Tradition Lives On

Every once and awhile, during my journeys around the internet, I stumble on something truly unique, beautiful and moving, this short video by reader Adam Lytle is one of those things.

This year while preparing for his family’s annual hunting trip in Michigan Adam Lytle grabbed his camera to capture the almost sacred male bonding tradition with his family. After-all, hunting’s not really about how much game you bring in it’s about the camaraderie, the oldies telling their stories and it’s about men spending time together in the outdoors. It’s something uniquely American in practice and universal in nature, men were made to love hunting and fishing. Read more about Adam Lytle’s family tradition below.

Every October for the past thirty years, my father and his brothers have come together in northern Michigan to spend a week hunting roughed grouse and woodcock amidst the color change of the leaves. The trip was originally organized by my grandfather, Robert J. Lytle as a way to spend time with his four sons, all who grew up tagging along on his many trips into the woods. On his passing, in the early nineties, his ashes were spread over his favorite hunting grounds. Every year we return in his memory.

I was lucky enough to be invited when I was twelve years old and have been attending ever since. I’ve spent many a cool autumn night staring wide-eyed as my elders recounted stories from the past. From shooting trap with General George S. Patton, to surviving attacks in Vietnam, from running away from home, to crashing Floatplane’s in Long Lake, and of course, stories of the biggest grouse they’ve ever chased. These stories taught me what it means to be a man.

Working in New York City, it gets a little awkward telling your boss that you have to miss work to go hunt animals, but its well worth it. These guys aren’t your Cabela’s rednecks. They are working men who, come October, achieve glory, as brothers, living off this beautiful land.