Failure and the Measure of a True Hunter
If you've spent any time in the whitetail woods, you understand the emotional toll a missed opportunity can inflict on a hunter. But the true weight isn't in the miss, it's in the intent. We spend the summer tirelessly tuning our bows and practicing diligently for that one moment. Yet, the decision to send an arrow down range with the intent of taking an animal’s life is a commitment I do not take lightly. It is a profoundly final act that demands more than just skill; it requires absolute moral seriousness. This is not a game; it is an exchange of life for sustenance, and the animal deserves an accurate, clean, and ethical end. The hunter’s ultimate responsibility is to honor that life by ensuring the utmost respect; anything less is a failure of character and ethics. When that commitment is broken, when a poorly placed shot wounds an animal, the resulting self-doubt forces the well-meaning hunter to question everything. In my thirty years of whitetail hunting, I have h...