Grouse Hunting
To me grouse hunting is a wonderful mix of things I love. Wilderness travel, hiking with purpose, eating, then sleeping wild, a little endurance test.
Moving slow.
Often with outdoor trips a destination or a distance is the objective. Grouse hunting, however, the objective is simple, find grouse, and to do so I move slowly. I pay attention, and mindfully slow down, first my steps, then my eyes, finally my mind. On this particular trip my mind slowed down on its own and made room for the most wonderful daydreams. I love daydreaming. This fall I dreamt an entire cabin project in my mind. From the footings to the pictures on the wall. I was successful, not only in finding grouse but in the other less tangible benefits as well.
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~From my journal:
This trip was everything I wanted it to be, successful hunting, endurance, outdoorsmanship, rest and meditation.
After a long day on the trail, I arrived at camp. Exhausted and on autopilot I started on my chores. I cleaned the grouse without pause and made a fire with bone dry pine. It crackled startlingly loud, I carefully watched the sparks from the explosions, mindful of the fires out West. I set the cook pan on the coals and sat back.
But I didn’t feel right. Of course I was happy about shooting a limit of birds. I’d never actually had this much luck in one day. But I felt bad, the hunting action was fast and I got caught up, trying to get a limit. When I returned to camp I was tired and it was almost dark. I gutted the birds without ceremony, my methods lacked respect for the animal.
Once the fire was going and dinner cooked, I slowed down. There was no moon. The stars and even the Milky Way was visible. I laid on my back, the light from the fire behind me illuminated the smoke rising into the night sky. The smoke seemed to blend into the bright blur of the Milky Way. I was calm, content, and pleased with myself, I took a moment to remember that the grouse were more than just dead birds, but a part of the wilderness I love so much. I gathered a handful of feathers and placed them in the fire and watched the smoke ride towards the stars. This made me very happy, a small gesture to the animals from the day. This thought process helps me feel connected to the animal, the wild, and to the natural world that has given me peace of mind. I am grateful for that.
