Brandon McGuire is turning into a good Man!
Brandon McGuire wrote the following story for a submission into the Virginia Outdoor Writers Association Youth Essay Contest! I could not be more proud of him! 17 years old and more mature then people I know who are going into their 30's! GOOD JOB BUDDY!!!
I remember that hunt very well because that is the day I knew I would be hunting with Brandon for the rest of my life!
Power line Legacy
by Brandon McGuire
Not having a father figure in my life while being raised in a single parent home by my mother made it hard sometimes and I had to learn the qualities of a man from watching other parents and examples in the community. I have been fortunate to have had several men step into my life to be role models. While attending a JAKES day event with my mother we crossed paths with Kevin Paulson. He offered to take me hunting and from then on our relationship grew. He has been able to teach me how to hunt ethically and still have an exciting time.
Two years ago I was able to go hunting with Kevin Paulson. He brought me to a farm where he had permission to hunt. His brother-in- law and nephew came down as well to hunt that day on this farm. We all arrived together, talked about where we should go and spent general time becoming acquainted. Eventually we wished each other luck and parted ways in hopes of discovering a treasured buck. We had set up our position on a long stretch of land parallel with power lines so we would have a good view of any deer crossing our path. After several hours of waiting Kevin was called away to attend to his brother-in-law and nephew. As he left he told me that I could shoot any deer I saw as long as it was not on a nearby adjoining piece of land which we didn’t have permission to hunt. A few minutes after he left a large doe appeared just on the border of the forbidden property. Here I am sitting with the crosshairs on the organs of this beautiful doe just waiting for it to step a little closer. It feels like it is trying to test my character, saying “Shoot me, I dare you.” She stands there, broadside, glancing my way from time to time as if she knows I won’t shoot at her. Although I felt like I was missing a great opportunity, I allowed the deer to pass. When Kevin came back I rushed to tell him of my unfortunate luck. He expressed that he was so proud of me that I had the moral drive to not kill that deer illegally. If I had shot it and it dropped on the other property I would most likely have not been caught but it was a moral victory for me not to do so. I feel good that through many different experiences I am developing a healthy amount of patience and restraint. These characteristics and many others are being learned while hunting.
I know that in order to become successful I need to focus on graduating from college and obtaining a degree that can be used to locate a good job. The medical field has always been fascinating to me; however, I no longer want to become a brain surgeon as I had though when I was much younger, but rather through my wrestling injury and physical therapy rehabilitation experiences, I now hope to consider the sports medicine field. My hunting experiences are helping me mature into a man I feel my family and acquaintances can be proud of.
