Pregnant and Hunting

Only in the South would a woman go traipsing around in the woods for four hours with a shotgun at 21 weeks pregnant. From November to February each year, quail hunting is a normal weekend activity in my household. It has been for years. I used to go with my dad and my brother, now I go with my husband. And one day, our baby girl will go hunting with us too...even though my mom will probably have a fit about it every single time, just like she did when I went.

Hunting is a deeply emotional and relaxing experience for me. I am most at peace when I am out there. Some people find their sense of calm and comfort in activities like yoga, I find mine in being out in the woods, especially while hunting. I wish I could do a better job at putting this feeling into words, but I can't. If you are a hunter, you know exactly what I am talking about. Otherwise, you could never even begin to understand. I have always been a huge fan of Ernest Hemingway's writing, which typically confuses people because he was such a sexist writer and most women can't stand him. I love all of his writing, but especially his works about hunting and the outdoors. He captures in words exactly how feel when I am out there. I experience hunting exactly the way Hemingway describes it and I get so much more out of it than just a sport. My dad passed a lot of knowledge and appreciation of God's creations down to me during our times out in the field together. I want to make sure to pass that part of him on to my daughter one day too.

Baby girl on her very first quail hunt!

Jared and I went hunting on Sunday with Josh and Heather. Jared and Josh go hunting together all the time, but this was Heather's very first quail hunt!

Hunting while pregnant was an interesting experience. I made sure to be extra careful where I was stepping the entire time we were out there because I didn't want to trip and fall. Shooting the gun was the part that was most different now that I am pregnant. I have a specific way that I usually stand while I am shooting, but I had to change it up a little bit because I have to balance differently while pregnant. My first few shots were way off in accuracy because my center of gravity and posture is so different now. Once I figured out the best way for me to stand and balance with the belly, I was back on track.

I want my daughter to grow up to be very comfortable with animals and the outdoors. I want her appreciate God's creatures and understand why we hunt them and eat them. Not something your average mom is concerned with teaching her daughter, huh?

In addition to my awkward pregnancy balance, this hunt was different for me because I'm not used to shooting with another left handed person at the same time. My dad was the only other left handed person I've ever hunted with. I typically shoot on the left side because that's where I'm most comfortable, and he could shoot from anywhere so he always let me have the left side. I let Heather have the left side that day because it was her first time and I wanted her to shoot from where ever she felt most comfortable. Once I got my stance adjusted for the belly, adapting to the right side was fairly easy too.

Heather's first quail! I made her hold it and let me take a picture. I told her that if you are going to shoot the bird, you have to be willing to touch it once it's dead. Heather and I only shot for a little while and then we let the boys take over and do the majority of the hunting. I didn't want to overdo it while pregnant. Although I do enjoy the actual shooting aspect of the hunt, I love just being out there in the peace and quiet watching Sadie find the birds and admiring all of God's beautiful creations.

Jared finally got a new truck! Remember, his old one was stolen out of the parking lot at his work at the beginning of this month. We picked up the new truck on Saturday evening, so it's very first excursion was out to the field for a hunt. As it should be :)