The fall colors are fading, summer gardens have been gathered and stored, and hunting season is in full swing. Autumn always reminds me that abundance comes through effort — a lesson the season never fails to teach.
This September was my first-ever archery season, and I had my sights set on harvesting and filling our family’s freezer. My fiancé gifted me a bow for my birthday last October and I spent months practicing out on the state land near our home. On September 1st I stepped out into the crisp pre-dawn air ready to learn, test myself, and connect more deeply with the wild.
The thing about hunting is that it can be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. You wake up early, get into elk, get close enough that their musky smell stays in your nose for hours after, and almost have a shot. Then the wind turns and they are gone in an instant. You walk out feeling a bit deflated but exhilarated already setting your alarm for 4 a.m. to do it all again.
Between long days, sherbert colored sunrises, and the quiet awe of standing within 40 yards of a magnificent creature, I know that harvesting isn’t the only goal of archery season. I’ve never felt more connected to the landscape, more part of the ecosystem than I have tip-toeing around the woods this September.
On the final night of the season, Jess and I were treated to a buglefest unlike any other. It was so powerful that we put down our bows and just listened. We didn’t harvest, but we left full of gratitude.
That’s the thing I learned most from archery season: patience, persistence, and faith that success will come with time and effort — you can't be deterred by the long game. Conservation is much the same. Wyoming’s wildlife and wild places don’t stay wild by accident. It takes hard work, belief, and investment from dedicated people like you.
That’s why I’m not just a staff member of the Wyoming Wildlife Federation — I’m also a monthly donor. I give because I believe in what we’re building together: a future where the next generations can experience elk bugling in the timber, mule deer crossing open sage, and the breathtaking landscapes that have shaped who we are.
Will you join me in celebrating this harvest season by donating to the Wyoming Wildlife Federation? Your support helps protect the wildlife, habitat, and outdoor traditions that make Wyoming unlike anywhere else.
Win a Pair of C1 10x Binoculars
When you make a donation during our Fall Fund Drive you'll be entered to win a pair of C1 10x Binoculars generously donated by Maven!
Photo Credit: Top Image - Joe Van Eeckhout