Why We Hunt

Why We Hunt

Every hunter has their own reasons, but as the author explains here, they are usually deeper reasons than one may have for golfing, bowling, etc.

By: Mark Huelsing

You are a hunter.  

You see things in nature that others, more specifically non-hunters, do not see. You understand food in a different light. You understand patience from a unique perspective. You know life, breath, death and blood in ways that a select few can understand.

Most people in society assume that hunters enter the woods for simple reasons; they would equate the time that we spend afield with the time that a golfer spends moving from fairway to green. They see our pursuit as some way for an otherwise busy man to find some type of rest and relaxation in the woods.  

Some men bowl with their buddies. Some men work on cars. Some men hunt. Right? 

No, hunting isn’t just an activity. In fact, when you stop and think about it, referring to hunting as merely a “hobby” is massively disrespectful to the sacred pursuit that hunters embark upon when they ethically, skillfully and ardently enter into nature and embark upon the serious task of harvesting an animal.

Is the time that I spend in the woods an alternative to the time that some men spend pursuing other hobbies? In a way, yes it is – the time I spend hunting is a welcome break from the busyness and routine of an otherwise conventional life. But the story doesn’t end there.  

Most people pursue activities to escape the life outside of them – work, stress, busyness, and boredom – but hunters pursue the hunt to search for what is inside of them.  

Many men enjoy hobbies, but few of them think about their hobby of choice each and every day. Some men practice their hobbies, but few spend all year preparing for a short season of concentrated action.  Hardly any men will endure hours upon hours of what is seemingly futile monotony, because they know that they can find success in any moment, at any instant, though the experience may last for just a few seconds.

Hunters have understood, identified with and connected with an innate passion that drives them to participate in this ancient chase.  

I, like you, am not a hunter because I hunt. Rather, I hunt because I am a hunter.