Hand In Hand

[tha bugman]

I enjoy being a dad, anyone that has known me for very long can tell you that.  At times it is a struggle to keep things in perspective, a balance between what is important and those, in the grand scheme of things, that are not.  But regardless even on the toughest days, I love being with my family.

To my dad and I, spring was always special.  We loved being outside together, listening, calling, scouting.  I know that many of you have had the same times with someone like this, and you hold these memories close.   

I was 5 years old when my daddy first took me turkey hunting. Holding his rough hand as we walked down the abandoned logging road that bordered the old beaver pond. That moment was and is so vivid and special I have relived it in my mind thousands of times since.

This year marks the 7th season without my dad's presence in my life.  I don't know why but every year seems harder as this stream of life carries me further and further away from "what used to be".  It's tough because it's like moving on and leaving him alone in abandonment. In my mind's eye I look over my shoulder and see him standing there, an arm stretched waving goodbye and the vision of him  fainter as the past grows dark.  I raise my hand in return only to realize he has faded away, gone.  The roar of time deafening my ears.

My son, who recently turned 5, asked me if he could go listening with me this past Saturday. This would be his second time to go.  His first was last year and it was laden with frustration on my part because of the constant chatter from the back seat.  This distraction was a combination of laughter and bickering between he and his sister in the truck.  I could not hear anything and my anger got the best of me once again.  "Ya'll be quiet, I can't hear a dang thing!" There was only a short breath of silence to take in the vain threat, before the tumult would begin again.  So on this most recent request I was not expecting much, other than a quick trip to the woods with multiple stillness shattering demands to go home before deathly cold and hunger over took him.  But none the less into the darkness we charged.

We arrived at our spot the next morning in the misty  swamp.  Prior to getting out of the truck I reminded everyone (including myself) that there would be no talking.  We were to get out of the vehicle, proceed out through the wood, minding not to talk nor trying to break the Guinness world record for number of sticks broken in a 100 yard distance.  "Yes sir!" he said and snapped a quick salute to his forehead.

We exited the vehicle and began our trek down the moonlit path.  As we walked I felt him take my hand and wrap his fingers around mine. They had been cooled by the morning air and together clasped we warmed each others.  Over logs and around water we slipped with efforts so quiet and sleek we would make a lion's stalk proud. 

After a short walk, we were there, both standing at the listening spot that I had stood countless times before, alone, long before I could even imagine fatherhood, now I stood with my son side by side as my dad and I had once been.  In the breaking of the new day, motionless, our ears strained to hear a faint gobble over distant owls perched in lonely oaks, when gently the little hand at my side tugged and whispered ever so softly in the inky light... "daddy this is awesome!"

Time is such a special commodity that should not be wasted.  Spend it wisely.  Hold on to every moment.  Pass it on.

God bless and good luck to everyone this season.

May your moments be rich and everlasting.

[BrowningGuy88]

Those are the good times!

[Ozarks Hillbilly]

That's the good stuff

[Muzzy61]

Thanks for sharing and helping to keep things in perspective. My dad didn't hunt and i didn't start until a friends dad took me in my late teens. I now have a 3 year old grandson and can't wait to start making memories with him in the turkey woods.

[Ridge]

I don't have a child, but that is awesome! I can only imagine how that must feel.

[zelmo1]

If I can call in a nice tom with a call I made for my daughter, that would be the cherry on top of a great life. That is a moment you will never forget brother

[ILHUNTER]

Awesome read.  I cherish every moment my boy and I get to hunt together also

[HFultzjr]

To me, that is a very cherished moment. Enjoy them, they grow up real fast. A morning like that rivals any morning I've been alone and bagged a gobbler.

[Ozark Ridge Runner]

I can remember taking my daughter with me.  She was 7 at the time and the giant hill that we needed to climb was hard for her and she needed a helping hand from dad.  It was a wet morning and it took a while to get our target fired up.  Eventually I get the gobbler coming when the announcement is made "Dad , I have to go potty."  Well we drop rack over the ridge to tend to the problem at hand then I figure we'll give that Turkey a little movement to the call.  We move about 80 yards down the line and set up in front of another big oak.  One call and the gobbler answers EXACTLY from out previous calling position.  We ended up carrying that guy out of there which is nothing less than a miracle.  That 7 year old is now a pediatric anesthetiologist.  A cherished memory for sure.

[Haypatch]

GREAT POST! We Definitely need reminding of the important stuff every so often!

Tried to get my little man to join me Saturday to listen but his response was " You find them Daddy and I'll shoot them" LOL
I did let him sleep in Saturday but we had a nice chat about it not just being about the kill and used the opportunity to have a nice discussion about what chasing turkeys means to me and the scouting and footwork is what makes the kills rewarding.

[dublelung]

Those are certainly the good times! There's no better time spent than with a child or grand child. It's hard to not get frustrated at them when they're arguing with a sibling or makes noises that irritate us but they grow up so fast, and then the opportunity is gone. I've got a 2.5 year old grandson that's going to be a handful but I can't wait for the good times ahead with him. He already loves checking the game cameras and "helping" me trap coyotes.

[Rzrbac]

That is such a great read. My Dad didn't hunt so my grandpa took me. Hunting with grandpa was not like your experience with your dad. We went our separate ways when we got out of the truck but it was still a great time. Since then I became a father and have got to take my son.  Helped him kill his first deer with a gun and a bow and also his first turkey. He's now 20 and wants to do it all on his own. I hunt by myself as it seems like I have more memories hunting alone than I do with my son or my grandpa.  There's an occasional hunt with a friend but most of the time by myself.

That brought back some good memories and reminded me of James 4:14. Thanks, I needed that.

[Bucktale]

Great post. I've taken my son and and occasionally my daughter hunting since they could walk. They're now 26 and 24. I've spent a lot of time in my life hunting and by far the best memories are taking them. Some of the best were times when shots were missed or other screw ups with my son. We laugh about them often. I could tell stories for hours....

[blake_08]

Awesome read! I'm the daddy of 3 little boys myself. Ages 5.5, 4, and 10 months. I can't wait to start getting them out in the woods and sharing lifelong memories with them. I don't know how in the world i'm going to take all of them when they're all old enough to go, but i'm ready to try it. I'm sure i'll figure something out. Thanks for the read.

[tha bugman]

Awesome read! I'm the daddy of 3 little boys myself. Ages 5.5, 4, and 10 months. I can't wait to start getting them out in the woods and sharing lifelong memories with them. I don't know how in the world i'm going to take all of them when they're all old enough to go, but i'm ready to try it. I'm sure i'll figure something out. Thanks for the read.

ha! and I thought I had my hands full!  Good times are definitely headed your way!