remembering

[boneaddict]

I can tell you where I was to the minute this day 30 years ago.   It was my first hunting season and I was 10.  So many memories and traditions.   The smell of wet sage in the fall.......
I can only hope that there are some young hearts out there that are experiencing the same that I did.  Bless my Dad for all that he gave to me.   People talk of tradition.  I know that I have lived it.  I have come to hate change and time. 

How would I have known 30 years ago that I was building a foundation of who and what I am today, and that what I was living would be etched in stone in my memory.  Simply amazing.

[Austrian Hunter]

I'm not that old so I can't tell you what I was doing 30 years ago.      You getting OLD Bone! 

Great post and so true! 

[Bigshooter]

22 years ago was my first hunting season.  Hope the next 22 are as memorable as the last 22.

[Green Lantern]

21 Years ago for me. I can still remember every detail like it was yesterday. Thanks Dad.

[Hyde]

For me, it was 39 years ago. I was thinking about my first hunt all those years ago, and how excited I was. It made me wonder how many first timers were lacing their boots for their hunt today.

As I sit here in my clear cut with a full cell signal, I realize things have changed a lot technology wise, but nothing has changed with regards to the excitement of opening day.

[DuckDr.Duke]

My first deer hunt with a rifle was when I was 12 that was 1990. I remember it vividly because it snowed the entire time and I missed a 1 x 2 muley. I wish I could have made it out this year.

[mulehunter]

When I finished 10 grade Highschool before Summer tyee h.s., My mom kicked me out.    Moved back  Search a place to live as Studio Apt by H.S. Ephrata. live myself from summer before 11 grade H.S. until today with out any help.  I am glad that Guy I grew up decide to show me the good future and spend every Sagebrush I walk by learn millions way from guy and taught everything about hunting Big Mule, Pheasnt, quail, Rattlesnake, Coyotes, Many stuff.  It was 22 years ago.  If I never met those farmer family Name Tim and Dennis. I thank lord for them to stand next to me. I probablly end up jail or no where to live and probablly never be a hunter.  Every year I remember great moment thing I learn about hunting tradation.  I am very very thankful today what I became who I am today.   I am looking forward spend more time with my daugther in future.

Enjoy hunting season.

Mulehunter.   

[Idabooner]

I feel sort of empty this morning, like something is missing. This is the first hunt I've sat out for many years, guess I've made the circle. I can still remember every detail of my first solo hunt 65 years ago, I was 11 years old.  The fresh smell of the fir trees, the warm sun breaking through the fog patches, the fresh track in the trail and there he was standing there waiting for me to shoot.  The pounding heart, the open sight picture of the 32 special jumping around, trying to hold steady on his lung, then the shot and he run 50 feet before dropping.
Iv'e had many many adventures since with Bone and the other boys, but now I will just wait for you guys storys.  My old legs won't get me out past the pumpkin patch any more.  It's the hunt that I always enjoyed more than killing something.  Have fun out there.

[CedarPants]

Great post Bone.

14 years ago for me.  Wasn't a hunter growing up, then Grandpa bought 20 acres in 97' when I was a sophmore at EWU.  He handed me an old Winchester model 88 in .308, handed my dad a Ruger M77 in 7mm Rem mag, and said "let's go hunting".  That moment changed my life.

Dad shot his first buck and I shot my first buck one week later.  His was a 2x2, mine was a 5x5.  The memories created around the campfire are something I cherish.

I've since bought the 20 acres from Grandpa and will soon be taking my boys to hunt up there.  Dad and Grandpa don't hunt much anymore, but they both tagged along and hung out at elk camp 2 weekends ago.  The smiles on their faces seeing me bring my first elk ever into camp were even bigger than the smiles on their faces 14 years ago when they saw me bring my first deer into camp.

