By Hunting Therapy
For me, school breaks mean trading textbooks for hunting gear, leaving campus behind, and spending time outdoors with family and friends.
College can get busy quickly with classes, assignments, and exams. When a break finally arrives, I enjoy heading toward the mountains near Missoula to spend time with family at hunting camp in an old Forest Service cabin.
Mornings at camp start early, long before the sun comes up. The cabin is cold and dark, with the wood stove helping keep everyone warm.
Everyone gets up, eats breakfast, and packs their gear before heading out for the morning. Although waking up that early is not always easy, being outdoors with the views makes it worth it.
Hunting requires patience, and not every day goes as planned. Some mornings are cold and quiet, while others bring exciting moments. Either way, being in the mountains gives me a break from the busy college routine and a chance to enjoy the outdoors.
Some of the best moments happen after hunting is over. In the evenings, everyone gathers around the dinner table to enjoy a delicious meal and discuss the day’s events.
Sharing stories, laughing, and spending time together makes hunting camp about more than just hunting. These moments create memories and traditions that make each trip so special.
On the first day of the trip, we spotted some elk, but they were too far away. The next two days, thick fog made it nearly impossible to see 100 yards ahead of us. Although hunting did not go as planned, the weekend was still worth it.
Spending time outdoors, enjoying nature, and unplugging from school was a relaxing way to spend the break. Sometimes, the best part of hunting is simply getting away.
School breaks do not always need to involve traveling somewhere new. For me, hunting is a chance to slow down, spend time with family, and take a break from school responsibilities.
From the cold mornings to the conversations around the dinner table, hunting reminds me that sometimes the simplest breaks are the most relaxing.
