Undoubtedly, all of you reading this article have found uncertainty as it relates to your health, employment, investments, or travel plans this year. It has been one for the books. Whether it has made you sew your own face mask or purchase another AR-15, it has made you think twice about your choices and what you should expect for a normal life in the future.
Surprising to some, most state draws conducted this year have seen an increase in overall applications! While dedicated applicants hoped to see better odds with the pandemic weighing down over most of the industry, it did not play out this way. It is my opinion that as uncertainty weighs down on families and providers, hunting becomes more appealing as a great way to provide not only meat for the table, but an escape from the chaotic world of news media, social media, and rumors. For this reason, I think we saw even more hunters flooding the state draws this year. It has never been more difficult to beat the odds of drawing a limited-entry permit. The team here at Huntin’ Fool has been dedicated to staying connected to our membership to answer questions, emails, and submit applications on your behalf. We feel blessed to be able to live in rural Southern Utah and to work remotely when necessary.
One of my highlights this summer has been to relive the moments from last year’s Dall sheep season in Alaska on our Hunt Advisor videos that Brady Harang, our Media Producer, has recently published. These Dall sheep hunts are special to me, and I am grateful that I was able to share the scenery and emotions of these sheep hunts with all of you.
When cancellations and tough times suppress our everyday lives, we are inclined to turn back to the basics of God, family, country, and the pursuit of joy! Luckily, hunters can find all of those basics in our sport of hunting when conducted properly. I encourage each of you to consider a hunt or trip this year that you haven’t planned on taking. Take your family, a friend, or a distant relative and get out this fall. It may seem impossible to find a constant to rely on this year, but I promise you that your time spent in the field will help you connect to the true constants in life.
Let us cast our differences aside, stand up for what we believe in, and help one another as a hunting community. Time is short, and memories are best created now!