Up In The Hills

Many of life’s milestones can be measured outdoors. One that has been lingering in my mind for the past several springs has been physical fitness; not pursuing a certain physique, but a strong, healthy body that allows me to hunt to my fullest potential. Last year I was just starting to tolerate any sort of weight on my shoulders; the two springs prior to that, I couldn’t even fathom the idea of carrying a backpack without experiencing excruciating pain – in fact, even hiking off trail caused jarring pain.

The fact that this spring we are already hitting up the hills behind our cabin, hiking along melted off south-facing slopes and trudging through deep snow-filled gullies is a mental boost that we can often forget that we need while cooped up during the darkness of winter. These hikes are followed by more plans of longer, more strenuous ones as a way of training for the fall hunting season; that is no longer something that is taken for granted. Be it chasing mule deer along the ridges that line the lakes in the region, or heading up into the mountains after a goat, the anticipation is building with each and every outing.

 

Growing up as a kid, I was always told to appreciate the simple things in life. Admittedly, that’s something that I would somewhat brush aside until I was faced with the fact that very simple things became incredibly difficult; I would imagine this resonates with anyone who has been in the same boat of your body no longer co-operating in the way it once did.

I predict that every weekend forward (except for those days where fishing is on the agenda, of course) will be spent up in the hills, working towards becoming the better version of myself so that I can tackle whatever hunting season throws my way. It’s a place that’s good for the body, good for the mind and good for the spirit.