On Dec. 31, 2011 I realized one of my worst mistakes ever.
After spending my hunting season chasing whitetail deer through the rolling hills of the Palouse, introducing new people into my favorite pastime and catering to each of these new hunting friends’ rookie needs, I sat on the edge of my bed looking at what was left of my season.
Neatly folded and pressed from their year-long stay at the bottom of my hunting pack was a handful of laminated paper. Un-punched and lacking all the usual signs of success: dirt, heavy wrinkles and bloody fingerprints, were my hunting tags. Except for my deer tag, they were all as fresh as the day they warmly touched my hands seconds from the Idaho Fish and Game printer.
I felt a pang in the bottom of my gut.
As I thought back through the season I could honestly think of no time I had as much fun and success as 2011. I established connections with landowners that provided my friends and me access to more private land than ever. I was able to introduce several new people to the world of hunting and even rekindle the love of hunting in some that had given it up.
But as I thought through all of these accomplishments trying to make myself feel better, the tags started to feel heavier in my hands. I looked down at them and said aloud, “Next year I’ll fill them all.” With that I grabbed a handful of thumb tacks and pinned each tag to the wall. A visual reminder that I thought would inspire me.
They have been glaring at me since that day.
They are the topic of any new conversation — people always asking what they are and why they are on the wall. Each time the tags force me to explain my failures of the previous year. The tags at times seem to mock me, waving in the breeze from the window or catching the sun to shine a reflection on my face.
But their shame-driven influence is coming to an end.
My first shot at retribution will be Sunday. The simultaneous start of the turkey and bear seasons marks the official opening of big game hunting in Idaho. While each of these species will require a different game plan, the recent change in the weather should get each active and visible for opening day.
If you join me in the pursuit of either species, I strongly recommend a quick review of the Idaho Fish and Game Big Game Rules, as each species has various things to pay attention to. If you plan on baiting your bear this season, I would read the regulations like a textbook. While baiting is a great way to hunt for bears, there is a fairly complicated list of regulations. Just be sure to understand which units your hunt will be taking place in to avoid placing any bait where it’s prohibited.
The beginning of hunting season means I will finally be able to start taking my revenge on the months of agony last season’s tags have weighed on me, and my revenge will be sweet.
Michael French can be reached at [email protected]