Page 15 - OSCSCI Safari Trailst

Finally, as the sun started to leaving the decision up to me. I
Junior Division Boy
Grade: 8 Teacher: Matthew Belicek My dad gave me
Age: 13 School: Weleetka PS
Hunting: Sharing the
Heritage :
..(Continued)
My dad, however, was the pic-
ture of calm. He watched the
forest with a quiet, almost rev- something shifted inside me.
erent patience that fascinated
me. This was the same man
who, in everyday life, was al-
ways bustling around, fixing
things, organizing, constantly in
motion. Here, though, he was
different. Hunting, I realized,
brought out a quiet side of him
that I hadn’t seen before.
rise higher, casting the forest in
golden light, my dad nudged my
arm and nodded ahead. I fol-
lowed his gaze and felt my
breath catch. About a hundred
yards away, almost blending in
with the shadows, stood a deer.
It was beautiful—its coat a rich,
tawny brown, its eyes bright
and alert as it grazed quietly.
The sight of it filled me with an
almost electric thrill, a mix of
excitement, awe, and some-
thing I couldn’t
quite put
my finger
on.
a reassuring
nod, reminding
me of everything
we’d practiced. I lifted my rifle,
settling it against my shoulder,
and peered through the scope.
The deer was right there, clear
and close in my sights. My fin-
ger hovered on the trigger, and
I took a deep, steadying breath.
But as I looked at the animal,
The deer wasn’t just a target—it
was a living creature, oblivious
to my presence, peaceful in a
way I couldn’t describe.
I glanced at my dad, searching
for guidance, but he simply
watched me, his expression un-
readable. I could tell he was
looked back through the scope,
my finger still hovering on the
trigger, and felt a wave of hesi-
tation. I thought about the sto-
ries he’d told me of respecting
the hunt, of the importance of
only taking what you needed, of
the unspoken agreement be-
tween the hunter and the hunt-
ed.
In that moment, I knew I wasn’t
ready. The thrill I had imagined
didn’t match the reality before
me. I slowly lowered the rifle,
letting out a breath I hadn’t real-
ized I’d been holding. My dad
didn’t say a word, but he placed
a hand on my shoulder, giving it
a gentle squeeze. There was
no disappointment in his eyes,
only understanding.
The deer, unaware of how
close it had come to danger,
lifted its head, ears twitching. It
stood there for a moment, al-
most as if acknowledging us,
before it turned and bounded
off into the trees, vanishing as
quickly as it had appeared.
…(To Be Continued) ….