stopped to glass and there were 5 bucks chowing down on their usual. I had no fear of heights then. I stepped each foot grasping the mountain grass. Hoping I would get a shot at a once in a lifetime first deer. We sat down near willows about 180 yards from them. My husband insisted we ate breakfast. With our backs to each other- one facing towards the bucks, another facing a different basin. I s...