A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to purchase another ranch, the Noodle Curve Ranch, in Jones country in an area northwest of Abilene. We knew that the area was known for big deer – fantastic deer hunting.

Jim Allen, our ranch manager, got everything set up for us, all the deer blinds and feeders were in place.  We went in a did some sight prep, clearing some paths – but also leaving the terrain as untouched as possible, leaving very little footprint on the land itself.  On opening weekend, I was with my dear friend, John Bracket.  His son Landon was hunting in the north blind.  He had called his dad to say he had seen a very large buck.  John wanted to be with his son when he shot a deer, so Landon didn’t shoot.  They were able to get some video footage of that monster buck.  Right then, I determined that I would hunt that blind to see if he returned.

Over the next week, I repeatedly hunted the blind, but I didn’t see the deer.  I heard 5 gunshots one night.  Every time I would hear a gun shot, my heart would sink, wondering if someone in a neighboring ranch had shot that big buck.

We went back out again this past Saturday morning.  I met Jim at 4:45a and made the 52 mile drive to the ranch in Jones County.  We got into the deer blind about 6:15a.  Within 30 minutes, there was a lot of deer activity and i ended up getting a shot about 30 minutes later.   There’s something special about finally shooting a monster deer, a true trophy white tail and having someone there with you to enjoy it.

After I got the shot, I sat in the deer blind for about 2 hours, thinking back about all of the great experiences, the great places over the past 25 years that I’ve been fortunate to hunt and fish.  I thought about those memories and all those occasions.  All of those trips were with good people – some fun times.

It was kind of ironic to me – after I thought about that.  I have traveled long distances looking for that perfect shot.  I love adventure as much as anybody does.  But here I had killed a monster deer within close proximity of home.

(Click on image for larger version)

But isn’t that similar to the way we are?  We are hunting and searching for something and we go to great lengths and great distances to find something.  It all came back to me that so often what we’re really looking for – Jesus – is right before us.  He’s close to us.  We can reach him quickly.  We have access to him.  Yet, when I reflect about the great distances I’ve traveled and how much time I’ve spent fishing and hunting, looking for that perfect catch or that trophy shot,  I realize as well how little time I’d spent on my knees praying.

Often times in life, we go to great distances and great lengths looking for something, to find something and we search the ends the ends of the earth to find it.  We buy things that we think are going to bring us happiness.  But in reality, so many people never really find that true trophy – never really reaching what we really want out of life.   Sharing adventurous experiences with good friends is part of what I think God thinks is important in life.  And I believe it’s important to have a common bond of faith between us.  And really, it’s ultimately all about Him anyway.

- Randy Hill