Field Notes from Jess ~ Rewilding in 2021 | Week 47/52 | Fall
Nov 14, 2021
Field notes from Jess ~
Rewilding in 2021 | Week 47 of 52
Fall Hunting Camp
Plenty of Blaze Orange this weekend as students from the Path of the Hunter School by Earthwalk Northwest headed to the northeastern tip of Washington to bring foundational theory into the field. When I made the decision that I wanted to ethically harvest wild game, I had no idea how much of a learning curve this would be and essentially lead to the realization that this is a life-long commitment of study.
The more I speak with hunters, the more I understand that hunting is not about going out every year and simply taking an animal to fill the freezer. The very word “hunting” implies a process. An evolution of training year after year to learn about animal behavior, to have the eyes to track, the ear for subtleties, the intuitive ability to feel the surroundings, to smell the signs, read the landscape and become in-tune with the natural world. Hunters appreciate the experience, the struggle, the reprieve from the urban lifestyle and most importantly, have a deep reverence for the food and subsequent life force that has been offered.
On our first night, a man who was camping nearby and who had successfully filled his deer tag that day, walked over to our group as we were chatting around the evening fire. He was a stranger but wanted to offer some of his deliciously cooked organ meat with us. I find that the spirit of giving and sharing is strong within the hunting community.
These are people who are taking their “vacation time” to voluntarily place themselves in uncomfortable environments that include freezing temperatures, rain, snow and wind to do as our ancestors had always done, which is to navigate wild places in search of food for the body, mind and some might say…spirit.
Thank you Frank Sherwood for the opportunity of mentorship, thank you to my new friends whom I feel great love and companionship for and thank you to the thoughtful man who offered the blessings of his harvest with fellow hunters in the field.
