Kneel, and Thank the Lord!

I’ve been away a couple of days on an antelope (American pronghorn) hunt with my son Monty, a GREAT day in Montana’s beautiful Centennial Valley, at near 7,000 feet, just north and west of Yellowstone Park. You’re allowed to hunt 30 minutes before sun-up and I harvested the pictured about ten minutes into the season. We hunted the rest of the day so Monty could fill his freezer but weren’t so lucky. He let me have that first shot as I’m leaving for winter digs and he has the rest of the season. Far more important than the hunting was spending the day with my son, and part of it with my beautiful wife. Kat goes along and spends her day in a quiet motel room working away on her latest novel without being interrupted by someone banging on the door or calling on the house phone. And, we get to have a great supper tohether in one of Montana’s few remaining REAL cowboy towns, Dillon. On the return there was a “Hunters Please Stop” station administered by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, where we stopped and reported where, when, and had the animal checked over by the officer. This is done so that agency can continue to monitor Montana’s herds and set criteria for next year’s season. Responsible, legal, hunters are happy to help provide this info. Any time you harvest one of God's beautiful creature, kneel and thank Him and the animal. I’m re-upping the following as I know many out there are anti-hunting, and much of that logic is misplaced:

If you’re anti-hunting I’d like you to consider a few relevant things. I eat what I harvest, and am happy it’s free of all the junk shot into and fed to domestic animals. Nothing dies of natural causes in the wild, even the ferocious grizzly bear eventually gets old and is killed and eaten by??a pack of wolves or a cougar, or another bear. Unless he’s hit by a train or auto then most likely is eaten by scavengers.??Hunters do their best to harvest that big animal with the huge horns…big because he’s fully mature and likely on the downhill slide. Every firearm and all ammo sold, and other outdoor gear, pays an 11% excise tax that, if the gov is not lying, goes to improve wildlife habitat. Hunter organizations like Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited and the Rocky Mountain Elk foundation (I’m a life member) and many, many more, do more for wildlife than all the environmental organizations combined. RMEF has protected nearly 7 million acres for wildlife—what they protect for elk protects everything from beetles to bison, canary’s to condors, not to speak of salamanders and snakes. RMEF has re-introduced elk into historic areas, eastern states, where they were common in 1850. When off season, RMEF members are in the field, working hard, taking down old barbwire fences that trap and painfully and slowly kill elk, deer, and other animals. And worse, and most hypocritical of all, those who scream the loudest about hunting go home to eat a hot dog, hamburger, or filet, and I guess think it grows in that package or Styrofoam tray. Or a chicken raised in a cage which is so small they can’t turn around. Oh, and by the way, those American hunters are the largest armed force on earth. When contemplating invading America, a Japanese admiral is credited to warn, “there’s a gun behind every blade of grass.” Please don’t condemn hunting unless you’re a vegan, and I’m not sure that carrot doesn’t cry out in pain when jerked from its home. It’s said here in Montana that vegan is an Indian word for poor-hunter. You are all entitled to your opinion in this great country of ours, but try to base your opinions on good logic.

God bless America and the bounty available to all of us. Hunt ethically and legally.