Hunting

Osiyo

Recently, on a blog I commented on, I related a story from my younger days, when I hunted. Very shortly, someone else came on and posted a snarky reply. I didn't see it, the blog owner deleted it.
I try not to stereotype, I don't like it when it happens and I am the victim, and I don't expect that anyone else does, either.
Someone obviously doesn't know much about me, or about most of the hunters I've known throughout my life. I'm not a blood thirsty killer, never have been. I don't have any friends who are, either. Whatever I hunted ended up on my families table, as did the clams I raked, the oysters I gathered, and the fish I caught. The creatures I hunted and fished for ended up no deader than like food purchased in plastic wrap is dead, and likely put less strain on our environment than commercial production would have. I know I certainly was more aware of my part in the food chain than had I simply run to the butcher shop. I started with a respect for all life, and I'll end with that respect.
Some of y'all are urban folks, you grew up with an alternate reality, one where you call an electrician to change an electric receptacle, and a plumber to unstop your drain, and you also pay someone else to process and provide your food, well, that's fine, with me. I'm sorry you missed the joy of long days afield, the days when I saw nothing, as well as the days I brought food home, all good days! I'm sorry you missed the pride in doing the plumbing and electrical work for your home. Any difficulty I might have, in understanding just how you can be so dependent on other folks, for so many things, is something I don't talk about much, it's none of my business, and you obviously like things that way. For the most part, I don't talk about it, because it would be rude!
My feelings about our environment are expressed in the pictures I take.
I will make no apology for my history as a hunter. Please take care not to lump me in with the idiots you hear about on the news, they aren't me, nothing like me!
My people, some of them, anyway, were hunting this land thousands of years ago, with love and respect, and a sense of belonging!

Tsiya {otter}