I90west
FNG
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2023
- Messages
- 21
This is my first post here on Rokslide. I live in PA, but most my days my mind drifts to the mountains of the west. I thought I’d share a little essay I wrote about what will be my 8th trip west to the rugged yet beautiful mountains of N. Idaho.
The Rambling of an Elk Hunter: Anticipation
It seems like so often in life we anticipate moments that are so very fleeting. We daydream of experiences that make us feel alive, give us purpose and rejuvenated our souls. Sometimes the anticipation is a years long process that leads up to an experience that is only satisfying for a few days, hours or even seconds. For some, that satisfaction is from a job promotion, a dream house, a new car or a like on social media. Mine is the 11 months of anticipation that leads up to the 14 days in the mountains of Idaho each September.
Now, notice that I don’t say the anticipation of the arrow release on a rut crazed bull. I’d be lying if I said that a lot of my daydreams while sitting at my desk inside during the hot summer days leading up to season don’t include an arrow disappearing behind the shoulder of a 6 point bull. But if I spent 11 months anticipating only a few seconds that would, it would not fully capture what I look forward to during those 14 days in the mountains.
There are so many moments leading up to the release of an arrow that I long for during my anticipation for the hunt. I look forward to the growling 34-hour drive when those last few hours are grind just to stay awake. My ears long to hear that first bugle breaking through the stillness of the moonlit mountains I’m gazing upon. I cannot wait for my lungs to heave for oxygen as my burning legs beg for mercy. My heart has prepared the sound of fading hooves as a result of the swirling winds on the back of my sweat soaked neck. And of course, my mind runs wild with what those few fleeting seconds of what the truth moment will look like.
As important as it is to prepare my legs and lungs for the mountains, the preparation of my mind is equally if not more important to the success of the hunt. And not just success in terms of pulling things together in the moment of truth resulting in elk steak in the freeze. It’s the success in fulfilling what I’m anticipating in my mind leading up to the hunt. I look forward to killing a bull elk each September. I probably want it too much if I’m honest. But if that was the only thing I anticipated about a hunt, every moment leading up to the kill would be viewed as a struggle, grind or an obstacle. But when I start looking forward to those all little moments leading up to the release of an arrow, my hunt becomes exponentially more successful. This mentality will also put more animals on the ground because I take setbacks with a smile on my face and keep persevering to the ultimate goal of a putting my hands on bull elk.
A hunt only lasts for a short amount of time. Those adrenaline filled moments leading up to the shot are even shorter. The anticipation of the hunt extends the timeline of the experience well beyond the boundaries of the dates blocked off the calendar.
That being said, anticipation can also create a vice in my life. It’s easy to put these experiences on a pedestal above many other things in life. Septembers in the mountains of Idaho is amazing. But it doesn’t hold a flame to the God who created those mountains, my wife gives me endless support and my family who loves me dearly. It’s easy to let my imagination run wild but keeping myself in check and ensuring I put no other gods before the one true Creator of the universe needs to the biggest priority in my life. Because in the end, the greatest elk hunt of all time will not bring true satisfaction. True satisfaction can only come from serving the one true God who sent His son to die for a sinner like me so that those who believe in Him can have everlasting life. Now, that is something to anticipate!
The Rambling of an Elk Hunter: Anticipation
It seems like so often in life we anticipate moments that are so very fleeting. We daydream of experiences that make us feel alive, give us purpose and rejuvenated our souls. Sometimes the anticipation is a years long process that leads up to an experience that is only satisfying for a few days, hours or even seconds. For some, that satisfaction is from a job promotion, a dream house, a new car or a like on social media. Mine is the 11 months of anticipation that leads up to the 14 days in the mountains of Idaho each September.
Now, notice that I don’t say the anticipation of the arrow release on a rut crazed bull. I’d be lying if I said that a lot of my daydreams while sitting at my desk inside during the hot summer days leading up to season don’t include an arrow disappearing behind the shoulder of a 6 point bull. But if I spent 11 months anticipating only a few seconds that would, it would not fully capture what I look forward to during those 14 days in the mountains.
There are so many moments leading up to the release of an arrow that I long for during my anticipation for the hunt. I look forward to the growling 34-hour drive when those last few hours are grind just to stay awake. My ears long to hear that first bugle breaking through the stillness of the moonlit mountains I’m gazing upon. I cannot wait for my lungs to heave for oxygen as my burning legs beg for mercy. My heart has prepared the sound of fading hooves as a result of the swirling winds on the back of my sweat soaked neck. And of course, my mind runs wild with what those few fleeting seconds of what the truth moment will look like.
As important as it is to prepare my legs and lungs for the mountains, the preparation of my mind is equally if not more important to the success of the hunt. And not just success in terms of pulling things together in the moment of truth resulting in elk steak in the freeze. It’s the success in fulfilling what I’m anticipating in my mind leading up to the hunt. I look forward to killing a bull elk each September. I probably want it too much if I’m honest. But if that was the only thing I anticipated about a hunt, every moment leading up to the kill would be viewed as a struggle, grind or an obstacle. But when I start looking forward to those all little moments leading up to the release of an arrow, my hunt becomes exponentially more successful. This mentality will also put more animals on the ground because I take setbacks with a smile on my face and keep persevering to the ultimate goal of a putting my hands on bull elk.
A hunt only lasts for a short amount of time. Those adrenaline filled moments leading up to the shot are even shorter. The anticipation of the hunt extends the timeline of the experience well beyond the boundaries of the dates blocked off the calendar.
That being said, anticipation can also create a vice in my life. It’s easy to put these experiences on a pedestal above many other things in life. Septembers in the mountains of Idaho is amazing. But it doesn’t hold a flame to the God who created those mountains, my wife gives me endless support and my family who loves me dearly. It’s easy to let my imagination run wild but keeping myself in check and ensuring I put no other gods before the one true Creator of the universe needs to the biggest priority in my life. Because in the end, the greatest elk hunt of all time will not bring true satisfaction. True satisfaction can only come from serving the one true God who sent His son to die for a sinner like me so that those who believe in Him can have everlasting life. Now, that is something to anticipate!
