The activity of hunting has been around since the beginning of life on Earth, but as with everything else in the world, it has matured and grown into more than just an activity to gather food.  Hunting has grown into more of a sport than anything else, but there are many reasons today on why people want to go hunting and why they enjoy it.

Hunting has become more of a fun and bonding activity between friends, parents, and children, or as a calm and relaxing time for a person to enjoy alone. Of course there are more technical reasons that people may hunt and why its a legal activity.  One reason to hunt animals is to help the thinning down of a particular animal or fowl population before it becomes overwhelming in environmental areas.

But as everything else it has become so much more to the people who partake in the sport as they bring friends and family to enjoy the time with and to simply have a joyous time in the wilderness where they enjoy hunting. Some of our local hunters have very intriguing and inspiring insight and thoughts on the spirit of hunting.

“It’s the tradition and enjoyment of tracking and shooting the elusive black tail buck and processing the meat with family and friends, then serving that meat for a meal with family and friends,” stated our previous Mayor Tom Faria who has been hunting since the age of twelve. Faria said that every buck collected inspires and creates a story that can be shared for generations at gatherings and trips.

Mr. Faria also stated, “The camaraderie in all hunting activities is tremendous, but difficult to put into words: it reaches very deep into the human psyche.” This is a shared tribute among all hunters to how heartfelt this activity has become. But it is also more than a touching and emotional thing; it is also a skill that should be honed as well.

“Hunting nowadays isn’t so much about survival; we all have readily available foods and conveniences. But it is a perishable skill that needs to be passed on generation to generation for those “oh crap” moments in life like a natural disaster, or just needing an excuse to go outside,” said Robert Birdsall, a community member, who also claims that its a nice way to release stress and relax from the world of humans. But in the end, it is also a nice reason to go outside and enjoy nature.

Finally, there is a memorabilia about hunting and partaking in it. Hunting is more than what meets the eye and a fun time with friends and family. Hunting is a time to bond, a time to live life, and a time of stories and passion. So if you have not gone hunting or are curious about it this year, research it, ask other hunters, and learn about how to handle guns and wildlife.  This preparation will help you and others be safe before you go hunt and catch some big game.