Comments on: Guest Post: On Hunting

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:24:40 +0000

Excellent post and all good points. I didn’t start hunting until I was in my late 20’s (after I got married) and it took my wife a long time to warm up the idea. She still won’t eat the venison I bring home (although my three kids love it) but it’s nice to know that she could if we ever found ourselves with nothing else to eat.

I started hunting with many of the same feelings you now have. I am willing to admit now, however, that it’s also a helluva lot of fun!

By: Mo

Mo — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:49:39 +0000

Many good points. I find that hunting (and fishing) deepens my appreciation for nature and my part in it. It adds an awareness that few non-hunters can relate to and many even deny. Buying meat (and vegetables) does not impart the responsibility or cost of our sustenance. The rewards of a meal produced by ones own efforts go far beyond nutritional need. While eating memories of the hunt, the animal, the practice, the scouting, all of the effort and dedication it took to harvest the prey are recalled. The moment of the kill when the primal thrill of a skillful harvest is tempered by the sadness of ending the life of a beautiful creature adds gratitude, respect and honor to the flavor – something I’ve never experienced eating food from a supermarket.

By: NorCal Cazadora

NorCal Cazadora — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:08:15 +0000

Belatedly: Nice post! But I have one thing to respond to, and that’s the idea that hunting isn’t a “necessity.” Well, eating animals that were bred to unnatural proportions, raised in crowded factory farms, pumped full of hormones and antibiotics and slaughtered on an assemblyline isn’t a necessity either – it’s just a way for most of use meat eaters to avoid the dirty work.

You can avoid factory-farmed meat if you’re willing to pay higher prices for sustainable/pastured/grass-fed/natural heirloom breeds. Or you can hunt and become intimately involved in the cycle of life, appreciating the meat on your table far more than if someone else had raised it. We do both in my house.

But I utterly reject the argument that hunting isn’t necessary because there’s a behind-the-curtain alternative that spares us the gore.

By: Blessed

Blessed — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:33:02 +0000

This is an excellent post full of well thought out reasons for why you should hunt… good luck on your continuing discussion with your wife!

By: RangerSquirrel

RangerSquirrel — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:27:14 +0000

Thanks to all of you!

By: Rick

Rick — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:58:06 +0000

Comment This was a good post indeed. One that was very well thought out.

Good luck on the coming arrival.

By: Terry Scoville

Terry Scoville — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:43:45 +0000

Comment
Very well written and thoughtful. While you mention the predator numbers being down, that is not entirely true here in Oregon. Cougar populations are quite high and have noticeably reduced the big game numbers. The quality of wild meat is far superior than store bough or even “organic” as the animals live in their home ranges and not high fences. I wish you success on your journey.

By: Arthur

Arthur — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:31:09 +0000

I loved this post. And I think he is right on with all of his points. I think it’s great that he is willing to learn a new skill at a later point in his life, and that he looks at that skill through unbiased eyes.

Simply put, it’s refreshing.

By: the suburban bushwacker

the suburban bushwacker — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:08:10 +0000

Great post – Im predicting great things from RS

SBW