It is said that the family that hunts together, stays together – or something like that. At least it works for the Hunt family.
Myran Hunt has been an avid outdoorsman for years, but the father of five has made hunting a family tradition that was passed down from his father and grandfather.
“My dad and grandad did a lot of hunting and fishing,” Hunt said. “I met my wife in college, and she did a lot of fishing ... and she just started hunting with me.”
Just a couple months back, wife Vilena more than pulled her own weight on a trip to North Carolina. Vilena Hunt shot and killed a North Carolina record 742-pound black bear, but that was where the fun began.
“We went up there on the last three days of bear season, but we didn’t go looking for a trophy,” Myran Hunt said. “Luckily, it was a hunting club we were on, so a couple members came up with a 4-wheeler and some of us pushed and pulled it.”
After not being able to get the gigantic bear into the bed of a truck, the Hunts decided to get it into a trailer and get it weighed. Problem was, there aren’t many places with a scale that goes to 800 pounds.
“We couldn’t find anywhere to weigh ... the taxidermy only goes up to 400 pounds,” Hunt said. “We finally went to a recycling center where they weigh cars or scrap metal.”
The family eats everything they kill, even the bear, which is a really sweet and very red meat, according to Myran. It’s great as bear burgers, he said.
Along with Vilena, Myran said his children have also got in the spirit, especially his youngest son Myran Jr., who recently helped with gator, duck and swine hunting.
“He’s been hunting with me since he was 21/2 or 3 years old; he loves going out there,” Hunt said.
The Hunts are looking forward to turkey season.