Editors Corner

According to the Bible, tomorrow isn’t promised to us.

Relax, this is not a sermon. But it is a suggestion. Stop and take a common sense look at the rest of your life.

How long do we have? How much true “quality time” remains – times when you’re healthy enough and still have the ambition, ability and disposable income to do the things that really interest you? How many truly active hunting seasons are left on your ticket as you pass through this small slice of history?

Can’t answer that can you? Nobody can.

So doesn’t it make sense to make the most out of today? Certainly, working hard to provide for the future is something most of us have to do, but put it in perspective. How smart is it to work all the overtime you can get; to skimp and deprive yourself of things and leisure time now so that you’ll have plenty of money when you die?

I try to live for today. True, this attitude can be troubling to those around you, and it can be overdone – my wife says I sometimes treat life like a hobby. But I’ve lost too many buddies early in life. This is not to advocate forsaking your family or other life responsibilities for a hobby. Nobody preaches that. But I am suggesting a modicum of selfishness. Make some time for yourself and deal with it.

My Dad died at 51 when his foremost thoughts were of retired life a few years in the future. Here’s a guy who worked 35 years, served his country with valor (Bronze Star in combat) and provided well for his family and never got to reap the final rewards. Ironically, I got my attitude not only from his plight but also from his philosophy.

Even though he was a hard worker, he was also one of those guys who believed that while your job is a means to an end, it’s just a small part of life. Life doesn’t have to revolve around your job. You’re only here for a short time so enjoy it. If you’re only going to get one trip through the garden, be sure to smell the roses – don’t spend all your time raking the path.

I’m probably preaching to the choir here. Anyone reading this is a Field Tester for the Whitetail Institute and that alone qualifies you as someone who gives deer hunting—probably your leisure time passion—a high priority. You spend your time in the field. You spend your money on products and equipment.

But I’m willing to bet that you have a buddy or relative, probably more than one, who loves hunting as much as you do but doesn’t give it the same priority. If you’re anything like me, you worked a long time to get into this position, and now you’re enjoying it.

My wife understands better than most spouses what makes a man desert a warm bed for a windswept tree stand. She understand and accepts the fact that Thanksgiving dinner may have to wait, or even be served with one chair empty while I’m off in the woods.

She’s not hunter; doesn’t have the slightest interest until the venison is processed and wrapped. And sure, at times, she questions why I need another rifle or bow; why I want to go to Illinois to hunt deer when we have them right in our backyard—Why I spend so much time planting and tending deer habitat but ignore lawn and shrubs around the house.

But why does a man build a log cabin when pre-fab homes are available? Why does a man cut firewood when a gas furnace is simpler, cleaner and more economical? Why does a woman knit a sweater when stores offer goods of better quality and variety? Why do we eat venison when the supermarket has prime beef all cleaned, cut and wrapped?

No, my wife doesn’t necessarily like my ways, but she understands. It’s what I do; who I am. When I’m gone she’ll have a huge assortment of guns, bows, tree stands, camo, knives, reloading gear, etc. to dispose of. The majority of it will go to strangers.

But they’ll be getting well-used equipment.