‘September’ is derived from the word septem which means seven and was the seventh month of the Roman calendar. It is now obviously the ninth month of twelve in our modern calendar and marks the beginnings of many occurrences. September means different things to a lot of people around the world. Mexico’s Independence Day, the start of Germany’s Oktoberfest, first day of spring in Australia, and even ‘National Talk like a Pirate Day’ all fall within the days of September…but for the people of Montana, September brings something different. For some, it could be the first day of Autumn, the end of summer, the changing colors of leaves or the start of football season, but for my friends and I, September is something special. It's the beginning of archery season and the peak of the elk rut. That 1-2 week window of the elk rut that you have been preparing for the last 11 months finally arrives and every day not in the field feels like an eternity, and each day in the field goes by faster than you can imagine. In the United States, September is supposedly ‘National Preparedness Month’ but for a bow hunter, it’s something of the opposite. The previous 11 months go bye with non-stop thinking, calculating, practicing, motivating, preparing, and dreaming. It's what we talk about at work, with friends, and with a random stranger on a bar stool. It's when we hang our trail cams, move our trail cams, and constantly check them to see if you by chance got a picture of something amazing. If you aren’t prepared by September, you are too late.
For me, September is using my 2 weeks of vacation to pack into the mountains, losing cell phone service and disconnecting from one world only to connect to another. It’s waking up early and going to bed late. It's hiking miles upon miles only to turn back around disappointed, where a changing wind can ruin your dreams, a dumb move can look like the smartest thing you’ve ever done, or watching a friend fulfill a dream of a lifetime while you go back empty handed and it being one of the best memories you’ll ever have. September isn’t just another month, a number or a small part of an ancient calendar, it’s something you can’t describe. I can’t really say what it is, but if you’re like me, you’ll know when you find it. Is it September yet?
