July’s Bone Collector comes from a line of hunter’s that have full respect for what the culture can really provide. William McMahon tells bonecollector.com about his father having a great influence on hunting for him, as a teacher and caretaker for his family as well as other families in need.
As William’s first experience hunting with his father, he learned the excitement of being on the hunt. “My Dad took me out of school for the first time for the opening day of duck season when I was 8 years old. Even though I had been tagging along behind him for years while he was partridge or rabbit hunting this was the first time that I felt as if I were an actual part of the hunt. We built the blind together the evening before and put out the decoys the following morning before first light. That night I didn't sleep a wink, you talk about pumped!”
“It was one of the most incredible experiences of my entire life and I will always remember that day and the many days to follow that I had the opportunity to tag along with my Dad while hunting.”
William also learned from his father that with excitement and the thrill of hunting also comes responsibility in some cases. “My Dad was by far my biggest influence on my choice to become a hunter. He opened the door for me but let me decide on my own if that was the path that I would choose to take. He had more patience than any man I have ever known which made him a great teacher and he also had a wealth of information on the sport. He grew up on a farm back in the days when WWII was taking place and he and Uncle Myles gave venison and other types of wild game to a lot of needy families in our area because husbands and sons were off to fight on the other side of the world. In many cases people needed help with the basic necessities of life like feeding their families so they took it upon themselves to do what they could. I found this information many years ago and not through him but some of his friends, many of which have now passed on as well. He was very humble and a quick heart felt thank you was all that was required.”
From his heritage, William knew that he would also like to keep the tradition of hunting alive within his family. “The very first time that I heard Michael recite the Creed I instantly said to myself I want to be part of the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood’s views are so very similar to my own that I feel we could be brothers and in a way we now are. I have never apologized to anyone at anytime for being a hunter even when at times it would have made a situation a little less uncomfortable. I am a hunter and I make no excuse for that fact and I am very proud of my hunting heritage. I preach to my son and others about the importance of having hunters in our society and how important it is that Dads pass it on to their kids, nephews and nieces and for that matter your neighbor’s kids. We need to do this to help keep the sport that we all love so much alive and flourishing.”
