CARTER FAMILY TRADITION

Carter Family Tradition

It was about a month before Chris Carter’s 12 birthday when his father dropped him off at his Granddads' lakeside house. All the cousins loved this house not because of the lake and the beauty and how their great grandfather won it in a card game with the KKK, no they all loved Craig Carter or pop pop’s house because of the inside! 100% modern! High speed 5G WiFi latest Apple and Droid products games, high tech night vision drones you name it. In fact Carter used his grandchildren 16 from years old down for research and instruction. His grandchildren don’t understand why this company would give this crazy old man all this cool stuff that he needs his grandchildren to explain to him? Chris’s father and uncles and aunts try to explain that granddad is valuable because he survived stuff and studies people now. "Then why is he not rich?" The cousins all usually ask, "he has millions of dollars worth of stuff he can’t sell!" the younger ones say. The older cousins just smile and nod. So, when Chris’s father Craig Jr. told him he was going to Pop-pop’s he figured he could download some things and make some upgrades to his phone maybe make some videos or whatever new gadgets he could explain to Pop-pop. Imagine his surprise when they pull up and Pops is dressed like Crocodile Dundee, Rambo, and Apache all in one.

????????He was sent straight upstairs to change into his gear which was like his grandfather's complete with gloves, scarves, two knives flint and a Remington 700 bolt action rifle with ammo. Chris’s Dad helped him with the gear and ignored all his sons’ mile a minute questioning with a knowing smile. “Bird!”, the Senior Carter yelled upstairs, “we got a schedule to keep!” They packed up Pop-pop’s pickup truck said their goodbye’s and hit the road. Pop-pop had a small game cabin about 2 hours into the woods used for cleaning game, a place to fix something to eat, rest, clean weapons and gear. But not today. Today the Carter men son and grandfather would be parking the truck at the cabin keeping one satellite phone for emergencies a hiking 5 hours into the woods. No GPS – when Pop-pop was in the Army he said, we learned land navigation using a compass and counting our paces. They would hunt small game at first and on the way back to the cabin they would hunt a deer. This trip is a Carter family tradition which you will pass on to your children and grandchildren like I have done with your father, Bird, your aunt, Chipmunk your uncle, Bear and your Big brother Moose and your oldest cousin. Chris asked his grandfather what the animal names meant and why nobody talks about this secret family trip. Pop-pop ignored his questions and asked him to stop talking and to use his five senses – smell, smell the air as we walk notice the sweet and sour smell of the living forest. Things decaying, things being born, all contribute to the woods and tell a story he said. Sight – see far away over the hills and valley see the tiny ants working on the leaf. Hear your footsteps and quiet them he said. The moccasin style boots allow for safety and silence while hunting. Listen to the “screams” of the forest he Pop-pop told him figure out what they mean as we walk in silence and remember or write down your questions. It was becoming clear to young Chris what this trip was and he was half scared half excited. Taste the air as we walk, it is connected to your smell. Feel everything he told his grandson. Feel the change in the air as we walk, it gets warmer in some spots and cooler in others. What is the forest telling you????

They walked silently and stopped for rest breaks where they would talk Socratic style. Answers given in question form and encouragement to ask deeper questions. After about 4 hours of hiking, while the sun was strong, they stopped to set up camp. Pop-pop explained how to scope out a good camp spot. How to use terrain to your advantage. The tent would be set up here, why? Because it’s on an elevation and this will help with runoff and keeping our gear dry. Why do we place the fire here? Chris was a sponge and his grandfather noticed that familial spark which was ignited in his young grandson under the bright stars in this wilderness. As they sat at a perfectly constructed fire, which Chris made himself they ate MRE’s (meals ready to eat) and practiced weapons maintenance and safety. Tomorrow they would hunt small game and meant that they would rise with the sun. They cleaned up the fire site and headed to their tent where they meditated and went to sleep. First night and hike successful.

The Carter’s woke up after a good night’s sleep, cleaned up quickly and put on their gear. Craig Sr. Aka Wolf grabbed his bow and the younger Carter brought his Remington. His grandfather explained that the bow was for the rabbit and the rifle was because all animals hunt and many animals are bigger stronger and faster than humans. We have Rifles to balance the power. While they were hiking in Pop-pop saw a place he thought rabbits might be out early. He explained to his grandson that the rich vegetation and natural rocky area before it made for a rich hunting area because small game would come here for food and safety. As they settled in their respective spots and got quiet...rabbits began to appear. The sun was just rising in the east and they were facing eastward. Just as Pop-pop had a rabbit in his sight, out of nowhere a Huge, beautiful hawk swept down with two stretched out claws and struck the rabbit locking on and riding the hare like a rodeo show. It was amazing to Chris the size of the hawk and the rabbit. The rabbit was bigger than the hawk! The hawk was way stronger and rode the rabbit for several yards before ripping and pulling at its throat killing it quickly. While the hawk was riding the rabbit, Craig Sr. reached into his inside pocket and gave Chris a small bottle, grabbed his weapon, and told him to drink it quickly.

Chris coughed hard and his eyes fluttered and rolled in his head. When he opened his eyes, something strange had occurred. Chris was now seeing through the eyes of the hawk. As he watched the Hawk, he saw it rip the rabbit’s flesh and its fur turn crimson red. After the hawk had eaten it’s full share, she ripped a chunk of meat from the rabbit and flew off. Chris, sitting with his grandfather, flew with the hawk and saw what the hawk saw. He watched as the hawk took the hunk of rabbit meat to her nest. He watched as her three screaming baby hawks ate as if to save their very lives.

Chris and his Pop-pop walked back to their camp in silence. They didn’t eat rabbit but instead settled for sardines bread and a warm fire. Chris Carter had gone through an ancient tribal experience at barely 12 years old. His grandfather asked him, as they sat around the camp fire, what he learned from the hawk and the rabbit. After a long pause, Chris replied, “nature is cruel and nature is love, and sometimes cruelty is love.” His grandfather listened nodded his head, pulled on his salt and pepper beard and said, “Hawk welcome to adulthood in the Carter family. Hawk is your animal spirit, and she will guide you, and she will live in you, remember her lessons as you go through life. The Carters stayed out in the woods for 2 more days and as planned they took a beautiful doe on the hike back to the cabin. Chris learned tried and true techniques of hunting and fishing. He learned of the interdependent nature of all things living and where human beings fit into this nature. When his father picked him up at Pop-pops house he immediately noticed a change in his son. It was as if he had aged 3 years in 4 days. “Wolf! what did you do to my son?” Craig junior laughed with his dad. “Bird, I would like you reintroduce you to your son, Hawk. They all laughed and smiled knowingly. The Carter Family Tradition.????

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