This is the time of year when things begin to move more quickly. For almost everyone in North America, hunting seasons are upon us. It takes coordinated effort to turn a hunting trip into a great hunting trip. To do that, you have to have a great partner.
Great hunting partners are hard to find. Some will enjoy your hospitality, and then show up at the same spot days later unannounced. Or others will have skipped all the pre-season work, only to call days before the season opens, looking for accommodation. Still others shoot too quickly, or have dogs that are out of control, or get a terrible case of alligator arms when it is time to reach for their wallets to pay the tab at the diner, or for their share of the gasoline. Still others are chronically late. Of all the things I hate, including spiders, paying income tax, and eating squash, I hate people who are late for hunting the most.
Finding someone that you can get along with while hunting is a blessing. The fellow I hunt with a lot now does none of the above. He is always five minutes early, he is never bashful about reaching for his wallet, and we have hunted enough together that the timing of the shooting is unspoken. We know when the timing is right, and we get up together to shoot our birds. There is rarely a discussion of the kind that features, “we shot too early, or… we should have waited.” Sure, we mess up sometimes, but more often than not we get it right.
It is important to hunt with someone you like, and someone you trust. Hunting can be easy and fun, but on a lot of days it can be really, really trying. Some days the birds don’t fly; or you are cold, the decoy cords get tangled, the ice moves into your spread and tangles the whole mess, the trailer has a flat. But when things go wrong, knowing you are sitting with someone who will pull his weight makes the trouble easier to tolerate.
I hope that as you read this little story, one name came immediately to mind, and if it did, then you are lucky enough to have a partner that you can count on. Give him a call today and see if there are any loose ends that you need to tie up before the seasons begin. Or just call to see how he’s doing and tell him you are getting excited for the season. He’ll appreciate hearing from you.
Have a safe and successful season wherever you are headed. Don’t forget to make your plans for Argentina and Uruguay sometime soon!
