Do I Have to Stop This Car?
by: Tom Sorenson
Ah, yes, those famous words uttered many many times by my very own father – and on more than one occasion, the answer was a resounding, “yes!” And then we three brothers were immediately sorry for getting under Dad’s skin. But, the real reason for this post was spurred by the wisdom of Othmar Vohringer who prompted me to do some serious thinking with this post.
I know, I know – we’re a website that tells outdoor stories, so we should leave the deep, thought provoking blogs to Othmar and others with more knowledge than I’ve got – but this is a great post and one that I’d like to spend some time on.
I have been guilty of jokingly giving my brother a ribbing as he’s become the only fly fisherman in the family. I’ve thought of fly fishing as a sort of weakling’s version of fishing. But then, as Benji began to become obsessed with it, I began to wonder why he enjoyed it so much. And as I wondered why he enjoyed it so much, I began to wonder if there must be something I’m missing. When I went down to film Benji and his father-in-law on a fly fishing trip, I found myself thinking at the beginning of the trip when they missed a fish, “What I wouldn’t give for a big number 2 Blue Fox right now!”
But as time went on and I really started noticing how in rhythm they were with the water and how in touch they were with what was happening around them – I was just starting to see the appeal of fly fishing. Now, I don’t suspect that I’ll ever get completely converted to where that is the only way I’ll fish, but I’ll certainly not think of it as a wimpy way of fishing anymore. I can see how it forces a person to think about things that I would never have had to think about if I’d been throwing my lures. But the one thing I noticed above everything else is that they were just plain having a ton of fun. They enjoyed the heck out of that trip, and that is what it’s all about – and that is the point that we as sportsmen need to focus on.
One of the first blogs I read when I started blogging myself was on this very topic. Darrell from Alpha Trilogy had written a post about letting folks enjoy the outdoors the way they want, even if it isn’t the way we enjoy the outdoors.
It’s a common thing for sportsmen to think that the way they hunt, fish, or whatever is superior to how someone else does it. Our family has hunted in some rough and steep country, and I grew up thinking we were the toughest people because of where we hunted – let me tell you, that’s big, steep country. But we never hunted it from the bottom because that would be ludicrous, insane, and flat out impossible. One year while hunting, my dad ran into a pair of tired looking individuals with a very nice video camera. He asked them where they were camped – “Oh, down in the bottom.” Turns out, this pair of brothers who love hunting this wild land would not let the fact that they own no horses keep them from hunting this wilderness. They video their hunts, and if you want to see tough hunting in action, check them out! We’ve kept in contact then through the years, and I have found that even though I’ve never met them face to face, they’re awesome individuals with a passion for hunting that oozes out of them. The lesson I learned is that no matter how extreme you are, there is someone more extreme, no matter how tough you are, there is someone tougher. No matter how much you think your way is better than someone else’s way, it just plain isn’t. The amount of joy brought from each way to go about enjoying the outdoors can only be judged by the individual – why has it taken me just 25 years to learn? I’m glad Othmar and Darrell finally stopped the car – this youngster needed the ol’ tongue lashin’ to open his eyes!
9 Responses to “Do I Have to Stop This Car?”
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I’ve never seen someone fly fish but after seeing it on some of the outdoor sites I would love to go watch someone actual do it.
Fly fishing is great, and while it isn’t the only way that I will fish, it sure is awesome. The way you become so “in-touch” with the water just can’t be explained. I don’t get to do it enough that is for sure.
This was a great post. I was in the same boat just about a year or so ago when it came to the crossbow issue, and had to step back and realize how seriously wrong I was.
I think all of us outdoorsman need to stick together-whether you’re a goat hunter, a squirrel hunter, or a hiker, we all need to be on the same page.
My Dad fly fishes, and it is beautiful to watch. Very graceful. I’m not sure I could do it, but I’d like to try at some point.
As to the whole issue of accepting that different people will hunt and fish in different ways, this is part of my outdoor gospel. I think a lot of the divisions among hunters and anglers could be erased if everyone would just accept that there are different ways of enjoying the outdoors.
You’re right. There are some double-tough hunters out there, and it seems like when I start thinking I’m pretty good, I meet one of them and it puts me right back in reality.
Great post Tom! Yes there is always someone younger, stronger, and tougher just about to pass us by. You are right that enjoying the outdoors in whatever way one finds enjoyable is the key. There are many ways to skin a cat, as my dad would say. I love fly fishing although I am not opposed to a Rapala for Bass fishin”. They both get the job done!
I think the truely “my way or the highway” people on either side are far and few between but they always lke you too hear about how superior their method of enjoying the outdoors is. Therefore it is the old adage a bad apple spoils the whole bunch. I just take it for what it’s worth when I hear it and move on. I love to fly fish but it drives me absolutely bananas when I hear some old timer purist fly fisherman tell a newbie to the sport how wrong and unethical something he is doing is in a condisending better than thou tone…all this does is turn off a eager learner who instead of expanding his or her enjoyment of the outdoors by learning a new and exciting way of getting out, causes them to become bitter against a certain type of sportsman.
A funny line I heard recently on a fly fishing forum. “Purists are superior to ordinary folks because they always do things their way regardless of whether it works or not. Mules are purists.”
Great post Tom. I agree with you. I get to thinking sometimes that my way is the best, but it usually ends up backfiring. I love fly fishing, but there are times when the spin rod is the best way to catch fish. I remember a trip a few years ago. I was fishing with this guy who was a die-hard fly fisherman. I was killing the fish on jigs. He never did try a spin rod and never caught a fish. But, as long as he was having fun, I guess I shouldn’t worry about it..
Kais
http://www.onetoomanyhobbies.com
Great post and thanks for the link. I am glad my articles inspire and thought provoking.
Mission accomplished.
I am not sure about Benij’s statement “…people on either side are far and few between.†As I travel and speak with hunters this “highway or no way” comes up too frequently for my liking. Otherwise you’re dead on with your comment. Narrow-mindedness does scare a lot of young and novice fishers and hunters away.
Personally I have given up explaining ethics since every hunter and fisher seems to have his own version of it.
-ov-
Maybe it is more prevelant than I believe Othmar, I am sure you would know more beings as you are more on the front lines and would have a whole lot larger pool of interactions with sportsmen and women to draw from. I am just speaking from my own small world experience. Most of the people I know and talk too enjoy a multitude of outdoor activities in a multitude of ways and aren’t critical of those who do it differently. There definately are a few though who are more combative.
Ethics are a very gray area and I really didn’t mean to bring them into the conversation. Ethics are important of course, but like you say they do vary between people and so my problem is not with those who strive to TEACH ethics to others in a productive manner, but with those who PREACH their version of ethics in a condisending, holier than thou way. I really think it turns people off to some wonderful avenues of enjoying our great outdoors.