You Must Be Present To Win

“Hunting is a contest that you must be present to win.”

Wise words from Stacy Frazier, a local taxidermist in my hometown. As a matter of fact, being present is the only way to win.

I went to check a trail camera the other day and discovered I had some pictures of a nice deer 15 yards directly in front of my stand the morning before. I’m pretty sure if I would have been there, I could have sent my Rage broadhead flying, and by now I’d probably have some deer sausage ready to pick up at the processor.

But I wasn’t there that day, and hunting is a contest where you must be present to win.

I can prove this logic. Think of all the best hunters you know. Now, what is the one thing they all have in common?

A big lease, fancy equipment, the latest scent elimination technology?

No.

I’m willing to bet the common denominator between all the good hunters you know is time on the stand. And a whole lot of it.

Even scouting can take away from hunting time if you’re not careful. I know many times I’ve climbed down a little early to do a little scouting before calling it quits for the morning.

That in itself isn’t a bad thing, but what if I had all those 30 minutes here and 15 minutes there back?

Over a hunting season it would add up to hours and hours of more hunting, and in all likelihood some more deer burger in the deep freezer.

Flip to any hunting show on the Outdoor Channel and they are quick to tell you how to scout, what to buy and how to dress.

Rarely will someone say to hunt as often as you can and for as long as you can, if you really want to be successful.

Nope, that advice doesn’t help sell hunting products in the slightest. Truth is the fast-paced world has taught all of us, even hunters, to go fast, spend big and don’t slow down for anything.

We need to do things the way our grandfathers did and get back to long sits in the woods because we have no where better to be and nothing better to do.

Hunting is a contest that you must be present to win.

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