Introduction

It’s 2022. You’d be semi-forgiven into thinking that hunting is an older, forgotten pastime. Afterall, food grows on the shelves of supermarkets and grocery stores doesn’t it?

The truth couldn’t be further from that - hunting is flourishing. Not only as a recreational pursuit, but as an aid to conservation, and as a way of life. We asked a diverse group of people one simple question: Why do you hunt?

Harrison Lee; marketing and social media coordinator

Instagram: theharrisonlee

Image retrieved from @theharrisonlee instagram

Hunting is something that has been ingrained in me from a very young age. My father, grandfather, and great grandfather were all hunters and taught me respect for the bush, the animals, and the skills to utilise an entire animal for meat and resources.

These days there is a definite disconnect between people and their food. I take every chance I get to get outdoors and use those skills that have been passed down to me to harvest my own meat. I live for the challenge, the opportunity to push my boundaries and I love being able to share those skills with likeminded people.

Zach Williams; Hunting Connection Podcast 

Instagram: aussie_arrow | Hunting Connection Podcast

Image supplied by Zach Williams

I hunt for food, peace, alone time or to spend time with mates, for the challenge, and for conservation. I started hunting  before I can remember, going out camping, fishing, and shooting with my grandparents. I started with an air rifle shooting pest birds, then a .22 shooting rabbits and range shooting.

Then around 16 years of age I went bowfishing for the first time and that kicked off a new passion for hunting. I took a few carp on the first outing, then practised with a bow and by fluke got a fallow doe, and then a nanny goat. 

I’m from Adelaide, south Australia, and I hunt everything legal to hunt here, from rabbits to deer. I hunt with rifles, compound bows, recurve bows, and crossbows.

Ivory; wildlifewithivory

Instragram: wildlifewithivory | Linktree

Image supplied by Ivory

I hunt for a number of reasons, namely for the meat, although the reward of hunting goes beyond that. I started my hunting journey when I was 20 with the help and guidance from an experienced mentor. We began by hunting small game and birds, such as doves, rabbits, and eventually ducks here in Texas. I quickly learned how vital hunting is to conservation efforts while simultaneously gaining an otherwise unattainable understanding of various species’ habitat and behaviours.

To me, hunting is an extremely intimate interaction with nature. Oftentimes it humbles you and makes you push yourself to extremes, but it can be one of the most rewarding experiences a person can have.