Writing Resources from Fifteen Minutes of Fiction

Hunting Season

Some of my friends have no respect whatsoever for hunting season. They go out on the hunt any time of year, with total disregard for the Game Wardens or their rules and regulations. Me, though, I'm a strictly-by-the-book sort of guy, and I won't go hunting except when it's legal to do so. And I expect you to do the same, son.

The first step is to find the game trail. These can be found anywhere, meandering through the woods. Our prey is lacking in imagination, and they rarely change their path through the forest, so once you find the trail, you're pretty much set for life. You can keep coming back to the same spot year after year, and never run out of game to hunt.

The second step is to get close to the trail, without actually getting on the trail. You want to see the game long before he sees you. If he sees you, he'll get spooked - which is actually kind of entertaining, but when he sees you, you want him to be so close that he can't escape.

The third step is to pick your prey. Big, but not too big. These are ferocious creatures, and the biggest among them are downright vicious. For your first time out, pick one of the smaller ones. No one will think less of you for that; that's what we all did on our first hunt.

Once you've picked your target, wait as long as you can before stepping out into the open. Wait for it, wait for it...

Then, when he sees you, stand your ground. You'll see his eyes widen with fear, and he'll let out a blood-curdling howl. None of us are really sure what that howl means; it might be a scream of terror, but it might be an attempt to scare us. Don't be afraid. Stand firm.

That's it, son. Yes! Just like that! Oh, beautiful, and well done! My son, you're a natural born killer, just like your old man! Oh, it's a proud day for me; I can't wait to tell the others! Time to update your scorecard, Bruce!

Moose: 1
Car: 0

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