A Description of Hunting For Manhood

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The graduation day I entered a new chapter of my life. Soon I was to enter college and begin my future. I was entering adulthood. In the San Juan Pueblo, the Tewa Indians belief that a child becomes a male when he kills their sacred beast, the elk, with nothing but a bow and arrow. Being a Tewa Indian, I can relate to this. It reminds me of when I hunted my first elk, with a Bow of course, and symbolically becoming a man.

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Whether I am starting college or hunting an animal, I am starting a new stage in my life. Symbolically, these events signify the same thing, each one relating to a point or time in my life when they occurred.

When I began my search for a college, I had very few guidelines I wanted to follow: location, quality, and affordability. In the world of hunting, its exactly the same. I have to choose where Im going to hunt, make sure its a quality area, and make sure its not too far from home.

I would usually like to hunt in an area thats high in altitude; thats where the trophy sized animals live. Id prefer to be sitting high in a tree and be able to watch pockets of clouds condense in the thicket of the canyons below me. The air should be crisp and fresh with the sweet smell of ponderosa pines and where the sounds of eager bull elk carry for miles. My secret spot should be nestled nicely over a favorite game trail, but not too hidden that it misses the rising sun that is so comforting in the bitter cold.

One thing about hunting that brings me down is when theres a lack of wildlife in the area. In a picture perfect hunting environment the landscape is dotted with a variety of animals, all kinds, even if theyre not what youre after. Its so exciting when I am driving to my hunting spot; I feel like Im in a different world. The trees are canopied over the road like an umbrella, creating a warm welcome from the forest; its such a nice change from our desert home. Through the twilight lit forest, Ill have to stop frequently as pairs of elk bound across the road so gracefully like theyre completely unaware of the season. This all adds to the excitement of the hunt.

This is, I think, where buck fever gets its name- this is the term used when a hunter gets addicted to the sight, sound and even the smell of a big game animal because of the anticipation of the hunt. At this point I can picture how its going to happen. Ill be waiting patiently in my secret spot, completely hidden, as still as the mountain air in mid december. Finally my quarry will wander down through the trees grazing freely as it slowly ventures into the open without the slightest hint of whats to come. Without hesitation, Ill take my prize and honor it, for its beauty and the challenge its given me. Through my Native roots, I have proven myself capable and worthy of my manhood.

The way my hunt progressed is the same way I foresee my future in college to progress as well. My choice in a high altitude environment, looking downward on the heights of clouds relates to my desire in placing myself in a challenging college and to push myself in all my endeavors. The crispness and freshness of the air represents the totally new environment in which Im living in.

The fact that Id like to be nestled, but not too hidden shows how I will become my own person separate from the rest of the world. I will not be too distant, still sociable with others, my friends, who are like my sunlight that will comfort me through the bitter reality and loneliness of the world. In my perfect hunting environment I mention many animals, all kinds, even the ones that Im not after. This just emphasizes how there will be so many new opportunities in my life, not only the ones I have predestined for myself. Finally when I envision my kill shot, I can also picture my graduation from college. It is a day that I will cherish and honor for what it represents, my advancement into manhood, and the challenge its given me.