"Daddy" is a special name. I read "Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad". True, in my book of experiences. My hero figure has always been my dad. Although, down through the years, as I became a man with my own children, and knew what to look for, I noticed some of Dad's shortcomings. Actually, I always knew they were there, but as a kid I could not admit what I saw as true because I needed daddy to be something he was not. He was not perfect, neither am I, but he was really good.
Daddy accepted me as his huntin' buddy. I was 9 years-old at the time. He joined a hunting club not far from the house, bought a Willy's Jeep and a 30-30 Rife. We were in business. Mother bought Daddy a bolt-action 12 gauge shotgun from Sears Roebuck for his birthday. I think he was around 25 at the time, making me about 8 years-old. Eventually Daddy bought a 410 gauge shotgun for me. It would not kill anything except at point blank rage, but I enjoyed shooting it.
Our hunting season started with a dove hunt and proceeded with squirrel and eventually deer and rabbit. My granddad, referred to as "Pawpaw", had some rabbit dogs that would run a rabbit, some times. Thus, forming a threesome, we ventured into the fields, ditch banks and forests surrounding our neck of the woods. Huntin' Buddies.
This huntin buddie legacy is strong in me. Always has been. Although "Pawpaw" is gone on now, and Daddy is up in his 80's, my memories of those days afield are vivid for me. My present need for, and maintenance of, my huntin' buddies is an off-shoot of those important men in my life, and I thank both of them more than they will ever know.
Bill Spears, PhD
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
The Legacy of Huntin' Buddies
"Huntin' buddies" are an important part of the hunting landscape. But, what are huntin buddies? The more common type of huntin buddies is two or more hunters, of any gender, who hunt together one time or a thousand. One of the more popular illustrations of huntin buddies would be Harold Knight and David Hale of "Knight and Hale Game Calls". These two friends, and hunters, came together years ago and parlayed their huntin buddie friendship into a successful business.
"Huntin Buddies" can be more than two hunters joined together in a common hunting camp for an indefinite period of time, a day or years. Hunting camps can be temporary "Drop Camps" or more permanent fixed lodges. Huntin Buddies can be life-long friends, or two or more people meeting to hunt for the first time. Some of my more memorable huntin buddies have been those guys I met at a pay-to-hunt camp, where the hunt was usually limited to a week to ten days. I have also experienced the true bond of huntin buddie friendship that comes from sharing a week-long hunt with a professional guide. So, the huntin buddie idea is broad and inclusive. In fact, you may have your own ideas about your huntin buddies.
"Huntin buddies" does not define how a hunter hunts, There are plenty of hunters who prefer hunting alone, and yet are part of a group, sometimes called a "camp" of huntin buddies. Hunting camps are replete with hunters whose individual methods and hunting preferences differ. However, there are huntin buddie relationships formed because two hunters share a passion for a "particular kind" of hunting method, such as bowhunting.
The concept of huntin buddies is as old as the human race. Our primal human task of survival was successfully negotiated by hunting, and by forming buddies, groups, families, communities and tribes. It is doubtful that the human race could have survived without groups of hunters coming together for the purpose of providing food for themselves and their families. History records these hunts through primitive pictures on cave walls, and hunting artifacts. The pre-hunt ceremonies and the post-hunt celebrations are also well documented.
"Huntin buddies" are import for any number of reasons, none the least of which is safety. Hunting can be a dangerous endeavor, and a huntin buddie can be a life-saver when accidents occur. Second, hunting can be an expensive sport. Hunting buddies often share the financial load. Third, sharing events with others often satisfies a deep human need to communicate and carry on the "story" tradition. Forth, involving children in the hunting community, by making them our huntin buddies, is one way to spend quality time with them and ensure they have an opportunity to forward the hunting legacy.
So, the purpose of this new blog is to celebrate the legacy of huntin buddies.
Willie
Oh, by the way. you can find untold numbers of great articles and ideas about huntin buddies. I found this link to be interesting.http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/2011/11/huntin-buddies/
"Huntin Buddies" can be more than two hunters joined together in a common hunting camp for an indefinite period of time, a day or years. Hunting camps can be temporary "Drop Camps" or more permanent fixed lodges. Huntin Buddies can be life-long friends, or two or more people meeting to hunt for the first time. Some of my more memorable huntin buddies have been those guys I met at a pay-to-hunt camp, where the hunt was usually limited to a week to ten days. I have also experienced the true bond of huntin buddie friendship that comes from sharing a week-long hunt with a professional guide. So, the huntin buddie idea is broad and inclusive. In fact, you may have your own ideas about your huntin buddies.
"Huntin buddies" does not define how a hunter hunts, There are plenty of hunters who prefer hunting alone, and yet are part of a group, sometimes called a "camp" of huntin buddies. Hunting camps are replete with hunters whose individual methods and hunting preferences differ. However, there are huntin buddie relationships formed because two hunters share a passion for a "particular kind" of hunting method, such as bowhunting.
The concept of huntin buddies is as old as the human race. Our primal human task of survival was successfully negotiated by hunting, and by forming buddies, groups, families, communities and tribes. It is doubtful that the human race could have survived without groups of hunters coming together for the purpose of providing food for themselves and their families. History records these hunts through primitive pictures on cave walls, and hunting artifacts. The pre-hunt ceremonies and the post-hunt celebrations are also well documented.
"Huntin buddies" are import for any number of reasons, none the least of which is safety. Hunting can be a dangerous endeavor, and a huntin buddie can be a life-saver when accidents occur. Second, hunting can be an expensive sport. Hunting buddies often share the financial load. Third, sharing events with others often satisfies a deep human need to communicate and carry on the "story" tradition. Forth, involving children in the hunting community, by making them our huntin buddies, is one way to spend quality time with them and ensure they have an opportunity to forward the hunting legacy.
So, the purpose of this new blog is to celebrate the legacy of huntin buddies.
Oh, by the way. you can find untold numbers of great articles and ideas about huntin buddies. I found this link to be interesting.http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/2011/11/huntin-buddies/
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