I believe that everyone has their own way of escaping the pressures and stress of everyday life. For some people it is music, for others it is kicking back in front of the TV with a bowl of popcorn, and for others it is hitting the ski slopes after a big storm has left silvery white powder all over the mountain. Each person has a place or thing that helps them to unwind, something they look forward to after a long day, week, or month of work. For me, it is hiking through the hills around my home. I enjoy the nature all around me. I like to discover new areas and explore well known areas for things that are new to me. I like to look for wildlife, especially deer and to scout for bucks that I have seen for years. They are like friends that I get to see for a few short months every year. The best part though, is finding their sheds and comparing the new growth from the year before. There is nothing better than to be walking around and look down and see a huge rack right in front of me. I study their habits and trails. I read books, watch documentaries, search the web, anything to learn more about bucks and their sheds.

I always do my best to obey the laws of our land and respect the animals and plants and water. It makes me angry when I see others that are disrespectful of those things that I enjoy. It makes me mad when I see people harassing the deer and not allowing them to live safe and sound. Sometimes I find dead bucks that have had their horns shot off. Sometimes I find litter on the ground. Sometimes I see people in off-road vehicles where they shouldn’t be.

I hope that people will come to respect the land and the animals that live there, so that there will always have a place where we can all find a place to retreat.