Top 5 Reasons to Hunt
Ask this question to 100 hunters and you will get 100 different responses, but I assure you these 5 reasons will resonate with each of the hunters.
1. Food on the Plate
There are not many answers better than the most basic one. Food. By engaging in a hunt we are able to create a very special, and in today’s world, rare opportunity to take responsibility for the food we consume. Now yes, it is FAR easier to go to the grocery store to buy some ground beef than it is to get your license, acquire the gear, spend weeks staking out a deer, shoot the deer, drag it out of the forest etc. etc. etc. But there is no sense accomplishment and pride in going to the store, nor is the industrial farm meat as nutritious and healthy as the hunted alternative. Due to the natural vegetative diet and free range lifestyle of wild game, studies show that wild meat is leaner with less saturated fats than industrial farmed meat. Also, in todays world it may be more prudent than ever to be able take care of yourself if the world decides to flip on its head. And this leads me to….
2. Self Reliance
God forbid it, but we are all thinking it, there may come a day when we need to go back to our roots to fend for ourselves and our loved ones. You and I know that the meat that we find in the grocery store doesn’t just magically appear, however I would say the majority of people would be at a loss if the shelves were no longer stocked for them. By hunting we are building the skills to survive and to help those around us if our current systems fail us.
3. Conservation
Now this one might get you in trouble when you try to justify it to PETA, but hear me out. By purchasing your hunting tags and paying your licensing fees we are contributing to the budget of the governments conservation efforts. These funds are used to help monitor and control the animal populations to stop predators from driving out prey, or overpopulation of prey overwhelming predator’s. There is a fine balance in all things, and hunters are part of that balance. By controlling the population through a quick and humane death we are saving the animals from the starvation or being torn apart by predators when populations go out of balance. When one has a successful and legal hunt, the remains of the animal that are not used for consumption then go back to nature to feed the other animals and as ashes to ashes and dust to dust we return the animal to nature where it can fertilize the earth.
4. Building a relationship with Nature
As a species we are becoming more and more out of touch with our primal instincts and our relationship with nature is suffering all the more because of it. We were made to interact outdoors, with the sun on our face and the wind in our hair, yet more and more we find ourselves sheltered indoors. We wake up in our house, hop in our car, drive to work, spend the day in the office, hop in our car, return home and repeat. By going on a hunt we are able to humble ourselves back to our roots and immerse ourselves in all of the beauty that is offered only by nature. The chirping of the birds, the buzz of insects, the wind on the leaves, the smell of fresh air. It is invigorating and revitalizing. Being in nature is refreshing for our human bodies and spirit and is a vital part of being alive.
5. To reserve and pass on knowledge and skills and build relationships
By sharpening our skill and teaching others how to hunt we are able to ensure that future generations can take care of themselves and their communities if push comes to shove. The more people who can provide for their communities when in need the better. I love taking my children with me hunting. The time we get to spend together away from screens and technology is priceless. Teaching them how to respect and harvest an animal and seeing them do so in kind creates a wonderful feeling of pride. Talking with my friends and family and showing eachother skills and techniques helps us to bond on a deeper level than if we just sat around looking at TikToks or watching Netflix videos
In Summary:
When asked “why do you hunt?” I can simply say, “To refresh my soul”.
Like I said at the begining, if you ask 100 hunters why they hunt you’ll get 100 different answers. So here I am asking, leave a comment below to let me know, “Why do you hunt?”
