I think there are quite a few tracking courses your way. And we didn’t have bad weather, although it got pretty darn freezing cold at times. At least it didn’t rain — the courses went no matter the weather.

Yep, I’m a hunter and I still hunt. Not as extensively since I had kids but with them getting older its slowly getting added more and more back into the agenda. They are going to. I don’t know HOW my parents did it every year never fail(supplied most of our meat this way, if not all at times) with kids. Talk about earning ones respect!

For Christmas this year my family bought me my very own bow! I’ve done a bit of bow target shooting in the past but never hunted with it. I can’t wait!!! I’ve not given up deer hunting all along but bird hunting I basically did–simply didn’t have the time or desire I guess to go freeze my tush off early in the morning to get myself a duck. I was already getting up with my early rising kids! Guess I could have took them with like my parents did but…that just really seems like work! Oh and my hubby was raised on beef, not hunting, though he does go deer hunting now, so getting him to ‘like’ game to eat…its not been the easiest.

Oh and just a tidbit that isn’t real usual maybe to people who don’t hunt…my Dad had a special stock made for my 20 gauge thinking that it would be easier for me–it was shorter with extra padding, made for a woman. Except two things–by then even though it technically fit me better, I was used to the longer stock of his 12 gauge, liked it better AND I didn’t like the idea I had to have a ‘special’ gun made for me. I wanted to use whatever the guys were using. That way when we got together I could pick up any of their guns which you KNOW was going to be traditional and out shoot them if I wanted in a fun challenge. Well, try to anyhow But not everyone knows you can get that extra rubberized padding put on the stocks so your shoulder doesn’t hurt so much, or that you can have the stock made shorter. I never have really used that gun.

Okay now that I wrote you a book… It sounds like you guys had a great time. And by the way, I’m sooooo jealous! Someday I’m most definitely enrolling in a tracking course even if it means traveling way up there! I love tracking! There’s nothing quite like the thrill of the hunt–your heart is just a pumping and your mind is working so fast to plan and think things out… LOVE IT!

Hope you guys had great weather and you got lots of food for writing!

Cole

I also didn’t know there were left-handed guns. I just used the same rifle and shotguns as everyone else, but wielded them the other way round, loading and working the action with the right hand, pulling the trigger etc with the left.

Do you still hunt?

Good to know you ‘survived’.

I’d never heard the term ‘cross dominant’ before but I’ve always been either or. Wonder if they have a term for that? I can have one eye dominant one minute then the other another. I write with both hands too…wonder if that’s why. I have always gone hunting though with a right handed gun. Its what my dad had and thus, what I was given. I wouldn’t mind trying to shoot with a left handed gun someday just to see if it felt any different(other than being new that is). I can tell when my ‘mind’ is in the wrong side for shooting and sometimes I can concentrate and get it to switch when I’m trying to shoot. Well at targets. I can’t ever recall mentally taking the time to ‘think’ such thoughts when a deer or goose game whizzing by. There usually isn’t time.

I can’t wait to hear about your trip!

Cole