On top of a deer stand in the forest, Spencer watches in bewilderment as his dad steadies his crossbow and fires at an approaching deer. The thrill of the hunt appears tremendous, no doubt, but young Spencer knows that this experience is not truly about hunting animals, but sharing quality time with his father out in the wilderness.
Like many boys, Spencer has dreamed of exploring the vast world outdoors since building forts. Now, that world has finally opened itself to him.
As a young child, Director of Student Financial Aid Rich Moeggenberg said he enjoyed his old family tradition of hunting. Now, Moeggenberg is sharing that tradition with his 12-year-old son, Spencer.
Moeggenberg said, however, that while he loves hunting in general, he specializes in a very particular form of hunting: crossbow hunting.
“I enjoy bowhunting so much more than using guns,” said Moeggenberg. “There are many hunters that only gun hunt, and that’s fun, too, but bowhunting is a longer season and there are not as many people in the woods as opposed to gun-hunting season when literally millions of people go to the woods.”
Having obtained his hunting license in Michigan, Spencer has finally expressed interest in sharing the hunting experience with his dad after seeing him hunt for the past couple of years, Moeggenberg said.
In a day and age in which technology is so prevalent, Moeggenberg said that providing children with licenses is a good way to incentivize them to experience the outdoors.
“I think the fear is that there are more and more children playing video games and not being able to carry on the heritage of being in the woods,” said Moeggenberg. “But with this rather recent Michigan law that allows kids to carry provisional licenses, someone of his [Spencer’s] age and stature really has a viable chance to see something extraordinary in the outdoors.”
But while video games might suggest that firing a weapon involves the simple method of point-and-click, bow hunting requires the presence of a carefully and consistently trained mind, said Spencer
“Hunting is difficult,” Spencer said. “You can’t just walk in the woods and shoot an animal. It takes much preparation and practice. You have to stay quiet and still for long periods of time. It takes patience.”
Naturally, Spencer has inherited the marksmanship of his family, being able to hit targets from up to 40 yards away, and in some cases, with more accuracy than his own father, Moeggenberg commented.
“He’s good. He can outshoot me,” Moeggenberg said. “He is consistently within the target area so he is more accurate than I am with my bow by far. We’ve had a former Hillsdale College student and Marine stay with us this past summer who went out shooting a lot with Spencer with the .22’s and pellet guns, so I think that helped spark Spencer’s interest. “
Despite the dangers of weaponry such as crossbows, Moeggenberg said he does not fear excessively for the safety of Spencer. Much training and practice goes into ensuring that the process of bow-hunting is executed as flawlessly as possible, especially when pulling back about 150 pounds on a bow.
“He’s probably more careful than I am,” said Moeggenberg. “When it comes to shooting a crossbow, or even a shotgun, he knows it is time to get serious. “
Excited by the adventures with his father, Spencer is in a non-stop learning mode, asking his father about things such as how to best take down a deer, how to properly respect the animals, and how to skin it, said Moeggenberg.
But handling bows and shooting deer is ultimately not the real challenge for Spencer. A vivid memory of his, said Spencer, is of having once sat alone in the woods while his father was hunting in the near vicinity. A chilling sensation of fear overcame him as night fell, a fear that finally evaporated upon his father’s return.
At its core, hunting is a bonding experience solidifying the relationship between father and son, Moggenberg said. As a father, Moeggenberg not only imparts his knowledge to Spencer, but shapes him as a growing man and helps him brave through his fears.
As an administrator who has worked at Hillsdale College for 20 years, hunting season is a treat for Moeggenberg when fall semester becomes hectic.
“There are not many times in your life when you get away from everything and you come to a place where you are away from people, radio, cars, and iPhones constantly ringing,” said Moeggenberg. “Everything is just serene and silent.”
“[The most fun thing is] just being in the woods away from people and seeing wild animals in their natural habitat,” Spencer said.
Sophomore Braden Daugherty said he shares a similar disposition toward hunting. The experience amounts to more than an adrenaline-pumped search for thrills.
“You do it because it’s fun,” said Daugherty. “But most of all, hunting teaches you patience. And, depending on where you go, you get to see some really pretty landscape and the beauty of a sunrise. And if you go with family and friends, you get experience some wonderful camaraderie.”
Sitting up in a tree, Spencer and his father await a deer when suddenly the two discover a possum in the bag next to them. As its eyes widen, Moeggenberg quickly kicks it off the blind and it falls to the ground.
Moments like these are memories that the two will have for a long time, and that Spencer will surely tell his friends at school, Moeggenberg said.
“It’s not about killing the animal or the thrill of the hunt,” said Moeggenberg. “It’s about spending that time in the woods with him, to share my experiences. It’s also a time to reflect, read, and pray. We’re only at the infancy of this era of my son and I sharing these kinds of experiences, and I look forward to many more years of it.”
