To the Editor:
I really enjoyed Nelson Sigelman’s articles on deer hunting this year, as well as the story he did on Olga Hirshhorn (Oct. 7, “Olga was a Derby fisherman in heart and soul”). The hunting articles were done from the view of a sportsman who has lived his whole life in the woods. Most non-hunters don’t understand what we as hunters and conservationist are really all about. It is their perception that we are just killing wildlife. All the things that we experience in the woods while hunting, from the natural course of nature, the ability to spend time with friends and family, and the privilege of passing down the knowledge of years of experience to our children and grandchildren, are blessings, to be sure.
The time spent learning and hunting with my dad are etched in my mind forever, especially the first time I called a turkey in for him — that meant more to me than my first bird. Now that we are getting older, it becomes harder to draw back a bow, or to climb that tree, whether it be a climbing stand or a fixed ladder, squeaky stands or creaky bones and sore joints, all these things you touch on in your articles, and it resonates with all of us who have had the privilege to do what we love all our lives. Thank you, Nelson, your stories really hit home.
Randy Shea
Marlborough