As a rule, I try to avoid philosophy as strenuously as I avoid honest work. I would as soon read Hegel or Kant or Nietzsche as I would pound a darning needle up my nose. But sometimes one is forced to think about something more all encompassing than Ms. Mila Kunis (pictured here).
While hunting in New Zealand this past spring, I ran into a South African hunter of vast experience who said, in the course of our conversation, “The purpose of hunting isn’t to kill some stupid animal. It’s to give yourself a chance to stand alone in the wilderness and realize how insignificant you are.”
I was in North Carolina on vacation last week. Halfway between Southport and Supply I saw the famous “Worms and Coffee” sign. While I didn’t really need gas, I couldn’t resist stopping in for $20 worth just so I could snap a picture with my smartphone.
The “Worms and Coffee” sign has been there since 1997, and has become a local landmark and attraction. Photos of the sign have appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and the "Late Show With David Letterman." And really, early in the morning if you’re on your way to go fishing, what more do you need than worms and coffee?
A little while back I spent an hour at the range helping a friend of mine mount a scope and get a rifle sighted in for his young son. Everything worked, and dad took the boy to Pennsylvania to hunt deer. As it turned out, they didn’t get one, but the father was nice enough to send me a photo of the kid in his stand, and the expression of joy on his face is unmistakable. I e-mailed my friend that whether or not his son goes on to be a serious hunter, that deer hunt will be pure gold for the rest of the boy’s life.
Small contributions like this can make a very big difference. If you are a hunter/shooter with some experience, there is a beginning hunter/shooter out there who can use your help. These are not easy sports to break into; there is an immense amount to learn. Questions lead to other questions, and the number of people who have the answers is shrinking.
This video proves that if you practice a whole lot and focus on target, you can break clays with anything, even a fishing rod and a weight. It’s pretty amazing.