We’ve all seen them. The videos of that monster buck taken on public land.The pictures floating around social media of a duck hunt that looked absolutely perfect—limits filled, sunrise glowing behind the blind, everything unfolding exactly the way it’s supposed to. You watch enough of that and something happens. You get fired up.You tell yourself, […]
Unlearning What I Thought a Good Hunt Was Supposed to Feel Like Read More »
When I first started fishing on my own, I brought everything I owned. Two or three tackle boxes.Three or four rods.A fold-up wagon just to move it all. At the time, it felt like preparation.Like I was finally doing things the right way. I wasn’t missing anything.I wasn’t underprepared.I wasn’t going to get caught wishing
When Fishing Started Feeling Like Work Read More »
There’s a moment that happens after camp is technically ready. The tent is up.The gear is out.Nothing is wrong. And still, something feels unsettled. It often shows up as a low hum in the background. A sense that you forgot something. That you misjudged the site. That you should be doing something—even though there’s nothing
When the Setup Is Done but Your Mind Isn’t Read More »
I can’t speak for every hunter out there, but I know for me, some of my earliest hunts were unintentionally comical. I’d walk in before daylight, set up exactly how I thought I was supposed to, settle in, and wait. An hour would pass. Sometimes more. Nothing would move. Nothing would show. Not even a
The Day I Stopped Assuming I Picked the Worst Spot in the Woods Read More »
When I think back on my earliest years fishing, it almost feels chaotic. I’d tie on a lure, cast it out, wait a few seconds, feel nothing — and immediately change it. New lure. New cast. Same result. Over and over again. Eventually, I’d reach the same conclusion every time: There are no fish in
Learning to Fish Was Never the Problem — Interpretation Was. Read More »
My entire childhood outdoor experience was planned by adults. Trips were organized. Gear was packed. Campsites were chosen. I showed up, helped where I was told, and spent the rest of the time doing what kids do—exploring, fishing, wandering, and sleeping well at the end of the day. I didn’t realize how much of that
The First Time You Camp Alone Feels Nothing Like You Expect Read More »
There’s a common way hunting is talked about that has never quite sat right with me. It reduces the entire experience to a handful of moments — the shot, the harvest, the photo, the tag filled. Everything before and after those moments gets compressed into background noise, as if it only exists to support the
Hunting Is a Practice of Judgment, Not Moments of Action Read More »
I’ve never been able to accept the idea that you simply can’t catch a fish in an area. For me, that statement doesn’t feel like a conclusion — it feels like an invitation. A quiet challenge waiting to be answered. That doesn’t mean I stubbornly stand in one exact spot all day. It doesn’t mean
Learning When to Stay Put Instead of Moving On Read More »
There is a moment when you are new to camping that feels like walking a tightrope. It doesn’t happen while packing at home.It doesn’t happen during the drive. It happens when you arrive. You pull into the campground. The engine shuts off. Gravel crunches under the tires. Trees close in. Other campsites pass by—some fully
Arrival Chaos: Why the First 30 Minutes Decide the Entire Camping Trip Read More »
Hunting exists because it is built on respect. Respect for the land that holds the game.Respect for the wildlife itself.Respect for seasons, limits, and laws.And respect for the generations who will come after us. Without those things, hunting doesn’t just change — it disappears. Why Hunting Depends on Respect I was reminded of that truth
Respecting Land, Seasons, and Limits Read More »