My Opposition to Hunting Culture

It didn't sound quite like a bang, more like a loud tear that echoed as the bullet sliced the air towards its target. I hoped for the deer's sake that the hunter missed his mark. There was barely any daylight yet so I closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep in my warm bed.

Opening day of deer rifle hunting season.

Waking up to gunshots, hearing them throughout the day, seeing pickup trucks parked (creepily) along all the roads, and the sight of recreational walkers and their dogs wearing fluorescent orange vests while getting their daily exercise walking down our road. All these sites and sounds don't unnerve me quite as much as they did when I first moved to this rural Vermont county three years ago. Mostly I find the season annoying because I can't safely take my kids for a hike on local trails through the woods....and all those gunshots shattering the peaceful silence.

I am not opposed to hunting. Hunting wild game is the most sustainable and environmentally-friendly way to eat meat. Venison is delicious. The only time I had it was at a fancy restaurant in Los Angeles, but boy was it good. Hunting permits fund state conversation efforts and it's true that herd management is an important task done by hunters. Have you ever driven through states where suburban areas are common and deer populations are too high? Dead deer on the highway are ubiquitous. It's awful.

I am opposed to common hunting culture. I hate the pictures of hunters with their trophies--holding up the dead animal's head while the hunter mugs for the camera. Mounting heads, antlers and hooves on the wall just seems disgusting and disrespectful. Hunting should be for food, not sport or show.

Many Vermonters use deer meat to feed their families over the winter, and that's a good thing. My ideal hunter would be one who hunts because of their love of nature, and because they want to feed their family, and they really like venison. S/he would say a prayer for the animal once it was killed, thank it for the nourishment it would provide, forgo taxidermied trophies, and leave the camera at home.

What do you think?