The Ancient Sport
Imagine for a second that you are in the mountains of southern Idaho on a chilly fall morning. You can see your breath as you breathe, and hear everything from the wind to the crunching of the leaves and small stick as you are trying your best to sneak through a patch of trees to get to your special spot before the sun rises. All the sudden you hear the majestic, ear splitting bugle of a bull elk less than twenty yards from where you stand, your heartbeat quickens and you can feel the adrenaline pumping through your viens. This will become one of those amazing stories that you tell around the campfire to friends and family. As a young boy I always waited expectantly for the first week of October because it meant I was able to experience things like this as well as spend time my father in the mountains. I enjoy spending time in the wild, being able to see the changing of the leaves, feel the chill as winter sets in, and getting up extremely early to spend the day with my father. Every year we go hunting for elk and deer together, sometimes my little brother, grandpa, or one of my uncles will tag along. It has been something of a tradition in my family for many generations, but in recent years hunting is being attacked by gun control laws and anti-hunting groups seeking to put a stop to this sport.
I recently had an experience that gave me the motivation to write this paper. Several weeks ago I returned home for Labor Day for a fishing trip that I had planned for a few weeks with my cousin and girlfriend. I spent the day trying but very unsuccessfully to catch a fish, I guess I am just not a patient enough person. Despite our obvious lack of success on this trip we had a great time, which proves that people don’t just go hunting and fishing to kill. There’s more to it than that. But back to my story, the next day I returned back to school and ran into one of my friends on campus. We talked about what we did over the weekend, and when I told her that I went fishing, her reply was- “isn’t that a little redneck?” Now I realize that your perception of hunting is largely affected by the culture of where you live or were raised.
So what is it that possesses so many people each year to leave the comfort of their homes, take work off, and live in the wild during the cold fall months? I would like to believe that it isn’t just because they have a blood lust to kill anything they see. From personal experience I know that hunting isn’t just about killing, there is more to it. I recently read an article by a man named Russ Chastain, who tried to put into words why it is we hunt. He said, “What leaps to mind is a quote from my father. Someone had asked him why he loved to hunt so much; what was so great about being in the woods. His reply was, "If I have to explain it, you wouldn't understand." This really sums up the feeling many of us have.” He goes on to give his own description, “There's just no way to adequately portray the majesty of a forest and the creatures within, when you feel like the only man who's ever stood where you stand. It doesn't matter that you're walking on a well-worn trail, and that you spy spent shotgun shells alongside it from time to time. You feel all alone, at peace, fully alert, ready for anything. I never feel closer to God than I do when I walk in the woods, his most wondrous creations all around me, with the challenge of outwitting them on their own terms in front of me.”
So now we sort of know why people hunt, but does hunting have any useful purposes? Or is it just the sport you see in movies of high powered telescopes mounted to fully automatic weapons used to slaughter animals. Actually there are many benefits to the animals themselves and to us as humans. Hunters do actually have a good impact on the animal herds which they hunt by helping maintain their populations so that they the herds do not over populate causing many to die from a winter with not enough food. Also hunters are involved in maintaining the environment because if they destroy the land then their sport is over. For example, in the year 2001 there was $70 billion dollars spent by hunters and fishers in America, a large portion of this money is then used to maintain the mountains, rivers, trails so that not only hunters, but ecologist, hikers, photographers can continue to enjoy their hobbies and passions. Also I think that $70 billion dollars must help out our countries currently weak economy.
The thing that bothers most people about hunting is that animals are being killed. These same people who so passionately oppose hunting had bacon for breakfast, a hamburger for lunch, and a steak for their dinner. Does any of this seem a little hypocritical to you? Where does this meat come from before you buy it in a little plastic wrapped package at your local grocery store? I personally grew up on a cattle ranch and know first-hand where all the popular American places such as McDonalds and Burgerking get their food from. The fact of the matter is that many hunters are not hunting for sport, they are hunting to put food on the table for their family at home. With the expensive price of beef these days many people find that even though wild game is not as tasty it is economically more suitable to their wallet. So you have to ask yourself if there really is a difference between going to the grocery store to get your meat or hiking five miles in the snow to shoot an elk to feed your family. I don’t think there Is a difference, just that people feel more humane because they do not know where the meat came from, nor do they want to know.
The title of this article is The Ancient Sport, and hunting is just that. Since the beginning of time mankind has been hunting, whether it be for food, protection, or survival, it is in our nature. Its about competition, which I know our country is very competitive. Do you know that on average a hunter, after spending possibly hours sneaking around, or waiting for a deer, will only have 7 seconds to try and get a shot off. So its not what you would call a walk in the park. So why not do a sport that everyone in the family can be involved in, imagine how much better off this country would be if more fathers were like mine and took time off from work to be with his family.
I have spent the last two years in a country that knows nothing about hunting, the citizens aren’t even allowed to own guns. I can tell you exactly where you will find me come October, I will be out there in the mountains with my dad and little brother enjoying every minute that I have away from the hustle and bustle of college life. I already know I will enjoy the peace of the mountains and challenge of