Page 7 - 2019 JUL/AUG Outdoor Oklahoma

2018 CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION

“BEING OUT IN THE WOODS TAUGHT

ME PATIENCE”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Each year, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
Conservation and Oklahoma Station Chapter Safari Club Interna-
tional join to sponsor a creative writing competition for Oklahoma
middle and high school students. A boy and a girl from two age divi-
sions are selected winners. Students were required to write essays using
the theme “Hunting: Sharing the Heritage” or “Archery: What I Like
About Archery in the Schools and Bowhunting.” Winners in the age
15-17 category receive a guided antelope hunt in the Texas Panhan-
dle, and winners in the 11-14 age category receive a hunting trip at
the Chain Ranch and a scholarship to the Outdoor Texas Camp. In
this issue, Outdoor Oklahoma honors senior category female winner
Kaylee Rodriguez, 17, from Ninnekah High School.

HUNTING: crashing through the fallen leaves and scaring off any
SHARING potential wildlife in the area. Finally, after what seemed to

THE be a million miles of walking, we reached a small clearing
full of grasses as tall as my head, and trees taller than most
HERITAGE buildings. My sister and I sat in the camouflage blind for
what seemed like hours, but it was peaceful and relaxing.
By Kaylee Rodriguez After my first hunting trip, I grew to have a better appreci-
Imagine sitting in a pile ation for the outdoors and found myself wanting to spend
of giant red and yellow even more time watching nature. So, I went with my uncle
leaves, observing a white and sister on many more hunting trips and often took in
sack filled with a heavy the scenery and admired the beauty of nature. Sometimes
substance to anchor it to I tried to capture what I saw by taking pictures, but I often
the ground. A bright red, yellow and blue target painted on found myself not wanting to see my surroundings through
it shines brightly through the dead grass. The smell of fall a lens, but rather see it with my eyes.
fills the air. It is still and quiet. All of a sudden, the silence is As I got into my teens, I grew too busy with my school-
broken by the whipping sound of an arrow slicing through work and sports to take time to go out on hunting trips. I
the air. The arrow eventually stops with a thud into the tar- slowly started to fade away from my hunting heritage and
get. I can picture this exact scene, as I have lived through it how it brought me closer to nature. However, that changed
many times. As a young child, I would often watch my uncle for me this past year. I did not realize how much I missed
shoot his bow and arrow in my grandparents’ backyard. I being out in nature until my boyfriend forced me out to
was a quiet child who spent much of my time practicing the woods just a couple of weeks ago. His hunting heritage
sports, while across the yard my uncle would also be prac- is what helped him connect with family members; it also
ticing his archery skills. At the time I took no particular helped me relate to them, as well. As I have gotten older,
interest in hunting. The only thing I knew was my uncle I have realized I often forgot about what made me into
would often bring a deer home to show off to our family. the person I am today. Being out in the woods taught me
As I got older, my uncle decided to take my sister and me patience and gave me a real appreciation for nature. My
out to one of his hunting spots. Of course, at the time we hunting heritage helped connect me to my family and other
just carried the light equipment and walked heavy-footed, people around me.

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