[cle elum bowhunter]

32 years ago, we camped up the Chiwawa even though it was only a 30 minute drive from the house.  Open sight 30-30, and dad let me venture out of camp on my own since I was a mountain boy and knew my way in the woods.  I "snuck" through the woods all weekend and never saw a deer.  Did hear shoots fairly close around me a few times though.  I am sure that my sneaking was more like a bull in a china closet.  Took me about 10 years to learn to sit still for more than 2 minutes, and then I started seeing more deer.  4 years ago I took my son out for his first season, walked into one of my honey holes from when I used to hunt modern in the dark.  Sun came up and saw two guys sitting about 200 yards up the ridge,  decided to move over the ridge.  I suggested we relocate to a draw just over the ridge,  we hadn't gone 200 yards when shots rang out behind us.  Guess after all these years I am still good at pushing deer.  Thats why I love bow hunting, at least I don't know how many bucks I push to other hunters.

[7mag.]

I sit here at work, remembering opening mornings of the past. When I turned 12, my dad put me through hunter safety and let me start tagging along with him on his hunting trips. Opening morning immediately took the place of Christmas morning, as far as excitement level for me. I still love the rifle opener to this day, even though the hunting usually isn't that great this early. I pains me to have to be at work on opening morning, instead of taking my son hunting with me.

[matt345]

I was 11 or 12, about 25 yrs ago and my dad took me to hunt down off the river near Cottonwood Idaho, I shot the biggest buck I have ever shot 32 inch spread Mule deer( I need to ask my dad if he has any pictures of it) with my 22-250. What a memory, it is forever burned into my brain. Working on creating that with my boys now!

[steen]

I didn't come from a hunting family but my sister's husband got me started at age 27.  Our kids are starting at 11-12.  They already have the feel for our traditional hunting camp, which we are not doing this year.  They miss it already and so do I.  Normally I'd be on top of a mountain today soaking up the warm sunshine.  It is fun looking through the album and seeing the kids grow up in hunting camp.  One is getting married next summer, oh my!!! (to a hunter , of course)

[bearpaw]

I can tell you where I was to the minute this day 30 years ago.   It was my first hunting season and I was 10.  So many memories and traditions.   The smell of wet sage in the fall.......
I can only hope that there are some young hearts out there that are experiencing the same that I did.  Bless my Dad for all that he gave to me.   People talk of tradition.  I know that I have lived it.  I have come to hate change and time. 

How would I have known 30 years ago that I was building a foundation of who and what I am today, and that what I was living would be etched in stone in my memory.  Simply amazing.

Great post..... know what you mean. 

[silverdalesauer]

It's been 27 years since my first hunt. I'll never forget when my father took me out - it was on my grandfather's woodlot (800 acres at the time) in northern Maine.  I remember the cool October morning, the smell of pine and apple trees and soft earth from the muddy logging road we walked. I'll never forget carrying grampa's 20 gauge side-by-side shotgun (it was heavy for a 12 year old).  We had stopped to look at some deer tracks in the mud when all of a sudden my father turned around, jacked in a round (he was carrying his .32 Win Special) and BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! 

   My heart was racing and I stood there shaking thinking "What the heck just happened?"   

While showing me how to identify a deer track he heard and spotted a big buck in the brush right next to us. It was likely the deer from those track we were looking at. And as soon as he shot the deer bounded through the woods.  Later, we found it dead by a log and found a hole through his ears (must have been hit when he jumped).

Oh, I'll never forget my first day and all those memories that come sweeping back. Its better than Christmas - It's Deer Season!!!

Can't wait to get out next week for 5 days!

[webbspinner]

I can tell you where I was to the minute this day 30 years ago.   It was my first hunting season and I was 10.  So many memories and traditions.   The smell of wet sage in the fall.......
I can only hope that there are some young hearts out there that are experiencing the same that I did.  Bless my Dad for all that he gave to me.   People talk of tradition.  I know that I have lived it.  I have come to hate change and time. 

How would I have known 30 years ago that I was building a foundation of who and what I am today, and that what I was living would be etched in stone in my memory.  Simply amazing.

Great post..... know what you mean. 

   36 years for me and still wait all year for it.  Hoping to get back to my home side of the state and chase muleys again.  And in the last 10 years have added elk hunting to the tradition, my son had his 10th thru 12th birthday parties at elk camp until Mama got tired of that.     When I lose the anticipation and excitement, or more likely be physically unable, I will stop.   A bad day hunting is still better than a good day at work.  God Bless

[WARHORSE]

well i know for some of you folks it was before cameras! but lets see some pics of those big smiles and first deer! trying to find a pic of mine my smile was a lot bigger then the rack but one i will never forget! at 11 years old that 8 inch 2 point muley might as well have been a 200 inch giant! thank you dad and gpa for taking me hunting!

