Thread: 18 months of hunting

Have you got a gear list yet?

I've always been very fond of wildlife - that's how I got into hunting...it's an intersection of sorts between my interests in nature and my interests in firearms/shooting. Most of the joy comes from seeking the animals out. Then again, I love meat, and I'm drawn to the symmetry/elegance of a nice set of antlers! B)

I don't have anything against people hunting on private land, but the prime reason for me avoiding it in favor of public land, is that a large part of the enjoyment I get from hunting is the country I get to explore and momentarily be a part of. I think most of the satisfaction from killing a wild animal comes from knowing that I overcame a series of challenges to get to it in its' natural environment. And there's quite a deeply rooted, primordial feeling when you carry that meat off the hill...as I'm sure many of you can attest to!

My dog tucker comment was a censored version of saying something which may or may not be favorable in some peoples eyes (from a legal perspective). This is a public forum after all.
All I can say is that, any meat I do carry off the hill will be used in its' entirety and very much enjoyed.

At the end of the day, I'm still a budding hunter. I've only got a few animals under my belt. This project is about educating myself about the game animals which frequent the South Island; about educating myself about 'myself' - what my level of tolerance is (how will I feel about mowing people's lawns for petrol money 10 months down the track?!) - and inspiring other people (especially younger people) who may be interested in travelling paths less traveled, and/or persevering with things which may humiliate them at times, but end up being rewarding in the long-run. I'll be writing about the entire experience. Not just posing with dead corpses and talking about the adrenaline that rushed through my veins as I pulled the trigger and watched the life evaporate from a deer's glassy eyes...

Right now, while I'm sitting in a well heated dining room, with clean clothes, a full stomach etc...it all feels easy. It definitely won't be when I'm out there, but that's the challenge. I want to discover how much I really love what I think I love. Would I do anything for it? What would I be prepared to sacrifice? And so on and so forth.

Some people would call it life experience. But I'd like to treat it as an adventure and document it all.

Cheers,
Arash