Wild Heritage Horizons

The first time I was asked this question, I had no idea how to respond. The only way to truly answer this question was to dive into a lengthy and deep conversation that not everyone is prepared to have or interested in listening to. We all know the old saying about opinions but the truth is, it is a good thing that everyone has their own opinion and their own… well you know the expression. 

Discussing topics that individuals have different opinions on with people that have different points of view than your own is how we can grow our perspectives, come up with new ideas, and understand each other better. Understanding others point of views can oftentimes lead to accepting another person’s beliefs and the validity of their beliefs. Hopefully the more we speak openly and honestly, the more people will understand hunting and see it as the good thing that it is. 

So why DO I hunt? 

I started hunting because some of the most important people in my life told me their hunting stories while I was growing up. My grandfather and father would talk about the days and nights they spent at a hunting camp my grandfather built with his friend. The tales seemed to be that of blockbuster movies, full of intrigue and adventure. Naturally I wanted to experience a taste of what they so fondly remembered. Unfortunately my grandfather was too old at this point to bring me hunting and my father hadn’t hunted in years and was frankly too busy to start to teach me. However my grandfather knew the importance of learning the basics of gun safety and the state laws for conservation. My grandfather would spend hours discussing the more philosophical points of hunting and paid for a hunting course through the local 4H club that taught how to properly use various hunting implements and methods, and the state approved hunter’s education course.

I didn’t start actually hunting until a little later in life. My very first hunts were with a good friend of mine and later I met my uncle who married into my family and brought me to his hunting club. Joining a hunting “club” ended up bringing me an entire new family of sorts. The group of men that took me in and taught me the depths of hunting and showed me everything they knew guided me to become who I am as a hunter, and much of who I am as a person. 

Through years of learning the trade of hunting, I’ve learned that there is so much more than the act of hunting wild game. To someone that has never had any exposure to hunting, they might think hunting is just a short walk into a field or the woods and harvesting a game animal in a violent manner. The reality is that hunting is so much more than harvesting an animal. It’s the experiences, the stories to tell around a campfire or the table. It’s the lessons learned from listening to a mentor’s stories or from your own actions. It’s the connection you develop to the game, the environment and other people that makes up the depth of hunting, providing you with a deep, ancient satisfaction. Oftentimes, the smallest moments are what create the most impactful memories. 

Once you learn what hunting truly is, you can begin to see the impacts that it creates on the individual, the community and the environmental levels. Hunting license sales help pay for the conservation of game and fish, protecting natural resources and enhancing the available resources. These funds also pay for access to public land like boat launches and hiking trailheads. Knowing that participating in an activity we enjoy creates a positive impact in the environment and funds the ability for others to enjoy the outdoors in different ways leaves hunters with a sense of fulfillment and stewardship for the environment. 

I hope that by sharing the reasons why so many outdoorsmen find so much enjoyment and fulfillment from hunting, others may follow suit. Just as my grandfather’s stories inspired me to pursue hunting, perhaps some day my stories or the stories we share on this site will inspire new hunters to find their passion and learn the tradition of our wild heritage.

Share below the reasons why you started hunting, or some memorable stories you remember that impacted your hunting journey.