Waking up before sunrise in September 2013, senior Jared Beach, his father and his sister prepared for another long day of hunting. After treating his clothes to remove any human scent, they donned their camouflage attire, and walked into the Tahoe National Forest, tracking the footprints of a bear in the snow.

The hunt proved to be fruitless when they could not track down the bear. But such is a day in the life of a hunter. 

Beach is an avid hunter who goes hunting a couple times a month during the season, usually killing animals ranging from deers to boars. It’s a pastime that he has enjoyed doing with his dad, sister, and step-brother.

According to Beach, the process of hunting is long and arduous. Beginning early in the morning, hunting is an all-day affair.

“First, you put camo on and descent and then go on stand,” Beach said. “Then you wait probably an hour or so before everything settles and animals start coming out.”

The hunters hope their patience is rewarded with a kill. If it is, they must also clean and process the animal.

Cleaning involves hanging up a deer, for example, by a rope, and skinning and gutting it before the animal can be trimmed for the meat. The family eats the meat, but disposes the leftover bones and guts. Beach’s family also has a cleaning business. They charge $75 per animal.

Hunting is so integral to the Beach family that they own their own 1,000-acre plot of land in Livermore where they hunt. Beach also has access to his own cleaning facility on the property. 

Growing up in a family of hunters, Beach quickly learned the ropes.

“The most memorable moment I have of hunting is when I shot my first deer,” Beach said. “The best feeling about hunting is the adrenaline rush I get from it.” 

Beach’s favorite gun to use while hunting is a .308 caliber (the diameter of the bullet) rifle because of his familiarity with the weapon. A higher caliber is usually more powerful than a smaller one.

“I've always used [the gun] and grew up with and it’s a comfortable size,” Beach said.

Only recently has he taken up bear hunting. According to Beach, hunting a bear is difficult because of their scarcity. He said that after tracking a bear for a day, he had nothing to show for it, besides a sore and aching body.

Nevertheless, hunting is a sport that Beach can’t get enough of.

“There is a lot of adrenaline and waiting involved but at the end it’s just an exhilarating experience that you can’t describe,” Beach said.