Why do you hunt - Kids?

Because they eat and poop on all the vegan’s food!

In all seriousness though my wife is extremely health conscious. We don’t have a name brand cleaning product or a pharmaceutical in our home. Our pantry is full of the least processed food we can find and organic or better. She wants the game meat because it is the best quality meat we can get. I hunt to make the wife happy! 😉

If she ever goes vegan maybe I’ll turn into a trophy hunter, but until then my job is to not come home empty handed.
Bro that’s crazy when like 12 companies own everything….. 🤣🤣🤣
 
I’m not explaining myself to someone who needs help wiping their own @ss. “For the food” is probably sufficient.

As for the breaching the topic with an adult, it’s such a nuanced conversation depending on a persons willingness to actually listen and have a thoughtful discussion. I think a lot of the gripes with the hunting community these days, amongst ourselves even, is how “in your face” it’s all gotten.

The rhetoric has gotten annoyingly so out of control. Extreme this, hardcore that, EPIC this, unreal that. If anyone started talking to me about a trip the way they talk in most youtube videos, I’d punch myself in the face.
 
3 1/2? "Because it's fun." They understand fun. At that age, they don't understand feeding the family or communing with nature or any of that stuff. They know about fun. That's what they live for.
 
I’m not explaining myself to someone who needs help wiping their own @ss. “For the food” is probably sufficient.

As for the breaching the topic with an adult, it’s such a nuanced conversation depending on a persons willingness to actually listen and have a thoughtful discussion. I think a lot of the gripes with the hunting community these days, amongst ourselves even, is how “in your face” it’s all gotten.

The rhetoric has gotten annoyingly so out of control. Extreme this, hardcore that, EPIC this, unreal that. If anyone started talking to me about a trip the way they talk in most youtube videos, I’d punch myself in the face.
"Blessed" that one gets me every time. STFU.
 
I like this topic. My 10 year old son shot his first deer - a 2 pt muley - last week. It was a misty-eyed moment for me. For lots of reasons associated with his joy and progression, but also because even after being one for 15 years, I just can't comprehend that I am father.

When someone asks "why" you do anything, it's tempting to respond with one reason, but truthfully human desires brought to action can come from a multitude.

I started hunting because it was fun. Looking for your target of choice, hiking around, the skip of a heartbeat every time you see something that might be what you are looking for...That was and is a blast. I had within me a desire to kill things, and still do. I think it's in our DNA and of course - such a desire would've been a beneficial trait for the last 250,000 years of human evolution. When it all comes together there's accomplishment, and accomplishment feels good too. Deer jerky, elk burger, they're all great. Food is certainly involved, and can be an important component of moral justification and should be embedded in any hunter's why.Hanging out with friends. Exploring new landscapes. Learning something new about the critters you chase. The random events that happen when you hunt. The random places you'd never be in otherwise. The exercise. The memories.

As the cliche goes, "It's just good gettin out there." But for kids, I think it should all start with the fun. Within ethical bounds, let them decide what makes it so.
 
I have to confess that I have not actually watched “Once We Were Wolves” as I have always thought that my time would be more productively spent doing any, or all, of the following:

1. Counting flowers on the wall
2. Playing solitaire with a deck of 51
3. Smoking cigarettes
4. Watching Captain Kangaroo
 
My nephew recently posed a question to me of "Uncle Wyoelkfan15, why do you hunt?" I explained to him the food aspect and it's a good excuse to get out in nature. He's only 3 1/2, so topics like conservation, management dynamics, firearms safety, etc. are a little above his head at this point. My sister-in-law, bless her heart, but she's mostly vegan and very anti-hunting and 2nd amendment. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can tactfully explain to my young nephews the reasons we do what we do?

I think he understands the food aspects, most of the red meat the kiddo has consumed has come from my freezer in the form of elk/antelope steaks (My brother actually called last week and said "Hey, your nephew was wanting some more steak"). Any suggestions on explaining the broader aspects of why we hunt to youngsters?

Thanks for the responses, hope the season is going well for everyone!
Keep doing what you’re doing. Come across too strong and you’ll push him and/or your SIL away. Also, for non hunters and antis what seems to turn them away most is trophy hunting and/or poor ethics. Focus on the experience and meat, and don’t be afraid to call out someone who does it wrong (poaching, trespassing, tacky in-your-face stuff, etc)
 
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