A lot of articles have been written about the great sport of hunting and how children can benefit by being exposed to it. The people that are anti-hunting will say it is a barbaric activity and advise you against exposing your children to it. People that are avid hunters eat, drink, sleep and live to hunt. I have been hunting for several decades, starting out with my Grandfather as a small child. The lessons he taught me have stayed with me and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from such a wise man. I was reminded this hunting season why I enjoy the opportunities to hunt with my son, Little Samuel.
     It was the week between Christmas and New Year's and Little Samuel and I were headed to Wilderness Calls to hunt. It would be just the two of us spending a few precious days together doing what we both enjoy. It started out as a typical hunting adventure; we checked the trail cameras and marveled at the pictures. The trail camera had captured two large bucks fighting, "Old Spread Nasty" and a new legend "Scrappy".  Any deer that is brave enough to tangle with "Old Spread Nasty" has to be placed on legendary status. The plans and Redneck Guru Estrous were set, now the hunt for the two large bucks was on. On Sunday afternoon, just before the light had disappeared and another day ended, I heard him shoot. It was late so I immediately traveled on my ATV to where he was located to see what he had harvested. After asking him several times what he had shot at, he finally admitted to me he had shot "Old Spread Nasty"! We both searched for a blood trail and I could see the disappointment in his face when we could not locate the trail at first. I did finally find a drop of blood and the trail was on! After trailing the deer for approximately 50 feet, there he was "Old Spread Nasty"! Little Samuel has harvested several deer and hogs in his short life, but seeing the joy on his face just then was priceless! I will have to admit ole' Dad was awful proud too! That is when I realized again what a lucky father I was! Many years have passed since the little spike he harvested when he was 7 years old, but the look on his face and the joy we both experienced was the same.
     That evening we sat around the camp fire and relived his first buck. I realized that watching him grow up and being able to spend time hunting with him would be memories that I will always cherish!  As time passes and seems to speed up, I see that our children and grandchildren are the future. What better way to spend time with them, than to take them hunting, fishing or just teach them about nature. It will not only give them knowledge but it will give you some special times to share with them. Believe it or not you will be able to find out who they are and you both will benefit from it. In our busy, fast paced, electronic world, setting by a camp fire is refreshing. It gives you a chance to talk to your children and if you are lucky, get to know each other. I never pass up a chance to spend time hunting with my son, Little Samuel, and I am looking forward to taking my grandson, Little Aiden to Wilderness Calls to begin this adventure with him. Never pass up a chance to spend time hunting, fishing or hiking in nature with your children or grand children. It will create memories that you both will always have and cherish, when you take your child hunting.

Sam