There’s just something about being outdoors, enjoying the fresh air and becoming one with nature. It’s a place where you can sit in utter silence, reflecting on your life, your accomplishments and failures, your joys and regrets, the things that you are thankful for, and every now and then you get lucky…and get to shoot something!
Man, ‘dere are few things that a Cajun man loves more than shootin’ stuff. What’s the appeal, you ask? For starters, it’s fun. We get to dress up in camouflage, ride four wheelers and douse ourselves in deer urine. Secondly, it gets us away from our ‘ole lady for a while, which is good. Sure, we might talk big about wildlife conservation, thinning the herd, of the superiority of wild meat, but deep down, it’s really just the shootin’ we’re in it for. It’s that rush of adrenaline we get when we get a critter in our crosshairs, pull the trigger, and watching it fall to the ground.
Cajun’s aren’t picky about their shootin’ either. Just about any type will do be it shotgun, rifle, bow, or crossbow. Hell, in a pinch, we’ll take to shootin’ at beer cans (empty of course), skeet, stop signs, or even ‘dem virtual deer on the computer when nothin’ else is in season.
While it might be more economical to just buy meat at the grocery store, real Cajuns believe that there is no food that cannot be made better by shootin’ it first. Personally, I think it’s the lead shot that adds to the complexity of the flavor. Cajuns also take pride in bringing home their bounty, of throwing down a big slab of meat on the table and saying, ‘Marie, look whut I shot dere, mais clean dat for me chére’. If ‘dat don’t turn a woman on, I don’t know what does.
And while men in other cultures take pride in their football season tickets or their country club memberships, a Cajun’s prized possession is his hunting lease. Cajun men aren’t used to sharing their feelings with each other, but letting a friend share your lease is about as close to an ‘I love you man’ as you can get. None of ‘dat Brokeback stuff though.
Now there are some ole boys that hunt for the mount they can put over their fireplace. The only thing that brightens up a room more than a 12 point buck on the wall, is four or five other heads to keep it company.
Enough readin’ now. Get out ‘dere, and if it ain’t wearing hunter’s orange, shoot dat critter.
