The Best of All Seasons : University of Nebraska Press : 9780803243477 : 0803243472 : 25 Sep 2012 : Since first learning to handle a Winchester .22 as a kid, Dan Aadland has exulted in hunting&;not as a sport but as a calling. In this book he takes readers to Montana&;s prairies and mountains in search of antelope, whitetail deer, moose, and the occasional upland bird as he vividly describes the rituals and camaraderie of hunting culture. In fifteen essays recounting a lifetime of adventures, Aadland spins tales of a hunter whose years have been enriched by pursuing game under Montana&;s big sky. He conveys the drama of stalking elk in deep snow, when sometimes just the chance at a shot is enough, and describes the tricks of bowhunting. He tells how hunting with horses was &;the real deal&;: planting one&;s foot in the stirrup and sensing an affinity with great hunters of the past. Underlying his memoir is a deep respect for wildlife and appreciation for the West. Sometimes nostalgic,