Why we Hunt…
Have you ever seen a picture of someone hunting, and asked “Why in the world would someone ever want to do that?” Well, there are several reasons why millions of Americans go hunting each year. The reason largely depends on the person you are asking, as we all hunt for different reasons. Some of the reasons may surprise you and some may actually pique your interest in hunting, an enjoyable activity that can provide more than just meat on the table.
Antonio and Varria.
Posing with the deer they successfully hunted.
For some, hunting means carrying on a family history of hunting, with many lessons, skills, and knowledge being passed from one generation to another. Some hunters can vividly remember going hunting with their father, grandfather, or uncle. Some of these same families can trace their hunting heritage back several generations. Thanks to more socially acceptable times today, many men, women, and kids, are learning to hunt from their mother, or other women hunters. While few of us rely on hunting to survive, the feeling of carrying on a family tradition can be priceless.
Sabrina in Macon Georgia.
Field dressing her game from the camping trip.
Self-sufficiency is another reason why many people hunt. Sure, most Americans do their best hunting in the meat isles of their local grocery store, but others take pride in knowing that they have the skills to hunt, kill, and provide nutritious hormone and antibiotic free meat for their families. The 2020 pandemic sent a shockwave through the world and here in America, meat prices went through the roof, at times there was no meat on the shelves at all! While many folks went into panic mode, hunters were at ease, knowing that they could get meat at will, simply by going and getting it- from the woods. Being self-sufficient gives you a feeling of security when you know that you can make it, without being reliant on factory raised meats. Yes, factory raised because “farms” are a misnomer. Sure, the word “farmed raised” presents an image of plush green fields, free ranging poultry, or livestock, with the little red barn in the background., but the reality is that few, if any “farm raised animals” are raised in that setting. Most “farmed raised” animals are crammed into areas with so many other animals, fish included, that they can barely move.
For others such as myself, we enjoy the feeling of being out in nature in pursuit of the hunt. We enjoy wandering along a creek reading animal tracks, scat, and other signs that game may be in the area. The tranquility of watching the sunrise as a flock of ducks lift off of a pond, the sight of a squirrel running through the trees, or the sound of a turkey gobbling in a field are experiences to behold. The serenity of nature is enough to keep many of us in the woods rather than in the streets where we are destined to face drama, the rat-race of society, and where everyone is in a hurry to get nowhere. Submerging yourself into an animals’ habitat and pitting your skills as a hunter, against the animals’ skill and will to survive can sometimes be humbling. We hunters more times than not, come up empty handed. It’s alright though because each trip into the woods can reveal a new experience, a new challenge. Oftentimes we learn something new about the animals we are hunting; even when we thought that we knew it all.
LJ and Darryl.
Hunting rabbit.
Personally, I hunt because I enjoy participating in an activity, a life skill, that man has done since the beginning of time. I enjoy the tranquility and adventure of being in the woods, hunting game with firearms and weapons that are both common and uncommon. I hunt to leave a legacy for future generations and to be an example for others. As I mentioned earlier, oftentimes hunters come up empty handed, meaning that we don’t get anything at all. But when we are successful, it makes up for all of the unsuccessful days. It also gives me a sense of pride and self-worth when the meat on my family’s table came from my skills and success as a hunter. Why do you hunt?
About Eric Morris.
Eric is Producer and Host of Non Typical Outdoorsman TV. Executive Director of Non Typical Outdoorsman Inc., a conservation organization that promotes conservation, hunting, and outdoor education, and specializes in efforts to further enhance minority participation within hunting and the outdoors. He’s not only a US Army Veteran, but Eric has been among America’s Top 50 Hunter Education Instructors. He’s certified hunter education instructor in Texas, Georgia and Kansas. Eric is also a published outdoor writer, and has been featured in countless magazines, podcasts, and interviews.
