I’ve long been asked by those who do not hunt why I like hunting. Often, they misunderstand that hunting isn’t simply about harvesting an animal or bird. It is not a blood sport. It is not inhumane. Every hunter has their own “why”, but most hunters I know find a common thread about what resonates in their lives.
Delicious, organic meat for the freezer. Above all, hunters take great pride in filling their freezers with all sorts of wild game. I, for one, have stacks of pheasant, grouse, goose, duck, crane, deer, elk, and antelope.
Not to mention…gobs of perch and trout. I haven’t purchased meat in years. The fact that wild game and wild game birds are organic and low in fat and cholesterol only makes it better.
Let us also not forget the nationwide panic when stores couldn’t stock enough meat products during the early days of the pandemic. Hunters never worried! Now, toilet paper shortages may have posed different problems.
Camaraderie
There is nothing better than hanging with family and friends, enjoying the outdoors watching the birds fly, or celebrating that great buck.
Photographic Memories
I, for one, take tons of photos when I’m hunting. I love to take in the scenery, the animals, and any other memories that present themselves. What’s even better than taking those photos is looking back on them.
Waking with the world
Hunters above all people understand the thrill of waking up with the natural world.
The breaking of dawn
The moment the birds awaken. The emergence of little critters like squirrels, chipmunks, or field mice is comical and deafening at the same time. Watching the shadows change, the light pick up and the movement of your pursued game is so intensely beautiful.
Physical Challenge
Not all hunts are physically challenging, but the ones that are brought up have another sense of accomplishment on top of the actual hunt and kill.
Pushing oneself to the extremes to go over that next ridge, hike for miles or push through inclement weather only make the success of a hunt that much sweeter.
Nothing in life comes easy and hunters tend to find that out.
At the end of the day, hunters have such great respect for the outdoors and wildlife. It’s almost a reverence that those who do not hunt experience. Let us know what some of your favorite aspects of hunting are!
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