Bow Hunting Is A Marathon, Not A Sprint!
Carter & Trey
This year is not only my first year to hunt with a compound bow, but it is my wife’s, too! I have been to the stand many times this year in hopes of getting my first arrow slung at a doe or buck, but haven’t had any such luck. Giving up would be easy, but that is just not in my nature.
My wife, Jennifer, is a lot more patient than I. She can travel the long road and come out with a full tank of gas, while I take a shortcut and do not even make it to the other side. For her being a beginner hunter, she knows what to say to help me keep my chin up. A couple of mornings ago after coming in after a hunt, she could tell I was discouraged and said to me, “Bow hunting is a marathon, not a sprint!”.
After hearing her say that, it clicked. She was right, everything does not just come together at once, but could take a very long time. Bow hunters don’t bag the big buck in just one hunt, and if they do, they are extremely lucky. It does not just take time, but it takes perfect, efficient, time. If you hop out of your truck, grab your bow, and take off to your tree stand, do you think that all it takes? Or are there other steps in between that have to be done efficiently and correctly?
One trip to the stand without seeing a deer can be very discouraging to anyone, but we do not control the deer. Countless hours go into preparation for deer season only to realize, we may not get to harvest a deer all season long. Keeping a level head and understanding what you are up against will help you in making the harvest a little more possible.
Patience! Do not rush! Slow down, take a deep breath, and hunt with confidence!
A marathon is 26.2 miles while a sprint can be 100 yards… which one gives you the most feeling of accomplishment when you cross the finish line?
Thank you Jen for the words of wisdom.
“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” -Romans 8:25
by Trey Hawkins
