Why I Hunt

As far as hobbies go this one seems really popular and really misunderstood. Some people think the only reason to hunt is to have a reason to get out of the house. Others see it as a way to commune with nature. While others see it as a way to get truly organic meat. Personally, I have my own reasons which I will explore a bit here, but will not even pretend to speak for the entire hunting community.

I have what Joe Rogan calls Adult Onset Hunting (AOH).  Meaning that when I was a younger I didn’t hunt at all. In fact, I went through a time in my life when I thought hunting was dumb. I thought that if you could go to the store and buy some meat why would you hunt? Obviously, this has changed as I got older.

The reasons why I hunt are pretty basic. As I have become older I have seen the need to become more self-sufficient in everything I do. That includes harvesting my own food. I want to be able to take the cleanest, healthiest, most organic meat possible. Not that I would quit eating store bought steak by any means. I still love my dead cow. It just means, that give the choice, I will choose deer over that cow.

There is also the relaxation part of the equation. There is something primal, relaxing and empowering about going into the woods and coming out with food for your family. Something, honest and wholesome about it as well. It takes our brain back to a time when this was how we functioned. There is also fellowship that happens in no other area. There is the cooking the harvest for the family and friends.

It also has to be mentioned that to hunt the way I like to do it requires me to exercise and make sure I am fit. It requires me to learn and sharpen my predator instincts.

Hunting is many things to many people. To me, it is a way to feed the family and friend, sharpen my mind, relax and have great fellowship. To others, it might mean something completely different, but it is hard to argue the quality of the food we get from this type of harvest of free-range game.