[highmuley]

23 for me. Only missed one year (huntin partner was extremely ill, thought I would support him instead of goin with out him). Hunted the same area all 23. People always ask me why I do. I don't need to explain it to anyone. If I score or not is not important. Just goin and remembering all the time my grandfather (partner) and I spent chasing animals is good enough for me.....plus I've chased some BIG bucks in this area!

[Ironhead]

I was 9 the first time I got to carry a gun in the field. I killed a  drake Green Winged Teal with a 28 gauge Remington with my first shot. I was standing next to my Dad, with a cyclone of Ducks pouring down on us in the middle of a corn field, off of 3NW and Adams road in Quincy. Something I will never forget. That was 35 years ago, and I can smell the gunpowder, wet corn and sage as I write this.

[TheFewTheProud]

13 years ago today I shot my first deer. Was just talking to my dad about it.

[marty]

My first buck was 23 years ago I was 12! My patient dad watched me shoot a halve a box of shells at my buck and he never fired a shot. Finally I knocked him down poor dad looked like he was going to pass out! Well a couple weekends ago he came up from eastern Oregon to camp and hang out with me and he got to see me take a buck with one shot from my muzzleloader he still says none of them could be any better than that fork horn 23 years ago and yep hes right! Thanks Dad for taking the time to teach me the greatest sport in the world.

[Hunting Cowboy]

I feel sort of empty this morning, like something is missing. This is the first hunt I've sat out for many years, guess I've made the circle. I can still remember every detail of my first solo hunt 65 years ago, I was 11 years old.  The fresh smell of the fir trees, the warm sun breaking through the fog patches, the fresh track in the trail and there he was standing there waiting for me to shoot.  The pounding heart, the open sight picture of the 32 special jumping around, trying to hold steady on his lung, then the shot and he run 50 feet before dropping.
Iv'e had many many adventures since with Bone and the other boys, but now I will just wait for you guys storys.  My old legs won't get me out past the pumpkin patch any more.  It's the hunt that I always enjoyed more than killing something.  Have fun out there.

Great post Bone. And I can empathize with Idaboomer. My dad is unable to get out there but the memories that we've made over the past 40 years are worth remembering and reliving. And important for the grand kids to hear.

[boneaddict]

They even ask to hear them which is the cool part.

[akashasdaddy]

This is my first year. I am 28 years old been on unemployment for as long as they will let you my benefits are about to run out, I have a college education and still can't find work. I am a single father and have to find a way to feed my daughter. I had a buddy that said he was going to show me the ropes but he had to back out due to personal issues, so I am trying to learn on the fly. So far I have not been lucky with the harvest but the memories and lessons learned will stay with me forever. This will be a hunter for the rest of my life. If I had only known what I have been missing all these years.

[runamuk]

This is my first year. I am 28 years old been on unemployment for as long as they will let you my benefits are about to run out, I have a college education and still can't find work. I am a single father and have to find a way to feed my daughter. I had a buddy that said he was going to show me the ropes but he had to back out due to personal issues, so I am trying to learn on the fly. So far I have not been lucky with the harvest but the memories and lessons learned will stay with me forever. This will be a hunter for the rest of my life. If I had only known what I have been missing all these years.

well you have a jump start on me I didn't discover it until I turned 40...this is my 3rd season but I am only gonna hunt deer, maybe this will be my year 

I must say I do envy those who had someone introduce them to this and have those memories ...I have a scant few fishing memories.....but mostly find I cant remember much....

[hambone]

well for me its been over 40 years my older brother started me hunting didnt get a buck until i was twenty something didnt care all the times ive spent with my brothers has been some of best times in my life like my older brother i started my younger brother hunting when i got out of the navy opening day still gets to me the day it doesnt is when i stop hunting i am 56 and still going strong was out there today didnt get anything but still had a great day

[backyard bucks]

great post!!!!!!!!!!