I started hunting as a means to an end.  I had no longing or any real desire to carrying a gun and shooting at some wild animal or bird.  That would probably entail having to go to the bathroom at some point and I don’t do outhouses or au “naturalle” in the woods.  It’s flush toilets for me.  I was once called the “Queen of hold it”.  “Hunting” conjured up images of smelly men dressed in camouflage sitting in the woods waiting for a victim to come within scope range.  My ex-husband had once told me that deer hunters would spray deer urine on them to mask their own scent.  NOT ME!  So after the divorce and when I started dating my future husband, who is an avid upland game bird hunter, I began to rethink my earlier opinion of hunting. 

I showed an interest to learning to hunt for purely selfish reasons.  I wanted to spend more time with Mitch.  When we started dating, I was obsessed.  I was insecure about our relationship, and figured that the more time I spent with him, the more he would see what a “fine catch” I was.  Dumb, huh? 

I think Mitch was skeptical, but never really said anything, he just threw himself totally into the task of teaching me to wing shoot with a shotgun, to walk in the field carrying my gun and be completely outfitted. 

The high point after the first trip when I all carried was a camera was being there with Mitch from the first bird killed to the long drive home.  I wasn’t hooked yet, but I was getting there.  After ten years of going hunting with Mitch, I think that when we’re there together, we truly are a team.