Hunting: a popular pastime in our small community

Rylee Sinden, Staff Writer

As dried leaves crackle underfoot and autumn winds blow through the colorful woods, the hearts of hunters everywhere race with excitement. Concord is filled with avid hunters willing to share their experiences.  

Sophomore, Carter Arbuckle, started hunting at age five and shot his first deer when he was only six. Despite what some think, there is more to hunting than just shooting a deer. To prepare for an upcoming hunting season, Arbuckle says, “I shoot my bow everyday and put out trail cameras on our property.” Hunting is a complicated but enjoyable experience. His favorite time to go out hunting is a fall evening. The hardest part about hunting for Carter is “going out every time and not seeing your target animal.”  When asked why he enjoys hunting, Arbuckle says, “I enjoy how quiet it is so I can collect all my thoughts, and I like to see all the deer.” This year, he shot a big eight point that he had been targeting and a doe. As far as supplies, he uses scent killer, camo, bow or gun (depending on the season), tree harness, grunt call, and waterproof boots. For bow season, he uses a compound bow. For gun season, he uses a 450 Bushmaster and a 12 gauge.

Arbuckle shares his most recent hunting experience: “A buck came down a big hill and he goes through making some scrapes. He comes to about twenty yards and then I pulled back my bow and hit him. He didn’t even know what hit him.” The last thing he adds is, “I really enjoy spending time with my family after shooting a deer and celebrating that.” Arbuckle thoroughly enjoys hunting and plans to continue in the future. “It’s not about going out there and killing an animal every time. For me, just going in the woods recalibrates my mind and I can just be myself.”

Sophomore Ella Woolworth shares her experiences. “My favorite part about hunting is getting to enjoy the beautiful nature around me and getting the opportunity to hunt deer.” The hardest part about hunting for her is setting up for the hunt. Many supplies are needed for a hunt. The supplies Woolworth uses is scent lock clothing, a bow or gun, nose jammer, grunt calls, and black rack. She started hunting at a very young age. “The first time I went out with my dad was when I was about two. I shot my first deer when I was about eight.” She also enjoys “being able to sit in the peaceful woods.”

Woolworth hit a ten point buck earlier this bow season. “It came in following a doe. Then, came into eighteen yards and gave me a perfect shot.” The weather and season can affect most hunters. She enjoys both fall and winter. “I like fall because it’s warmer and winter because it’s easier to track the deer.” The biggest deer she ever shot was a 132-inch nine point. She hunts from both a tree stand and a shack, but shot her deer from a shack. Hunting also requires a lot of preparation for an upcoming season. To prepare, Ella makes sure to check all tree stands and blinds, plant food plots, and practice shooting. Woolworth uses both a crossbow and a 350 Legend. Gun season is her favorite. Hunting is one of Ella’s favorite hobbies, and she is excited for the upcoming gun season. 

Mr. Buck is also one of our hunters at Concord. He explains his favorite part about hunting: “I love being out in nature and experiencing God through nature.” He has been hunting for twenty-five years.  The hardest part about hunting for Mr. Buck is “sitting still and not being noticed by deer.” As a hunter of 25 years, his biggest deer was a nine point and a 120 class. Time of day also affects hunters everywhere. “My favorite time to go out is in the evening.” Late fall is his favorite season to go out but, in his opinion, early winter is the best time to see deer. To get ready for a season, Mr. Buck says “I always sight in my weapons, go look for signs of deer in the woods, make sure my shooting lanes are clear, and sometimes put up cameras.” Hunters use many different types of bows or guns. Mr. Buck uses a crossbow and a 450 Mossberg. He also enjoys hunting from both a tree stand and a blind, depending if he is hunting with someone or by himself.

Buck describes when he shot his deer. “I was sitting in a tree stand watching a few younger deer play with each other. Then, they all of a sudden ran off so I knew there was another bigger deer nearby and I started searching for him while making as little movement as possible. Once I located him, he was to my left. I was looking at him through the scope of my crossbow, assessing if he was big enough to shoot or not. Once he turned his head, I could see he was big enough to shoot. So I steadied my nerves, put the cross hairs on his vitals, and pulled the trigger. It was a perfect shot.”

Hunting is loved by many people all over the world. There are many hunters here at Concord. If you are looking for a new hobby, hunting might be a new and fun experience for you.