“Old Faithful” in our woods, PawPaw, 2022
When Toby asked us about hunting on our property we were hesitant at first. It was many years ago now and we didn’t know Toby, his wife Teresa, and their two boys, Levi and Jordan, all that well. Teresa took care of Kate a few days a week for two or three years, which is how we initially met them. We voiced our concerns and eventually agreed to let Toby hunt. He, in turn, would help us with various projects around our place. Quite simply, it was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. Not only have we enjoyed what has grown into a close friendship, but we’ve benefitted from the family’s knowledge and stewardship of our land.
The first season Toby hunted the deep woods on the southern edge of our land, he erected a tree stand. He named it Old Faithful because he always got a deer from that spot. Now, I am not a hunter, except with my camera, and the thought of sitting still and quiet for hours on end in the cold and damp of late fall didn’t much excite me. But it did Toby. He would stay in the woods from daylight til dark some days, often bringing home a deer, more often not. He once told me that just being in the woods was his favorite thing in life.
This past Sunday I took a walk in those deep woods. It was a stunning day, the angular light of Fall and crisp air made for a perfect walk. A young doe crossed the path above me. The dogs chased their noses across the mountain. As I passed Old Faithful and made this photograph I thought of Toby, conscious of my own hunt for pictures.