Growing Up in the Outdoors

The Great Outdoors. It's something we as bushies are dead set passionate about and something we hold close to our hearts. We often have some of the best times of our lives out bush, whether it's up a tree stand or in a duck hide, on a quad bike or horseback. The bush is so rooted in many of us that we barely stop to think about what a massive part of our life it really is. Recently, while on horseback in Southern Georgia chasing quail, it struck me…

Growin' up in Western Wisconsin was a blessin' for meself along with me 3 younger brothers. We kept pretty busy with each of us bein' 3 sport athletes. There was always a Footy game to be at on Friday night or a Basketball tourney on the weekends and let's not forget the cricket camps that seemed to go on year round. But when we got 'spare time' you can only imagine the trouble that the four of us got ourselves into. Needless to say, there was never a dull moment around the Miller household. Now this is usually the part of the yarn when I hear the 'Oh your poor mum' line. And it's true, we gave our mum more than one headache in our time. But in the midst of all this madness there were two things we could always count on: 1. that no matter how much trouble we got into, Mum still loved us and 2. me Dad's passion for the outdoors. And at the time I had no idea that me Dad's passion would have such an impact on me life.

The first real hunt I was ever on was chasing deer with rifles in the Wisconsin Northwoods. Me old man was, and still is, mad about bow hunting but like most dads reckon, he thought I'd be keener to get into it if there was a bit of excitement. Can't forget the tradition either, since the gun deer season in Wisconsin is pretty much a statewide holiday. I was only 10 but I remember it as clear as day. Sitting up in that old wooden tree stand, bored to tears watching the squirrels and birds, anything to keep me entertained for a bit, when I felt Dad's hand on me head. As I turned to see what he was after, I made a sound and spooked one of the biggest bucks I've ever seen in the bush, even now. The 12-pointer bolted like lightning as me dad quickly aimed his trusty 30-06 with open sights and I saw one of the best shots I've ever seen anyone pull off. Watching that giant buck stumble and vanish into the trees, I was shaking with adrenaline. Now, many hunts might've ended there, but not this one. I was buzzing and somehow managed to signal to me dad through me shaking that I'd seen the buck falter and kick, and I knew he'd hit it. Dad then says to keep me eyes on where I saw the buck get hit. As he climbed down from the stand, I was determined not to let him down. I kept me gaze fixed on that spot until he got back. When he climbed up again, he reckons he didn't think he'd hit the buck. Found no blood, no deer. As I'm hearing this, not wanting to believe it, he tells me to get down and check where I thought I saw the deer go down. I climbed down and went straight to the spot. Got there and started searching, didn't take long to find blood on the leaves. Started shaking all over again as I yelled out, 'I found blood!' I can only imagine the grin on me Dad's face, beaming with pride as he calls back, 'Good on ya, now follow it and see if you can track him down.' I felt like the ultimate bushman, following the blood trail, shaking with every step, breathing heavier and heavier until... I looked up and there he was! I reckon every hunter in the state must've heard me as I yelled back, 'I found him, I FOUND HIM!!!' It wasn't until years later that me Dad let on he'd already found the buck before he set me on the task, but I'm thankful he did what he did because it was after that experience I knew hunting was something I'd be doing for the rest of me life.

Then the great outdoors played another massive part in me life when I realised the sheila I'd been seeing was gonna be the one I'd spend the rest of me days with. Here's this sheila who hadn't spent much time outdoors and had never gone hunting in her life, and somehow decides to go out with this drongo who's mad about the outdoors. And she took it all on the chin. Instead of whinging when I'd be out hunting all the time, she asked to tag along now and then and ended up loving the outdoors nearly as much as I do. I recently decided it was time to make a proper go of it and we got engaged. It only made sense that I used a pup, our new English Setter 'Breeze', to propose.

As I'm sittin' atop this horse, watchin' great dogs go about their business in the great outdoors where I love to be, it strikes me... I've had top-notch parents, some of the best mates a bloke could ever want, brothers that would stand by me through thick and thin, a gorgeous fiancée, a job that I'm stoked about and a couple of dogs that go off when I walk through the door. And I can thank it all to me Dad's passion. I don't know if I've ever said this but Dad, I love ya and I'm thankful every day for this ripper gift that you've given me. It's 'cause of you that I'm where I am today and I couldn't have asked for anything more.