by Bethany Beathard - Monday, August 19, 2024
Above: The author’s husband and three of their five children pose for a photo after a great morning on the water.
We call it heritage and tradition. I like to think of a time when hunting was everyone's way of life. It was the means by which they fed their families and often provided much more. I think of young Annie Oakley, her mother a widow with many mouths to feed and a bankrupted farm. Annie not only hunted and competed in gunslinging competitions, enough to feed her family but also enough to make a profit to pay off her family farm. She is but one example among millions. As an avid sportswoman, I've always believed in the importance of preserving our hunting heritage. Gone are the days when hunting was a necessity for most. We have been placed into a dependent state with the grocery chains. Over the years, my passion for hunting has not only been a personal journey but a family tradition I long to preserve. Now, I find myself in the unique and fulfilling role of teaching my children. I want to teach them the joys and responsibilities of hunting and conservation. This experience has become a beautiful way to give back to the next generation and ensure that our family's love for the outdoors continues to thrive.
The Importance of Family Traditions
Growing up in a family where hunting was more than just a pastime, I learned early on the values of gun ownership and respect for wildlife. These lessons, passed down from my parents and grandparents, have shaped who I am today. Now, as a mother, I am dedicated to instilling these same values in my children. I have five children, each of whom has always shown a keen interest in the outdoors. From a young age, they have accompanied my husband and me on various hunts, observing and absorbing everything. It's a remarkable feeling to see their eyes light up with excitement as they spot various animals in their natural environment. I've watched them listen intently to the sounds of the forest.
Teaching my kids to hunt has been an incredibly rewarding experience. It goes beyond the act of hunting itself; it's about teaching them responsibility, patience and respect for wildlife. We spend hours discussing the importance of conservation and of understanding animal behavior and learning about the ecosystem. Each trip offers a lesson showing nature's delicate balance and our role in preserving it.
Hard Lessons
One thing about hunting is it will teach you lessons. Whether you want those hard lessons or not, they will come. This past spring, my 10-year-old son, Mason, worked hard to complete the NRA hunter safety course to participate in a turkey hunt on a military installation. He was drawn, but we got a hunting compartment with which we were not very familiar. In addition to state regulations, this post has other regulations and does not allow the use of decoys. Optimistic, we set out. It was a two-day hunt.
We saw birds. We called them in, but they would not commit to a shootable distance for him. They stayed at that 80- to 100-yard mark. We worked for those birds. I let Mason call the shots, and no surprise, he wanted to "run and gun." We hiked and crawled but came up empty that first day. On the ride home, he said, "Mom, I'm glad we didn't get a bird early today because we wouldn't have had that fun adventure today and get to go back out tomorrow."
Those are the moments your heart melts as a parent. The experience is more than the hunt; it's about the bonds we forge in the woods. On day two, we had a very close call that morning, inching close to some strutting jakes and toms. When a truck came driving down the road right next to our hunting area, it busted the hunt—another lesson of hunting public areas. We ended that weekend empty-handed but with our hearts full. He talked about it for weeks. One of the most memorable moments was him calling with a pot call first thing in the morning and getting a gobble off the roost. Though we didn't get a turkey, it was a win for me. It was a chance to get out in the woods and allow Mason to learn and grow as his own outdoorsman.
Cherished Memories
Earlier this year, I had one of the best hunts of my life, and I didn't even have a gun. The weekend after waterfowl season closes in my home state of Oklahoma, they hold a waterfowl weekend for the military, veterans and youth. As a military family, it was a great opportunity to get the kids out. The weather was perfect, not too cold like it had been when I was hunting a couple of weeks prior in minus 3-degree snowy weather. With a couple of friends, my husband and three of my kids, we hunted our family pond. I was able to witness two of my kids harvest their first ducks. Seeing my oldest who has autism find a love for pulling the motion decoy furthers my mission. He loves scouting, filling feeders, checking cameras, etc. I am okay with that. Not every hunt is about the kill, not everyone needs to be the one pulling the trigger. There are so many ways you can contribute. Find what brings you joy in the outdoors and do that. The accomplishment on their faces that day is forever etched in my memory. The same two are hopeful to harvest their first deer this year.
A Legacy Continued
Each hunting trip with my kids is a step toward building a future where the love for the outdoors and the commitment to conservation are passed down through generations. It's the fostering of another vote to protect the public lands, continue conservation efforts and ultimately create more defenders of the Second Amendment. I hope to continue mentoring and eventually expand beyond my own kids and help others. If we all do our part in “passing on” we will win this battle and continue the tradition.
About the Author
Bethany Beathard is a freelance outdoor writer, deeply passionate about conservation and our hunting heritage. As an avid sportswoman, military wife and homeschooling mother of five, she brings a unique perspective to her work. She has contributed to several outdoor and hunting publications, including Hunting Life, Field & Stream, Everest, Whitetails Unlimited and the NWTF’s Turkey Call. She has spoken at numerous events, advocating for women in the outdoors and promoting hunting heritage programs.