For good reason, the hunt itself is the primary focus and what gets remembered & retold in the future. However, there are other elements or routines leading up to or even after the hunt that would truly leave a noticeable hole in the entire experience if absent.
Perhaps you're one to think ahead to the much anticipated weekend hunt by stripping down and cleaning your shotgun late on Wednesday night after the kids have gone down.
Maybe theres a miniature ritual of how you pack the truck the night before. You're determined to not leave anything but, distracted by the anxious dog bouncing around because they're convinced they're going to be the thing left behind, you accidentally set your whistle down never to be thought of again until the dog (who wasn't actually left behind) needed that recall!
Would the morning be the same without bundling up to go thaw out the truck in the dead calmness of the early morning? Enjoying the relaxed drive with a fresh cup of coffee and perhaps a breakfast biscuit or two?
With our thoughts occupied on the pending hunt, the radio is either turned off only amplifying the calm morning further or the local radio station is playing a forgotten classic that hits us just right and helps build the anticipation even more.
Now we are at the start of the hunt. Dog tracking collars are on and shotguns are loaded. Everything leading up to this moment now means everything while also meaning nothing at the same time. From the training to the scouting, our preparation has brought us here as we slowly add more distance away from the truck. No matter your process or routine leading to this moment, all that matters now is concentrating on the hunt and enjoying the adventure you've been looking forward to. Once the hunt comes to a close its time to start the post hunt ritual. The fun aspect of this part is its also the same as the pre-hunt ritual that led us to this morning but now we are only starting the cycle all over. Its funny how everything is just a step to the next hunt.
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