Isak Taylor

Practical arts teacher Charles Harrison hunts for food and sport. He started hunting at 17 but stopped when he joined the Marine Corps. He later rediscovered his passion for hunting. “[I like] just watching how the seasons change and how animals grow and how they react,”Harrison said. “You see them in their natural habitat.”

While most people are still waking up or asleep early Saturday morning, only a few have been up for much longer. Among these early risers are hunters, who get up before dawn to travel to their destination, set up their equipment and prepare for a long day of waiting. Practical arts teacher Charles Harrison is one of many in the Ladue community who hunt for both food and sport.

It can be difficult to point out an exact moment when one realizes they have a passion for a sport, but oftentimes for hunters, it’s getting their first animal. Harrison, who began hunting 15 years ago, discovered his passion for hunting on one of his earlier trips.

“I was with my brother-in-law since I hadn’t hunted since I was 17 years old,” Harrison said. “We went out, I shot at a deer. We found a little bit of blood, but we couldn’t find the deer. I was completely hooked.”

Hunting is often something that many people are taught from childhood instead of picking it up naturally. Harrison learned the basics from his dad, but much of what he learned was self taught. Now, he teaches his skills to his daughter and nephew.

Hunting trips have now become a family bonding activity. But sharing this tradition with his family comes in more ways than the trip itself. Even the events following the trip have become treasured experiences for Harrison.

“During the shotgun deer season, all of the family comes out to our house,” Harrison said. “We have a shed, so everybody just hangs out while we take care of deer. We have appetizers and snacks and all that kind of stuff.”

Although nature has such a large role in hunting, it can be easy to disregard it in the moment. When Harrison looks back on past hunting trips, he finds that simply watching the sunrise helps him feel connected to nature.

“I love being in the woods, especially morning hunting,” Harrison said. “When you go out, it’s dark and the sun starts to come up, the woods start to wake up and the birds and other critters are running around. It’s a great way to be out in the woods and enjoy creation.”

Before the sun rises, Mike Theodosiou (10) is up and traveling to his hunting destination with his dad. Upon arriving, the two carry their supplies to a selected spot to set up their deer stand and stay for the next 12 hours and set up their deer stand. Theodosiou has hunted with his dad since seventh grade, and it has become a cherished bonding experience. 

Over the years, Theodosiou also learned many lessons from experience. Being out in the woods every weekend has helped him overcome any challenges he faced when first starting, like patience. 

“Since I’ve been [hunting] for so long, I’ve learned how to be patient, and it hasn’t really been hard to wait [anymore],” Theodosiou said. 

However, Theodosiou has learned most of his hunting skills from his dad. He found that one of his best learning moments came from his first trip, and the success he earned from it. 

“On my first hunting trip, we just walked to the [deer] stand and scared a deer away,” Theodosiou said. “Then I got up into the stand and about five deer walked by, but they were too small. And then the perfect buck just walked right in front of me, I pulled up my rifle and pulled the trigger.”

The experience of being out in nature has always been a highlight for Theodosiou whenever he hunts. Being so far away allows him to reflect the more simple ways of serenity.

“[It’s fun] sitting out in the woods,” Theodosiou said. “You get to be out there early watching the world wake up, listening to all the animals. You’re out in nature, far away from everybody else, in the middle of nowhere, and there’s no cell receptor to bother you.”