I must be getting old. Not long ago, I spent my summers wishing they’d hurry up and whoosh by. I didn’t care that I was out of school. I hated the hot weather. And most of all, I wished the hunting seasons weren’t so darn far off.
But this year, over the last few weeks before the archery antelope season started, I was actually wishing time would slow down. I was far from prepared for the season. I’d only drawn my bow a few dozen times all summer, and I’ve still only taken my rifle out to the range a few times. On top of that, I let my exercise routine fall flat this summer, so I’m not in my best shape.
I haven’t done any planning for an elk hunt, and I don’t even have a deer license yet. At least I finally drew an antelope tag for the first time in about 10 years, so I’m ahead of where I was this time last year.
No, I’m nowhere near ready for this hunting season, and that’s a problem, because it’s already here. I’ve made some preliminary plans to take my son out antelope hunting, but in the past, I would have already had at least 10 different hunts planned. In fact, a few times, I even lined up both my fall AND spring turkey hunts by August first.
It’s been a busy summer, though. I’ve always said if you don’t get it done by Frontier Days, it’s not getting done, because the 10 days of rodeo doesn’t leave room for much of anything else. Then, right after that, it’s Fair week, and then school starts. But those excuses are all the more reason to get out and go hunting.
The whole family has been working too hard. Amy’s been dealing with the kids while I’ve been out trying to make it big as a PRCA photographer, and the kids have been working their tails off getting their 4-H pigs ready for the fair, then putting all the pig stuff back in the shed after the livestock sale. I think we all need a vacation, so it’s definitely time to get out and go hunting. I’d love to stay and chat, but I have some licenses to buy.
