Hunting Series Part 2: ‘Bring it Home’
There are words and catch phrases I’ve picked up on as a hunter meeting other hunters. Scat is poop, blind is a hidden structure, and swamp donkey refers to the biggest deer we see out there for the day. And similar to fishing, many hunters use the infamous ‘that’s why we call it hunting not catching!’ phrase whenever we are trying to cope with the disappointing reality of spending our life savings to see nothing for days.
Another tradition that is kind of funny and popular is some type of catch phrase right before hunters split up into their respective spots alone in some remote part of the forest. A couple phrases that come to mind are ‘knock em dead’ I’ve heard from guides, or ‘shoot straight’ as rehearsed by my beloved Vermont-based family. I’m not sure how long these traditions were around but my brother and I eventually settled on the catchphrase ‘Bring it Home.’ Without fail, we say this to each other before every hunt, even if I have to text him from Boston or LA before he takes off.
Bring it home. What did we mean by that? On surface level, I think it was parallel to the idea of accomplishing a task or ‘getting the job done’ as coined by late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant. It was not easy sitting still for hours without cell service, staying undetected by incredibly smart animals, and outsmarting them for a successful harvest. So the idea of ‘bagging’ a deer or bear or any animal can feel extraordinary and rewarding.
However, reflecting on our catchphrase at a deeper level, I think there was something even more profound about it. Drawing from rites of passage theory that I was able to learn through leading Wheaton College’s Passage Outdoor Orientation program, I think big game hunting mirrors the rhythms of the three-stage ceremonial ritual where people are 1) separated from their social group 2) tested through some kind of struggle or transition (liminality) 3) re-incorporated back into society transformed or with status (quote Van Gennep). Correspondingly, I think each time my brother and I split up for a hunt to sit alone in our remote spots, we were taking off for our own profound outer and inner wilderness journey to spend time with our thoughts, wildlife, and God.
For myself, every hunt forced me to sit with some of my most joyous or painful thoughts and bring them into the open before God. Aside from the obvious thoughts about simply just wanting to spot a deer, I was also able to find clues for the type of person I want to become, the life I want to live, and my purpose in this short life we are gifted. At my church in Boston at the time, I was being spiritually fed through biblical truth, discipleship, and life-giving mentorship & community. And these hunts really provided the space and time for God’s words to sink deep into the core of my being through silence and reflection. It was also a Thanksgiving deer hunt where I found the courage to text Emily for the first time as would get married just a few years after. Perhaps those lonely hunt really exposed my craving for companionship. Looking back, all these hours spent alone sitting in tall oak trees, wide open corn fields, or landscaped power lines were incredibly transformative as my own ‘rites of passage’ experience into God shaping me throughout my 20’s.
For the Lee Brothers, I think ‘bring it home’ meant that we hoped one of us would harvest a deer so we can celebrate with photos, venison, and stories. I think ‘bring it home’ also meant we would love to see the other person come back safely considering all the risks and dangers lurking in the woods. And lastly, I think ‘bring it home’ was a commission to return to our trucks as healthier, more transformed, and honest versions of ourselves so that we can become better men to each other, our families, and to our communities.
“Bring Yourself Home… with dinner, stories, good health, and transformation”