I have had my hunting license since 2000; I never used it! I have made two video games about hunting; I’ve never been out hunting!
——
When my father-in-law who is a dedicated hunter realized I had a license lying around then things got real. He became very excited about this and wanted to show me the ropes. I complied.
——-
Regardless how you feel about hunting it has been a big apart of human life for a long time. Probably longer than other classic activities like prostitution, tax collecting and the elder complaining about the laziness of the young.
——-
The hunting I took part in was for small game with dog handlers: roe deer, hogs, fox and hare.
——-
🔸 I see a lot of similarities between a Zen meditation introductory course I took once and this hunting experience. Sitting alone, in silence—yet it’s a group activity. And both experiences includes pauses with hot beverages. Though, I assume, the crew I hung out with would probably dismiss a meditation session as hippie nonsense.
—-
🔹 Nature is so quite. All I can hear is my tinnitus.
—-
🔸 Holy shit, the pulse went way up when two deers approached me within shotgun range.
——-
⚖️ VERDICT:
The overall experience was really cool. Especially since I was the only one on the team who saw animals. Unfortunately I was such a N00b I didn’t realize that when the dogs barked; then it was time to pay attention! Instead I poured coffee and ate sandwiches while the prey came my way 🤦♂️.
——
I loved the nature experience and the thrill of the hunt. But I need to do some deep thing long about the ethics of it. On the one hand it is a much cleaner way of getting meat than through the meat industry; but I’m not sure eating meat is ok at all? (though I blissfully ignore this inner hypocrisy daily as I stuff my face with meat.) 🍖 . And could I even pull the trigger?
—-
Another experience knocked of the bucket list! ✅
——
⁉️What are you knocking off your bucket list this year?! ⁉️
(Ps. No, I didn’t kill anything, except preconceived notions about what hunting is about.)
You can find more experiments here!
