Some Of The Many Reasons Why People Hunt

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262 – June, 2022

By Chris Robinson

I am occasionally asked why I hunt by people with varying motives for posing that question, and their attitude and tone of voice when they ask usually provides a clue as to the sort of response they want. If it’s the frequently belligerent tone and posture of an anti-hunter, my response is almost always something flippant such as, “Why, to aggravate PETA supporters, of course.”

But, if the questioner is asking an honest question and is truly curious as to the reasons why someone would hunt, I try to provide an honest answer. In many ways, it’s a fair question since hunting is no longer necessary to put meat on the table although with supply chain problems and dire forecasts of food shortages coming from such lofty environs as the Oval Office, it’s nice to know that should the need arise, I can procure protein the old-fashioned way.

The main reason I hunt is, of course, the dogs. It’s the reason they exist–their raison d’etre–and it is immensely gratifying to watch a fine sporting dog do the job the breed was intended to do. I have friends who are hound owners who say the same thing, whether their breed is a sighthound or a scenthound, and some terrier and poodle folks who also echo those sentiments. I know that owners of herding and working breeds as well as the owners of some of the non-sporting and toy breeds get the same thrill watching their dogs do what the breed was developed to do. A friend of mine says she gets positively giddy when her Silky Terrier hunts down and kills a rat, mouse or chipmunk. I also have friends, who ordinarily communicate in monosyllables, but become positively lyrical and even poetic describing the “music” their hounds make on a hot trail and when the critter is treed or at bay.

Click here to read the complete article
262 – June, 2022

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