Hunters take on all sizes, shapes, backgrounds and upbringings. Many hunters do not grow up as hunters. Below are the words of Jennifer Wapenski, a woman who lives in Seattle and whose love of nature combined with her curiosity eventually introduced her to hunting.
If eating meat is a transaction that requires the sacrifice of an animal’s life, then I want to fully acknowledge the transaction by participating in the process. If you’re truly curious about where your food comes from, there’s no better way to learn than to enter your food’s habitat as a hunter. Watching the earth wake up from the confines of a duck blind can be a deeply fulfilling experience. Studying the daily rituals of the quail offer a greater appreciation for their resilience. For a few hours, you place yourself on equal footing by entering and adapting to their world. How better to respect a life than to join it for a time? For me, that creates a deeper level of gratitude and respect than simply selecting a Styrofoam tray in the freezer section.
Go here to read the rest of Jennifer Wapenski’s story.
(Photo source: Idaho Department of Fish and Game)