Llyod Quaale, For Father

My dad was an alcoholic when I was growing up, but he went to rehab and got the help he needed to get sober. Hunting became our way of rebuilding our relationship.

On my first trip, I was 11 years old. I had tagged along because my dad wanted me to go, and I wanted to support him in his recovery. I remember the first two seasons we had no idea what we were doing. It was a learning experience. My gear was all from Walmart. Oh yea, it was stupendous!

In the third season, we finally shot a buck. It was a little two-pointer, mule deer in Williams Lake. Small guy, but it was good eating. Maybe you always remember your first, but I vividly remember walking through an alfalfa field, and there he was. I was in front, so I spotted the deer first and signalled my dad. It was a perfect shot at 30 yards, broadside. I didn't even shoot the buck but seeing my dad's excitement was the hook, line, and sinker.

What started out as a father and son bonding time is still ingrained in our relationship today. We take it seriously, but we're not going to do a two-week mountain hunt. We hunt to stock our freezer and to get out and be with nature. It's a relaxing way to decompress and bond. He's never slipped; 15 years of sobriety.

-Lloyd Quaale

Editor's Comments

Lloyd was a "vegan." I was beyond confused; I thought I was interviewing a hunter — is there such thing as a vegan-hunter? He explained he was detoxing from years of eating like crap. But as soon as open season for deer started, he would eat what he kills.

Despite Lloyd having over a decade of hunting experience, he hadn't seen a single buck last season. That's the name of the game! It's important for me to share an honest perspective of hunting; I would love to hear your story.

-Jenny Ly