Fast forward 24 hours later, and I’m on the same farm watching four gobblers strut their way right out of my life. Hung-up, henned-up, I don’t care what you call it, they left the country — and I had to get home.
One minute you are on top of the world, and the next you’re cursing turkey hunting altogether.
It’s not a race
In Tennessee, you get about 45 days to chase after this elusive bird. In reality, 45 days is plenty of time to scratch the turkey hunting itch, and hopefully, fill a few tags. But not everyone has 45 days to hunt!
There is soccer, football, birthdays, church, and of course — Work. These things all have their place in my life, and no doubt you have your own turkey hunting obstacles. So you’re left with seven Saturdays, and all kinds of obstacles in the way. That’s not much time to punch four tags.
Turkey hunting, deer hunting, elk hunting, any kind of hunting is limited. You have a limited amount of time to accomplish the goals you’ve placed before yourself. Time is literally the enemy, and you are in a race to beat the clock.
Every so often this weight of stress rests on our backs, and we feel like we are at war with this awful foe. This enemy makes us become too aggressive, or maybe even too passive. This enemy puts us in a foul mood, and unbearable to be around. This enemy consumes us, and we are unable to make clear decisions because our judgment is clouded. But what do we do? How can we beat time?
Time restraints, make us feel — Restrained.
We could discuss ways to work around your time restraints, but time is not the problem — it’s the feeling of restraint that is the problem. Life is bigger than turkey season, and hunting is supposed to be a stress reliever, not the opposite. So the question is — How do we become satisfied with our results?
“The answer is simple — ‘Be Here Now.”
The next time you are fortunate enough to enter the woods — just be there. Don’t worry about filling the tag, mowing the yard, or making your sales goals. Just be there. Right there — in that moment, and no other.
If you have the chance to work a hung-up gobbler this weekend — consider yourself fortunate, and just enjoy that moment. Hunting season is here for a short period of time, and it’s gone too fast. Enjoy the moment that you are in. Suck it all in — look up at the blue skies, and be thankful you could spend that moment doing something you love so much.
Not every hunt ends with you achieving your goal, but it should leave you feeling satisfied that you had the opportunity. And satisfied you made the most of it. Go out there and make the most of it, and have fun.
