The roar of the crowd at a Friday night football game, dates getting ready for homecoming, warm apple cider, and the undeniable flicker of color in the Fall trees, all make it apparent that the warm days of summer have passed and Fall is upon us. Within all the excitement that comes with the changing of the seasons, something else is happening. Something that has been kindled in the hearts of men, women, and children alike, since long before that first brisk morning of Fall. It is the most important day of the year to some, and the beginning of a great adventure for many. It will be one told around the dinner table for years to come. A tradition, rooted back to the beginning of human kind. Passed down from generation to generation, the passion and respect has held fast. A sense so powerful that nature itself can feel what is about to take place. For it is the deer season and hunters all over Michigan who are anxiously awaiting opening day.

A passion and a part of who I am

Introduced to hunting at a young age by my grandfather, I can happily say it has been intertwined with my life. It has become part of my story and a piece of my identity. All the way back to the first time I shot a gun, to the first time I shot a deer, I have learned about the respect and emotional connection that comes with hunting. There is a certain responsibility that comes with taking on the lessons of one generation and holding on to them for the next. Countless hours of learning how to shoot, navigate through the woods, how to track animals, and how to manage hunting property were all but a few of the many lessons I have learned throughout my life in nature. All priceless skills, which I can hopefully use to inspire a future generation to come, so they can appreciate hunting and nature as much as I have. Even today sharing my experiences with other hunters creates a community and a bond of like-minded individuals I can happily feel at home with.

It's more than a buck

Perhaps the most common misconception about hunters is that people think that outdoors men and women are simply in it to kill something. Fortunately, you will not find hunters out for blood and savagery like you see in today's presidential debates. Instead, you will discover a community that appreciates nature for the treasure it is. There is no other experience that quite compares to walking through a sleeping woods as you head out to your deer blind. The sensation of excitement that floods through your body as golden rods of sunlight pierce through a dark forest at sunrise. The quiet sound of rustling leaves and chirping insects as nature itself rolls over in its vast blanket of darkness. Suddenly, the sun crests the horizon and the woods come to life almost instantly. The sound of crows in a distant corn field and the chatter of a fox squirrel can be heard as the sounds of crickets die away as light fills the air. There you sit, all senses heightened, as you scan the woods for the elusive deer that will feed you through the winter. This is chance to put life aside for a second and live in the moment. Letting your mind rest from the constant weight of responsibility. If you play your cards right, there will come a moment, a rush of adrenaline so powerful you could drown in it. You will bring up your bow, take the shot, and feel an instant sense of gratification. For it is not the kill you are thankful for, but the journey, the moment where it all comes together. Many will agree this is one of the most powerful ways to experience nature. So as hunters young and old alike take a step into a secret world, I wish you all good luck.