Many times as hunters others have asked us why we hunt animals.
What do you tell non-hunters about why we hunt?
Many hunters have their own reasons but we all share the passion.
Here are my six reasons why I hunt.
1. Tradition
Hunting game is a tradition that dates back as long as history itself. Families and friends have shared the hunt and the great harvest of meat they provide. It is part of the autumn harvest. The smell of the crisp fall air and the feel of gun or bow in your hands is looked forward to all year long. The memories of our hunting mentors are still strong in the wild winds of nature. They watch from high above as we now become the mentors to the next generation of hunters.
2. Meat
Folks it doesn’t get more organic than wild harvested meat. For those who want the healthiest meat available free ranging game is as good it gets. No injected hormones or food coloring gives this meat a glow. It is all wild and ready for the successful hunter and the family to feast upon.
3. Get closer to nature
Stalking through the woods in search of elusive game brings out a primitive part of our hunter gatherer past. While sitting in a tree we become part of that tree. We become bird watchers, weathermen and philosophers of everything in nature. At that moment we are part of nature’s food chain and nothing more.
4. Stress relief
Ready to leave the civilized world behind? Well we do on occasion in the name of hunting. Work problems, personal problems and everything worldly is now a thing of the past. The breeze and the smell of the wilderness beckons us on to the hunt. The stress melts away every minute we are in the wilds.
5. Game management
With any animal population proper management is critical. Hunting is the only proven way to successfully manage a game animal population in the long term. This is critical in many areas where natural larger predators were eliminated over a century ago and urban sprawl have pushed game populations into small overpopulated blocks of land.
6. Exercise for the mind, body and soul
Ever haul treestands up and down ravines, ridges and swamps? Does scouting for game entail many miles of hiking the woods and fields as far as your legs will take you? Well the honest exercise of the active hunter requires no gym membership. We are driven mentally and physically to explore new areas to hunt. Those favorite wilderness haunts we hunt game in all the way out always bring us back no matter how many years have gone by. It’s a passion that will never extinguish until we meet our all mighty Lord.
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