Pursuit

By: Greyson Gilbert                    

       Growing up, I was outside almost all of the time. I have always loved the freedom I find in nature. It’s something that is inside of me - something that has been there since I can remember. From the time I could walk I was venturing around the yard and neighborhood, probably getting into trouble and exploring places that I should not have been. I needed to be active and outside...to this day, nothing has changed. When I was younger, that came by way of street hockey with friends or running around various parts of Phoenix, Arizona; Niceville, Florida; or Budoia, Italy - places where I spent a majority of my early childhood. It was easy with a dad like mine. He would take us camping, hunting, and fishing. After my father died, the outdoors became a place where I found solace... where I found myself, and felt connected with him once again. When I was younger, I was always exploring. Although my pursuits have evolved, it still comes down to just that: exploring creation and longing to see what is around the next bend. In the wilderness, I discovered my love for fly fishing and bow hunting.

       There is no rush like sitting under a tree 15 yards from a whitetail as he stares you down, trying to figure out if you are tree or human. The only rush that I would say presents any rivalry is the feeling of a strong bass on the end of your line, following a perfectly placed cast. The beautiful thing about these pursuits is that they are art forms, and added challenges to the already difficult tasks of hunting and fishing. There is no greater feeling in the world than a perfectly placed arrow or cast, because of the time required to master each of the movements. It took me two years of practice before I shot my first deer with a bow. In similar fashion, I spent hours wading rivers, casting, untying knots and dealing with tangles of line and snagged lures before I felt the first tug of a fish on the end of my fly rod. The thrills of these experiences rival each other. 

       Looking back on how and why I got into these pursuits, I realize more and more that the reason they are so important to me is because of people. I owe this to the people that I have become connected to and grown close with over the years. One of these people is a man by the name of Josh. Josh and I share the commonality of military service, although we battled on two different fronts of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The impact he felt was mostly from IED blasts and enemy gunfire, whereas the impact I felt was from the reality of my dad never returning. We also share a love for hunting wild places. A part of this desire in me is thanks to him and his desire to help wounded service members, as well as gold star families. He was the first to take me hunting, thanks to our military connection. Since that first doe that I shot in 7th grade, we have shared many an early morning at deer camp. He is also the one that introduced me to bowhunting - the rest is history. Fly fishing is somewhat of a new pursuit for me, when compared to the experience level of the good dudes who taught me how to do it. These guys have caught fish everywhere...from the flats of the southeast, to the rivers of Colorado and Canada, to far off the coast of the Caribbean islands. Thanks to these brothers, bonded not by blood, but shared callings, fishing by way of fly rod has grown to become one of my greatest joys. In the same way, the difficulties, the trials, the tests of patience, and the discipline required in these pursuits has helped form me into the person I am.

       In the end, maybe I am in love with these pursuits also because of the people, opportunities, and environments that I have access to. Is it really the success of the hunt that drives me to the forest? Is it the goal of the biggest fish that makes me want to spend hours casting into the icy Colorado river? Many people like trophy animals and trophy fish. As great as they are, what is truly satisfying is time spent immersed in creation - away from the hustle and stress of the city. The wilderness has taught me countless lessons and it has pushed me to be boundless... It still continues to do so. My love for wild places comes from my innate desire to explore creation and my longing to see what is around the next bend. And I know that my dad is there with me every step of the way. As I sit on a rock at 14,000 feet in Colorado and watch the sunrise, he’s there. When I’m wading a river, fly rod in hand, in search of Guadalupe bass, he’s there too. And although he wasn’t the one taking a picture of me and my first buck, I know that he was watching and smiling down on me. On top of this, the people that I have met through these pursuits and the trophy country that I have been blessed to spend time in are reasons why I am passionate about these things...and why I will forever fight to keep outdoor opportunities in this country and forever encourage others to get outside.