At first glance, it was a scene no different than one that is repeated many times each year throughout the Midwest: Six or so hunters in line working their way through the corn or milo while other hunters block at the end of the field.
The shout of “rooster!” is heard time and again as pheasants rocket into the prairie sky.
The hunt I was privileged to witness this past Saturday, the day before Veterans Day, was, however, one-of-a-kind:
Each of the men taking part in this pheasant hunt, hosted by the VFW and Brown’s Hunting Ranch, is a veteran and has been awarded a Purple Heart. This award is given to service members “wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing force.”
There were no bands to send these men off to the field—no fanfare at all. Instead, it was simply a day for them to get together, to enjoy time outdoors, to pay respects to their fellow veterans and honor who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation’s freedom.
These men came from the West and the East, from the North and the South. In a nation that has been divided and seems so again today, I was struck by not only the camaraderie of the group, but also how by the bonds that tied them together: A true band of brothers marching together in a field in South Dakota, near a small town named Gettysburg.
Collectors of aphorisms, tales, and inspirational quotations for many years, renowned artist Bob Timberlake and Ambassador Mark Erwin became fast friends during a dinner party, where happenstance sat them together. Swapping stories and laughs, they discovered a mutual devotion to God, family, friends, and country, and a passion for the sportsman’s life of hunting and fishing, conservation, and dogs. They took up their conversation again after dinner and it continued through Life’s Lessons: Lines of Wisdom from a Faithful Stream, their first volume together, which was instantly and surprisingly popular.
In Headed Home, they pick up the trail with customary good humor to explore such themes as personal fulfillment, heritage, mortality, faith, and the blessings and wonders of dogs, pairing favorite lines of wisdom with fifty-seven Timberlake paintings, many recently created. Buy Now
