Hunting is an integral part of our society. Hundreds of thousands of years have certainly changed the tools and methodologies that humans use, but the root of the tradition remains the same.
History of Hunting
It began with the manipulation of stone and fire as tools for the spread across land and sea. Man became bolder, depending less on meat scavenged from other predators, and became predators themselves. With wood and stone tools, our ancestors were able to shift from species of prey to a species capable of predation. Sharpened to points, these tools made it possible to kill and process large animals in larger quantities. We still gathered and we still actively sought small game, but our aptitude for the hunt had been realized.
This came to fruition when gathered goods were able to be preserved and stored for future consumption. Nomadic groups were no longer beholden to traveling with the seasons and viable vegetation. Their tools instilled a sense of confidence among the wild beasts that allowed them to establish more permanent living areas. Hunters could expand across vast acreages to find meat to bring home. The beginnings of agriculture systems and an understanding of disease and food preservation helped these early people stay fed for longer.
Today, we have enhanced these traditions beyond compare.
The cultural implications of hunting and gathering still exist our in our lives today out of tradition and less for sustenance. Men and women alike participate in the hunting season to acquire food for their families or communities and for the thrill and camaraderie that the sport represents.
Families share generations of land use, technical skill lessons, and memories of the hunt year after year. Excitement becomes tangible as the leaves drop and the frost creeps through the grassy fields. Parent teaches child, volunteers train students and the management of our natural resources continues to cycle.
Our stones have been replaced with alloys and polymers, our wooden handles replaced with firearms and compact bows. The sheer volume of meat that communities can consume is difficult to supply.
Yet we are thankful.
Deer Hunting in Wisconsin
A chronological history of deer hunting in Wisconsin traces this tradition back to 1851. The effects of policy, weather, and generational interest has impacted the total count of deer harvest from thousands to over 500,000 in record-setting years. Wisconsin has seen the most dramatic fluctuations in policy beginning the late 1900s through the early 2000s. Each year, hunters have adapted to new challenges created by our ever-growing population. Many feel as though the tradition is being depreciated by government and crippled by people who do not understand.
As an environmentalist and a supporter of species management, I can say we have passed the point of reconciling over each other’s arguments. The valuation of tradition, food for your people, and love for the ‘activity’ are not easily compared against those who would like to see more ‘ethical practices’. Policies and government will forever fight this battle of opinions.
There is nothing right or wrong about a hunter experiencing gratitude while engaged in tradition.
Because for as long as humans have hunted and gathered, we have been thankful for our food. We have been thankful for the lives of the creatures that sustain our bodies and feed our families. Over hundreds of thousands of years, this has not changed.
While hunting, be thankful. Appreciate the relationships you are building and the interactions you have been blessed with. Feel the thrill of our ancestors with a kill, being respectful and humane to the animal that has been provided to you. Do not waste any of the resources you reap and find reverence in the products you are able to obtain. Consume wisely, understanding that the hunt was once a singular means for survival.
Be safe.
<3 Drifted Way
