This time of year is no doubt a beautiful time of year for us in Central Illinois. The leaves are in a full color array of change, the breeze is now cool and crisp, and the days begin to shorten as the nights begin to get longer.

No doubt a beautiful time of the year, but for some, it’s the beginning of whole new season. Deer (whitetail) season, waterfowl (duck) season, and squirrel season.

Driving through rural parts of Central Illinois, the common sounds of this time of year are usually: “BANG, CRACK, and POP.” Those poor sound effects don’t do a justice to actually hearing the shot being fired, or actually being the one to pull the trigger.

A good majority of people from central Illinois enjoy the outdoors, whether it is being outside in nature, or to actually be out in the field hunting.

Jared Spengler, Austin Bell, and myself (Jack Pugh) have all been hunting for a number of years now. Spengler has been hunting for 11 years.  His love for hunting came from his grandpa. Bell has been into hunting for 6 years. His friend’s (Ryan) dad got him into hunting. I have been hunting for around 15 years now. My Grandpa and my Dad got me into it when I was  only 5 years old.

What’s amazing is that we all hunt differently from one another. Spengler really enjoys waterfowl season and loves to bow hunt for whitetail. He doesn’t just hunt the ways listed, out of the three of us, Spengler is the most adverse and versatile hunter ranging into many different fields and seasons from Bell and I.

Bell primarily likes to hunt whitetail during bow season. It’s a much tougher hunt when you have to be within a 25 yard distance from your target.

I personally like to hunt whitetail during shotgun season. My whole family does. It’s what I have grown up doing. It’s the same for Spengler and Bell. It’s something they have grown up doing and have loved doing it.

That’s what connects all of us hunters, the passion of the sport and traditions of hunting. That’s what connects Spengler, Bell, and I together. Someone we know and love has gotten us into this hunting tradition.

Whether it’s hunting for fun, sport, meat, or the trophy animal; being a hunter is much more than sitting in the woods and killing an animal. It’s the time spent preparing for the hunt, the time spent in the field, and being outdoors surrounded by nature. There is nothing like being in the woods and the cool fall breeze blowing into your face.

For Bell and Spengler, their whitetail season last year was a little unsuccessful and uneventful for them. They both had the same thoughts, the deer were too small and not mature enough to harvest.Yet, on the other hand, my family tagged out. Seasons vary each year from hunter to hunter, so there is no need to feel discouraged about a uneventful season. There is always next year.

They aren’t discouraged, they both feel pretty confident they will see some action this season. As I hope I will have a good season as well.

We can all agree, whether the season is uneventful or action packed, the hunt never gets old. Anyone truly into hunting will say the same thing as us.

Even though some can say hunting is controversial, it’s an accomplishment to actually do what you set out to do. I would say it’s up there with graduating high school.

“Deer hunting is rewarding. It’s a rewarding feeling: the anticipation, the waiting, and the effort put into the hunt is really rewarding in itself.” Spengler continues “You did what you set out to do.” He means the feeling of actually killing the animal you spent all the time and energy to get, is now yours.

For anyone who hasn’t hunted, or even killed an animal, hunting is not as easy as waiting and shooting a gun.

Seeing the animal walk out from behind some brush while you have the shot; an entire wave of emotions take over. Adrenaline, excitement, nervousness, anticipation, and then the feeling of sadness overwhelms me and my senses. At the same time, I feel time slows and my senses are heightened, it’s a very contradictory rush of emotions.

This is my take on the feeling, everyone can feel it differently, but it is a common feeling to have from what I have gathered from fellow hunters, family, and friends.

Target practice and actually shooting an animal suddenly become two different actions.

If you are interested in hunting, here is what Bell’s advice “ Just go. You can’t shoot a deer from your couch at home.”

If nothing else, go out there to be in nature, feel that soft fall breeze, see the sights and smell what it’s like to be in woods. It’s a feeling in itself.

Jack Pugh can be reached at [email protected].