More Than Hunting

“The Lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.” -Proverbs 12:27 

Hunting wasn’t something that I learned as I got older. From the time I was able to put one foot in front of the other and sing my ABC's, I was always digging in the dirt and fishing with a cork and minnow in my Grandpa’s pond. I was born into this way of life, and thank the Lord I was. 

Here at Just One, not everyone was as lucky as I was to grow up knee-deep in the mud and sticks, covered in ticks and chiggers in Missouri’s finest creeks and streams. As a matter of fact, a lot of us started later in life. Although, we all understand the sheer awe-striking beauty we get to be a part of for even a fleeting second every single time a boot touches a dry white oak leaf on a cool fall morning, or of two young bucks sparring or even a simple squirrel trying to figure out what we are doing in his house that day and barking at us to get out. 

Some would call us flat out obsessed, others would call us crazy for wanting to sit out and wait on a brown animal to walk under a tree for us to take a comfortable and ethical shot in all types of weather. Although, I think that everyone in this group would tell you one thing- it’s not an obsession, this is our way of life and we will own it and all of its flaws every step of the way. 

Let me paint you a picture- you have put hours and hours into something, whether that be your truck, job, or anything. You have a certain position in mind, or a certain modification that you may want to make, and it takes you months and months to get there. We have that feeling every time we harvest an animal. Just this day on which this is being written, myself and one of the co-owners of this amazing group, Austin Reinold, spent 4 hours and 5 miles pushing ourselves on a hot July day scouting for whitetail on public land to gather intel for the up-coming season, and boy was it worth it. Along with us both being avid outdoorsmen and good friends, we also share a similar outlook; the woods is where we feel the most ourselves. It’s a place where we can go to get away from the struggles of life, reflect on the future and past, swap stories, and just grow as men. 

Moral of this whole story is that hunting isn’t simply about the hunt, it’s about who it makes us. The respect and love that Outdoorsmen have for wildlife and every single creature in it, I would personally argue, is second to none. Doing this isn’t about the kill, it’s what gives us the chance to get away from life for a fleeting minute and also gives us a chance to come home as better men for our families. 

This is who we are, and we will stand by it. 

-Deegan Brake, Just One Team Member