Why We Hunt

[smitty55]

Just saw this posted on FB. I thought it was quite well written so I figured it was worth sharing. Sorry for the caps, that's how it was posted. Cheers

 

HUNTERS ARE THE WITNESSES OF THE WILD.
OUR PASSION DRIVES US TO RISE EARLY IN THE COLD DARK HOURS OF THE DAWN AND TO TRAVEL MANY MILES TO LOSE OURSELVES IN FAVOURITE LANDSCAPES, THE ONES THAT RESONATE IN OUR SOULS.
WE MAY GO WITH FRIENDS OR... FAMILY BUT AT SOME POINT WE END UP ALONE, MOVING QUIETLY, TOTALLY INVOLVED WITH THE BREEZE, THE UNDERGROWTH, THE HIDDEN PLACES IN THE VEGETATION AND THE VAST, OVER ARCHING SKY.
WE BECOME PREDATORS, AND THUS ONE WITH THE ECOSYSTEM - NO LONGER CASUAL OBSERVERS, BUT FULL PARTICIPANTS. WE ARE THERE, WHOLLY AND COMPLETELY, AND OPEN TO WHAT WILL COME.
AND SO IT IS THAT WE SOMETIMES COME HOME FOR THE FINAL TIME AT SEASON’S END WITH OUR TAGS UNFILLED, BUT OUR HEARTS OVERFLOWING. A SUCCESSFUL HUNT DOES NOT REQUIRE A KILL, ONLY THE POSSIBILITY OF ONE. IT IS THAT POSSIBILITY THAT PLACES US OUT IN THE HEART OF THE LIVING WORLD WHERE WOLVES TROT CASUALLY OVER THE ALPINE RIDGES, SMALL BIRDS DRAG THE SUNRISE INTO THE WIND AND BIGHORN SHEEP SURVEY THE WILDERNESS FROM HOLLOWED OUT BEDS ON HIGH TALUS SLOPES.
SOMETIMES WE FORGET WHAT THOSE WHO DO NOT HUNT CANNOT UNDERSTAND, BUT IT IS NOT THE KILL THAT MAKES US HUNTERS. IT IS THE WITNESSING, THE BEING THERE, AND THOSE INTIMATE MOMENTS OF DISCOVERY WHEN THE LIVING WORLD REVEALS ITSELF TO THOSE WHO WORK SO HARD TO FIND IT.
THAT IS WHY WE WILL BE THERE AGAIN IN THE COLD AND THE RAIN AND THE SNOW, WORKING HARD TO PENETRATE TO THE MOST SECRET OF WILD PLACES AGAIN NEXT SEASON. BECAUSE AT THE HEART OF IT, WE ARE NOT SEEKING DEATH. WE ARE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN, AND CELEBRATING, THE INCREDIBLE RICHNESS OF LIFE.
THAT IS AT THE HEART OF WHY WE HUNT.

 

Good luck to all this deer season.

[NAW]

Thats pretty spot on.

[chris.brock]

Who's the author? That's a work of art.

[crappieperchhunter]

Thx for sharing that. Not a hunter but everything said applies to us fishermen as well. Nothing better then being the first one on the water or ice....and watching the rest of the world wake up for the day. Bringing home a feed of fresh fish is just the icing on the cake.

[BITEME]

The Essence of Hunting
The kill is the satisfying, indeed essential, conclusion to a successful hunt.

But, I take no pleasure in the act itself. One does not hunt in order to kill, but kills in order to have hunted. Then why do I hunt?

I hunt for the same reason other predators hunt...because I must, because it is in the blood, because I am the descendant of a thousand generations of hunters.

I hunt because I am a hunter

 

authour unknown

[mr blizzard]

Thx for sharing Smitty, well composed