Senior Tristan Kerr was sitting in a tree stand waiting for his perfect shot. The sunlight was slowly withering away and the temperature began to drop. He was on the verge of calling it a night when he heard a crackle in the leaves. Tristan began to listen intently when he finally saw what he had been looking for. The deer was in perfect range; now all he had to do was make his shot. He looked through the scope and lined it up.

He pulled the trigger and shot his first deer. Although he was only 12 years old, he will always remember his first experience.

Tristan and his younger brother Bryce both learned to hunt from their father. Matt Kerr has hunted his entire life and passed the tradition down to them. Tristan and Bryce both believe he inspired them to start hunting. They also believe they have learned many things from hunting.

“Patience is key when hunting,” Tristan said. “I learn to respect nature and just enjoy being by myself in the woods.”

Sophomore Isaiah Huempfner has had similar experiences.

Last fall, he was sitting quietly in his tree stand also waiting for his perfect shot. He saw 30 plus deer, does and bucks, some small and some large. He watched three different bucks fight in front of him, chasing does. He watched two eight points walk just over ten yards away from him. He noticed something that caught their attention as they turned nervously. Then he saw, in the last bit of glistening sunlight, a nine point standing tall.

Seconds later, Isaiah was celebrating his biggest buck.

Isaiah has been hunting ever since he could walk and learned everything he knows from his father. His father has been to all of the western and midwest states, and almost all of the southern states to hunt. He has also been to Mexico and Canada to pursue his outdoor passion. His father gave him an old stick bow and a slingshot when he was two. As a kid, Isaiah was always outside enjoying nature. It has been an important part of his upbringing.

“Hunting has helped me in lots of ways,” Isaiah said. “One huge thing that hunting has helped me with is stress. It helps relieve it, being out in the woods helps me a lot. Takes my mind off some huge things.”

Senior Trace Schirmers also believes he has learned a lot from hunting.

“Hunting has taught me a lot about patience and putting time into things,” Trace said. “The longer you sit in the woods the more likely you are to see your trophy buck.”

Trace was raised in Minnesota until age 9, before he moved to Alaska. His grandfather taught him to hunt for rabbits when he was around seven years old. As he began to grow older, he started to hunt for bigger game. Hunting in Minnesota and Alaska it is a bit different than hunting in Michigan.

When hunting in Alaska, you are also being hunted.

“The biggest difference between hunting in Alaska and hunting in Michigan is the dangers of hunting,” Trace said. “When hunting in Alaska, you have to worry about the environment around you like the bears, moose, and the weather.”

Daane Spielmaker, the safety liaison of FHC, is also big into hunting. He believes hunting helps kids learn the process of safety. He is in the early stages of setting up a hunting club here at FHC. For now, it will start as a clay shooting club and the fishing club, but hopefully will transition into a hunting club.

Isaiah harps on the importance of being able to go out into the woods and get away from the hustle and bustle of the town.

“I hunt to be out in the woods, in God’s creation,” Isaiah said. “I see things in the woods that I’d never see in the city or sitting on the couch. I’ve created so many memories by being in the woods.”