This image shows my office right now, my workplace. It’s not too bad huh? The air is fresh, the sun warm on my skin and there’s a gazillion birds singing right now - Yeah, it could be worse…But it’s not!
I’ll be honest though, my office looked much different a couple hours ago - More like you would expect an office to look like: Walls, floor, window, desk, computer etc. That’s right, I was at work, working. But now? Well, still working, but in a different environment. A nicer one by far!
I’m currently sitting not too far from where I took this photo, perched on a little outcropping of rocks that form a natural seat, waiting. Just waiting.
You see, I’m out on the farm performing some culling duties; That is, performing some feral animal control duties for the farmer. I’ve written about it before so won’t go much into it here but it essentially involves shooting feral animals [humanely] that encroach upon the land owned by the cattle farmer. Deer, kangaroos, foxes, hares and rabbits. It’s my job to do so, on this particular farm, which is the one and only reason I am allowed to enter the property. If I come here outside of my shooting days, Tuesday and Thursday, or without a gun, I am trespassing - Something farmers don’t respond well to.
So here I am, rifle and ammunition, binoculars, laser range-finder, backpack full of gear, water and snacks…Just waiting.
I’ll be honest with you, I may not shoot anything today; I don’t really feel in the mood to do so and therefore probably won't try too hard tonight. I’m happy to sit here just hanging out with nature, my own thoughts and a book I just happened to have in my backpack for occasions just like this. At the moment I’m reading One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer, an autobiography by Nathaniel Fick, in case you are wondering.
I’m probably going to wander around a bit, get some exercise whilst I’m here - It’s quite hilly so loads of inclines and declines to tread up and down and to get the heart-rate up a little. I’ll then settle down, break out some snacks and do some reading.
It’s really a cool time of year as daylight-saving time means loads of light, through to about 2030 (8:30) so I’ll stay at least that long, or as long as my snacks hold out.
I’m supposed to be shooting of course, and will if I have to. If something comes by I’ll probably have to do some trigger-pulling however I’m not going to go much out of my way to seek anything out tonight - I’m too content to sit and read.
I’ve very fortunate to be trusted upon this land as farmers do not permit any-old person onto their properties, especially unsupervised; Too much potential-damage could occur I suppose. I have built a lot of trust with the farmer though, over years, and so I get the privilege of being here. He also knows I’ll do the right thing as far as the actual reason I’m here in the first place - Shooting ferals I mean: Dispatch them humanely with head-shots, not leave them strewn all over the farm and not shoot any tanks, wind-mills, buildings or cows.
So, whilst I’m working out here, I’ll get to read a few chapters, block out society and the real world for a time and simply feel at peace…At least until the shooting begins.
Design and create your ideal life, don’t live it by default 🇦🇺