(Tombo Martin is one of the stars of Buck Commander on Outdoor Channel, a former major league baseball pitcher, graduate of Bay High and resident of our area. If you have a question for Tombo send it to AskTombo@gmail.com)
Question: “I'm in my first relationship with an avid hunter. I can handle deer heads on his wall and the fact that there's a side of his dog that loves to sniff out a fresh kill. I even feel my man's hobby is humane, because the target animal's suffering is minimized and he eats what he kills. My problem is that I have anxiety about accompanying him on a hunt and seeing an animal die in such a manner for the first time. Do you have any tips to get me through what I'm afraid will be a traumatic experience?"
Tombo: I am married to an avid animal lover who cried when I called her from the woods to tell her I had just shot my first deer. I consider myself an animal lover, too, I just like mine medium rare, stuffed with jalapenos and cream cheese and wrapped in bacon. After 19 years of putting up with my hobby, and also being in the hunting business, she has come a long, long way. She is now a veteran hunter’s wife who has been in many deer camps and has heard it all and has seen worse, so she knows what to expect. She loves to sit in the stand with me, but the only way she’ll watch me actually shoot a deer is if it’s on TV.
I recommend that you prepare yourself by watching as many hunting shows on TV as possible (trust me, your boyfriend will love it). Especially Buck Commander ... watch every single episode of Buck Commander on the Outdoor Channel that you can! Even though the excitement is not the same on TV as it is in real life, you can at least see how it all goes down and know what to expect.
But hunting isn’t just about the kill, it’s also about the peace and tranquility of the woods, no one knowing you are there, and watching the woods come alive at daybreak. It’s about seeing deer and turkey and wildlife in their natural habitat knowing that you will never shoot most of what you see. Shooting a deer is the exception on a hunt, not the rule. You will see way more deer than you’ll ever even think about shooting.
And part of the thrill is there is no telling what you will see, or what you won’t see, there are no guarantees other than you will get to enjoy the outdoors.
It’s also about outsmarting the smartest animal in the woods in a game of chess played out on nature’s table that pits eons of genetics and instinct against each other, that makes winning the game all the more satisfying. And most often, winning doesn’t mean you took home a deer, it means you saw some and passed on the opportunity.
I think it’s great that you want to support your boyfriend and I’m sure he appreciates it too — I know I love it when my wife goes with me. You can make a lot of memories in the deer stand. Just remember, if you are feeling anxiety about him shooting a deer, you don’t have to watch, just look away.