The hunter huddled up next to a tall frost covered pine as he awaited the coming of a majestic sunrise. He had entered the woods in the dark and took his position to await the dawn of the opening day of the deer season. He had not slept well as he never did the night before. He had tossed and turned with visions of great horned bucks running before him. This left him a little lacking in energy but the adrenaline produced by the anticipation of the moment more than made up for the lack of sleep. The hunter had performed this same ritual for over 40 years of his life, accept for a few missed seasons. Many times it was at different locations, even different states, but the excitement was always the same.

The gray of dawn turned to a bright hue of pink as the dawn broke. The creatures of the forest began to wake with the promise of a new day, and soon would find locations to bask in the warmth of the rising sun as it broke over the mountain to the East. The pink soon turned to a glittering gold as the rising sun glanced off the autumn foliage and frost. The hunter's hands and feet were numb with cold as he dared not move or give his position away to any deer passing nearby. Even a slight change of position would bring forth a sharp cracking sound from the frozen needles and cones. Some Magpie's were having a argument in the woods several hundred yards to the North, sometimes they announced the passage of deer. Every fiber of the hunter's body concentrated on the area that the noise was coming from. The concentration was so great his vision blurred from staring so intensely. Abruptly the noise from the Magpies ended and there was the sound of wings breaking air as a very large Magpie landed on a branch of the pine that the hunter had made his stand. Of all the bad luck the hunter thought as the Magpie turned and glared down at him. The hunter braced himself for the loud shouting that was sure to come from the Magpie.......CAW Intruder.....CAW Intruder. However it wasn't to be this day, as the Magpie stated, "Good morning Old Man, what a glorious morning it is, indeed." The hunter almost dropped his gun, with surprise, not knowing what else to do, he replied;..."Shisssss be quiet Magpie, you will warn off the deer." Not to be brushed off the Magpie dropped to a lower branch of the pine just several feet from the hunter and replied; "Old fool, the deer have already been warned and have moved to their secret place. So no matter, you might as well talk to me." Yah, right thought the hunter, who ever heard of a talking Magpie? The Magpie read the hunters thoughts and replied; "All creatures of the forest can talk, its just that very few of your species take time to listen."

Well maybe ya got something there, the hunter thought; he could remember many times when he was sure he was communicating with creatures mentally, without speaking. By now the full sun had broke over the mountain and the warmth began to penetrate his cold bones. He sat down under the tree and looked up at the Magpie, quite disturbed. "You know I could shoot you, said the hunter." "Yes indeed you could, said the Magpie; but you won't, as there will be no killing in the forest today. You and I both know that you have deep respect for the creatures of the forest, and you will not take ones life without permission of the Great Spirit. So shoot if you must old man, but I will haunt you to your dying days." With that the Magpie dropped to the ground, not an arms length away from the hunter.

This was not how the hunter had visualized the day, nor was sitting talking to a Magpie very productive. The Magpie was right though, he had always had great respect for the creatures of the forest. He had learned at a young age that killing was not a right, but a privilege being given to you by the creature being killed. Taking of the creature's spirit was a gift, not to be taken lightly. All creatures are a gift from God and God is very much involved in their lives and deaths. So a prayer of thanks is in order for both. Most hunters attribute success as being skilled; whereas the truth may be that the hunter's success may have been a gift from the creature and God. To look at it any other way, makes killing cold and senseless. The hunter was interrupted from his mental analysis of the situation by a sudden, loud, call from the Magpie....CAW..Friend.....CAW..Friend. With that the forest became alive with activity as the creatures went about their activities.

The hunter was startled by the sudden activity in the up too than dead forest. Almost by magic the forest was alive with the voices of the creatures that had been hidden until the Magpie made its judgement of the hunter. What a splendid sound, it was alive. It wasn't long before the warmth of the morning and the music of the forest put the hunter into a sound sleep below the tree as the Magpie looked on.

It was not too long later that another hunter approached the tree with the sleeping hunter and Magpie. The great bear swung from side to side as it struggled with the decision of whether to kill this sleeping human or let him go. The bear looked at the Magpie and the Magpie looked at the bear. The message was clear, there would be no killing in the forest this day. The bear moved on, a smile on its face. It would be a glorious day, a day of beauty and fun, thought the Magpie as it flew away........................................

A True Story