ADAPT AND HAVE FAITH

This time of year, deer hunting consumes most of my thoughts. I think about it at work, at home, and most of my dreams are about deer hunting as well.

I was 16 when I went hunting for the first time and was fortunate to harvest a deer that first year…I was hooked for life!

The woods we hunt are public land and that can create many challenges. The first ten years I hunted, the hunting pressure around that area was pretty low. We would typically harvest one a deer a year for our entire group. My brother and I quickly realized we needed to step up our game and learn more to increase our success rate…and we did. After those ten years, the woods around our area started to change. Certain sections become leased land, which means it wasn’t open to all hunters anymore, only those that leased (paid) to hunt it could use it. That put a little bit more pressure in our area, but not too much. We continued to harvest a few deer ever year, and that was enough for us. Over the next few years more and more of the land around us became leased land. Eventually, it got to the point that the section of land we hunted was the only public land in that area. Less and less hunters stayed around, until it was just our group and the hunters who leased the land around us, and still we continued to harvest a few deer every year. We continued to fine tune our woodsmanship and taught what we learned to the younger hunters who started to join our group. Adapting and applying what we learned over the years, we continued to harvest a few deer each year.

In 2011, myself and a few others from our group went to do some pre-season scouting and were blown away to see that most of the woods we hunted were gone. The DNR allowed a timber company to clear cut and harvest the trees from that area. After the initial shock wore off, we adapted and made a new plan for the season. Remarkably, we filled every tag. A few more years passed and the DNR reclassified the area to a Scientific and Natural Area, which meant no vehicle or ATV traffic allowed and all stands had to be removed every evening. This also meant a lot more hiking and carrying of equipment and gear. We adapted and shot several deer again.

WINDS OF CHANGE

All these changes freaked me out every time they happened. I never knew what the outcome was going to be. We would adapt and make changes, and things usually turned out just fine...but it still freaked me out. This past season started out the same way. I was anxious and not sure what changes there would be and how things would turn out. Sure enough, we all saw deer and a couple guys were able to harvest one.

This was my 30^th year deer hunting and I finally realized how important it is to be willing to adapt, and most importantly…have faith.  That is, until this time next year.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.