By: Gary Miller
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Outdoor Truths is a weekly sportsman's article that appears in newspapers and regional magazines across ten states in the South, and Midwest. It is a blend of observations and experiences that have come over time from being in God's great outdoors. These articles are written by Williams Custom Calls Pro Staffer, Gary Miller. Gary is an accomplished writer and now has a book avaliable. He and his family live in Northeastern Tenn. OUTDOOR TRUTHS October 9, 2006 I was determined to locate a good place to put my tree stand, away from any other hunter. I was hunting on private property but others hunt there as well. It’s large enough for several people, but I wanted to make sure that I was far off the beaten path. I was willing to climb, crawl, and creep until I had found my “promised land.” I loaded my lock-on tree stand and my stacking sticks on my back and headed up the mountain. The first 300 yards was almost straight up the hill, with an occasional bend. I knew that most hunters would be unwilling even to go to these extremes. But I was not satisfied. After a few more turns, I was standing in a “saddle” that was an obvious, deer travel, corridor. I studied the situation a few minutes. (I really just needed to rest) But after some soul-searching, I determined I needed to go a little farther, around the next hollow. I wanted to be sure that I would be alone. By now, my shirt was soaking wet and my legs were feeling the extra weight of the tree stand. I moved about 50 yards below a thicket, just above the crest of the hill. When I made it to the other side, I noticed a nice flat. I weaved my way through the mountain laurel until I reached the center of that small flat that was loaded with plenty of signs, of deer. I made it! I knew that I was at a place that no hunter had ever been. Heck, I doubt if even ole Daniel Boone himself had ever set foot on this virgin territory. I quickly located a perfect tree where my stand would go. I set the stand up, put the stacking sticks together, and strapped everything snuggly to the tree. I climbed up, looked around, and noticed an odd shape about 40 yards away. You guessed it……. another tree stand! I wished I had brought my chain saw! Sometimes in our lives we think that we too are at a place where no one has ever been. We think that we are alone in our situation or circumstance. We feel that nobody has ever faced the trouble we are now facing. The fact is, there is nothing new. Someone else has been where you’re at. But our consolation is not in the knowledge that someone else has walked in our shoes, but our consolation and comfort is in knowing that if we’ll look around, we’ll find the Lord has already been there, just waiting for us to arrive. Gary Miller |
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October 2, 2006 I had been in the stand only 15 minutes when the doe appeared. When she crossed the path that I came in on, she immediately smelled an unfamiliar odor. She followed it with her eyes to my tree stand. Now, she was at full alert, trying to bring into focus the blob that was in the tree. She moved to my left trying to wind me, but was unable to satisfy her curiosity until I had come to full draw. I landed, what I thought, was a good shot. It was a little high, but I was sure it did the job. Instead of a pass- through shot, the arrow stayed planted in her side. I knew this would present a few problems, but I was still confident. After nearly three hours, I left without finding the deer or even one spot of blood. My disappointment still haunts me: Not the disappointment that comes from a missed opportunity, but the kind that comes because shot deer are meant to be found, and are meant to supply food for the table. Otherwise, it’s a needless death. For nearly three hours I hunted for that one, lost, and wounded doe. I was not concerned with “spooking” a buck by rambling around, or in getting back into the stand to find another one. I was intent on finding the one that had strayed, and was now lost. It was more important to me, for her sake, to leave the others in order to find her. My heart was literally broken when I left unsuccessful. As I thought about this story that had played out, I was reminded of the story in the Bible about the lost sheep. That story tells about a shepherd who had 100 sheep. One of the little lambs became lost, and instead of staying with the 99 that were together, he went after the one that had gone astray. This was the illustration Jesus used to describe God’s desire, and love for each of us. The Bible says that He sent Jesus to seek and to save those who are lost. You may think that God wants nothing to do with you because you have wandered away. You may think that He has no desire to find one when He has 99 others. But that’s not God’s way. His way is the way of the deer hunter who searches diligently for the one that is wounded, hurt, and lost. His way is the way of persistence. And His heart is broken when the lost are not found. Gary Miller |
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Outdoor Truths OUTDOOR TRUTHS July 31, 2006 I made my weekly, early morning trip, down the valley to look for deer. It’s been a pleasant habit for some time now. I can always expect to catch a glimpse of a few promising prospects as I peruse down the highway. This morning was different. There were no deer in sight. I carefully looked in all of the normal hangouts and even drove a little further down the road, but still no deer. It’s not near as fun doing this when the deer don’t cooperate. My mind began to go from scout mode to hunt mode. I thought of where I might go to satisfy the urge within me to see a deer. It was like I had to locate one or my drive/hunt was in vain. Or even worse, it was like the deer had won the contest, and I couldn’t let that happen. The goal was not to see a buck or even a small herd, but just one lonely, sick, or even lost, deer. It seemed easy enough. But the farther I drove, the more frustrated I became. I finally gave up. It was "another loan lost to Ditech." I made the turn from the open valley to the congested neighborhoods, interrupted by an occasional field. I then, made my way by the newly purchased 19 acres of church property. And there, browsing beside an old pond was one lone doe. I had covered many miles that morning searching for something that was in my back door. I had wasted valuable time in pursuit of something that had been there all along. Maybe, I thought, a deer wouldn’t be there. Maybe that place was too obvious, or too convenient. But whatever the reason, I almost missed out on what I was looking for, because I was convinced that my answer was lying somewhere else. Many people I know are also searching for something that will satisfy a deep spiritual longing. They’re looking in far away places. They’re convinced the answer is far off the beaten path. It may be, however, right in your back yard. It may be somewhere that you drive by everyday. And it may be somewhere as obvious and convenient as a small tract of land where a church has set for years; preaching, praying, and proclaiming that same simple message, that Jesus Saves. Gary Miller |
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Outdoor Truths August 28, 2006 OUTDOOR TRUTHS
I was blessed in my early adult years to work in the mountains. I was on a core drill crew. Our job was to drill a hole, deep within the ground, in order to find out what strata laid below. I literally spent a few years getting up every morning and going to work surrounded by nature. I learned a lot about trees, plants and animals from those who had spent their lives in these places. Those are still some of the very best memories of my life. One of the things that made a lasting impression on me was the massive Chestnut trees that we would find laying on the ground that had succumbed to blight. In the early 1900’s, this blight began to attack this certain tree, and within the next few decades nearly every Chestnut tree of any size was destroyed. The only remnants of these, once proud trees, were scattered on the forest floor. This tree was once so common that most barns were made from its wood. I wished that I would have had the opportunity to see one of these trees upright, but I never did, and never have since. I do, however, remember taking a chainsaw and cutting into one of those trees that had been dead for several years. To my surprise, just below the surface, the wood was strong and beautiful. Today, Chestnut wood is not only rare, but expensive. Some of the most beautiful items come from this, once common, wood. What was once used on a barn is now used only on the most extravagant possessions. What the farmer had was once plain, but now it’s priceless. But what brought about this change of value? Death. Yes, death. Without death, the Chestnut would have been just another tree, as common as a Poplar or Pine. But in dying, what was once of very little value, now has great worth. This is the picture of Christ. His living brought us great teaching and moral guidelines. But so did many other philosophers of that day. It was not His living that gave you and me value to God. It was His dying. In His dying we found out how much we were really loved by God. In His dying we found out the price of our pardon. And in His dying we found out that every one of us has worth. If you ever wonder if God really cares about you and your circumstances, just look at the cross. It was nothing more than a tree, until the Son of God hung on it.
Gary Miller |
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