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There’s a certain level of drive when your stomach is growling, and you’re ready to eat whatever comes your way. It doesn’t matter how unhealthy it is or how bad it will taste—it’s getting eaten.
The drive to find the next meal becomes all-consuming. It steers your body to make decisions that achieve the goal of fueling both mind and body. It has total control.
Once the body receives the fuel, the mind becomes clear. Thoughts become more rational and sympathetic. You’re back to yourself because you’ve had your “Snickers.”
The beginning of hunting season is no different. Whether you’re providing for yourself or your family, the freezer might be looking bleak, and the pang of not having fresh wild game lingers in the back of your mind.
For those of us who live in areas with a variety of over-the-counter tags and a desire to fill the freezer, this usually means one thing: the first legal animal I see is going in my freezer. This is often paired with the thought, “You can’t eat the horns.” As the season progresses, motivation may drop due to the mentality of, “Well, I already have something in the freezer,” which internally means you’ve accepted coming up short of your arbitrary goals. And just like that, the hunger subsides.
This approach is fine for those of us prioritizing the practical side of hunting—providing over killing big, mature males. Trophy hunting? Sure, but if your goal is to eventually hang something on the wall and fill the freezer, a shift in priorities may be in order.
I will say this: if you’re not desperate for meat and are looking for something to hang on the wall, consider waiting. If there are options for multiple tags, chances are there’s no shortage of animals in your area, and therefore no shortage of chances to fill your freezer with whatever legal game becomes available as the season dwindles.
With all this in mind, consider your priorities this year. Will it be another year of “Nothing on the wall, but the freezer is full,” or are you ready to have some patience, put in the work, and let the hunger pangs fuel the desire to go big? Stay Hungry my friends.