The Old Christmas Tree- The Importance of being an Outdoor Mentor

By John Simeone

Winner of the 2006 Excellence in Craft Award for Short Feature Story, Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association

The idea of being an Outdoor Mentor is not something we study for. It is the natural gift that goes along with being a good father and a good steward to the “Spirit of the Wild.” ….Uncle John

There is a wild Christmas Tree I know about way out in the woods that never an ornament will grace, but it reflects the spirit of the season never the less. It doesn’t grow as straight as the rest of the trees in the forest, because this big buck visits it periodically rubbing his antlers on the course bark. This would seem to be decoration enough, however. When I visit the tree, and point it out to a new young hunter, there is an inner excitement in knowing that such a great and powerful animal has displayed his strength telling all the brief visitors here that he is the king of the forest.

The young hunter’s eyes sparkled in the cold crisp December morning straining in anticipation of a glimpse of such a free and wild creature. I explain that such a Buck is very elusive, and wild with the knowledge of hunters. This is his living room, where he knows every intruder at the slightest sent or sound. He can blend into the landscape, outrun the swiftest hounds. He can low crawl like a soldier right past your stand 25 yards away and never make a sound, or hear you whisper three hundred yards away. You can tell by his tracks how much bigger he is than the other deer, and if you look real close where he rubbed his antlers on this tree, you can tell how wide the spread is. This is a big one see here, maybe twenty inches or more. And here, on this bush is where he strengthened his neck muscles to better fight off the young bucks in his territory, it’s like his own personal gym, something to be respected.

“Do you think I will ever get a buck like that?” Uncle John. “Maybe, perhaps, if you try hard enough, and stick with it, which goes for a lot of things if you just think about it.” “One thing for sure, if you give up, you will never know.” Of course you can go on a guided hunt in Texas, and with enough money you can bring home a buck like this, but he won’t be as wild and elusive, just easy. All the money in the world won’t bring that smart, old Buck out of that pine thicket. Think about it.

The boy did think about it, because this is a thinking place. Not broken and distorted by influences outside this lesson, he found himself immersed in pure thought, pondering out all the related possibilities. And so goes the legacy of “Pass it on.”

Perhaps this buck rubbing on the old cedar tree may have inspired this youngster on to bigger and better things, when it comes to realizing that difficult endeavors require extra effort. The lesson is simple, “Set your goals high.”

Another lesson we learn quickly is that we are care takers to this great land we call a sportsman’s paradise. The young ones learn while the elders pass on experiences that are never forgotten. It is here we as the elder hunters must set a good example. The kids love the stories, the lessons, the tips and you can be sure they will talk about their times afield with their friends. There are no generation gaps in the outdoors.

We never forget the old hunters that taught us the ways of the wild. Even if they have passed, their spirits live on in tales around the campfire, or in remembrance of coming home from the hill. Ted Nugent said it right in the Fed Bear Song “In the wind they are still alive.” As we stopped to reflect the beauty of the sunset, no words were required as a flight of wild geese passing over the horizon lent a distant call, reminding us that there is something much greater than we are overseeing us in this wonderful time of the year. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.   PASS IT ON

About John Simeone- John was instrumental in the legalization of the crossbow when he wrote a fact finding mission for Senator John Smith of Vernon parish, which led to the crossbow inclusion for all hunters in 2008. Most recently John took up the cause of handicapped hunters with “The Way Outfitters” as their outdoor writer.   Learn More About John Simeone