Why Michael Easter Should Take Up Bird Hunting
Michael Easter should become a bird hunter - specifically quail and chukar. Michael is one of my favorite authors and I look forward to his regular Substack posts where he writes about a range of topics including fitness and mental health that always hit close to home for me. The Comfort Crisis and Scarcity Brain, his two books to date are some of my favorites.
Michael’s life story and adventures spill over into his writing, and it is from these insights I think he would enjoy hunting birds. Here is why:
He has a hunting dog. Michael’s new German Shorthair Pointer Duke is probably a natural hunter and with minimal training will be a great bird dog. The joy of following a dog around the desert watching it run with purpose, intent on finding the scent of game is incredible. When your dog slams on the brakes from a full speed run to a staunch point, it takes your breath away!
The landscapes. We know that Michael enjoys long hikes and trail running in the desert around his home in Las Vegas. Bird hunting just gives those long walks a purpose and focus as you start to look for signs of quail and chukar and listen for their calls.
Random reward schedule. You never know if you are going to find the birds or not. You never know if you are going to be good enough to hit one and find it. The reward of seeing birds is great, bringing a few home feels like you’ve hit the jackpot, but it doesn’t always happen - that is why it is hunting, not grocery shopping.
The food. Wild game is delicious, even better when you have harvested it yourself.
Rucking. A hunting vest is just another form of a rucksack - when hunting in the desert, I’ll regularly carry close to twenty pounds of water and gear in my vest. A half day of hunting for me is usually 3-6 miles covered with 1-2000’ of elevation, not a bad form of exercise. You certainly have to watch your footing as you navigate off trail, mentally keep track of your route, adding to the adventure.
Community. You can certainly hunt solo or just you and your dog, but adding a friend or two is fun also and adds camaraderie and bonding to your day. The Quail Forever chapter in Southern Nevada is growing from what I hear and they have all kinds of off-season projects you can help with too.
Curiosity. As a hunter, I am always wondering what’s over the next ridge, why are there no birds where I found them last time, what are they eating, etc… Bird hunting feeds my natural curiosity.
So Michael, are you ready to give it a try? Let me know. I am not an expert by any means but I’d love to take you and Duke out sometime.