Why Hunting Your Own Food Might Be The Key to a Better Life

Guest post from Dan Stanton, founder of ElkShape.com

Hunting gets a bad name sometimes. A few have the mental picture of a bunch of bloodthirsty rednecks running around shooting at every living creature they see.  

I hope to set the record straight.  

You’ll find bad apples in every walk of life. Still, the majority of people are intelligent and passionate about helping the world, and the same goes for hunters. They’re most often regular folks that enjoy getting outside and procuring their own food.

This article is not another narrative to justify killing innocent animals. Rather it’s a non-emotional and factual argument to the personal benefits of eating truly organic and respecting the Earth so that a resource doesn’t get overlooked or taken for granted by urban sprawl. 

I respect that some won’t see hunting in the same light that I do, but these are the reasons why I eat what I reap.

Hunting Values the Environment

If you live in the U.S., you are the fortunate beneficiary of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. In the first half of the 20th century, leaders like Theodore Roosevelt helped shape these ideas.

The philosophy they established is that wildlife belongs to all of us, and every citizen is entitled to the opportunity to hunt and fish. That meant, ethical and regulated hunting would be the driving force that maintains abundant wildlife.  

Some big things came from this, like when lawmakers passed the Lacey Act in 1900, prohibiting market hunting. This is why you cannot sell wild game meat that you harvest. If you buy elk meat, it will be farm-raised elk only, not wild. This ensures that someone doesn’t get rich by killing our precious resources in the name of capitalism.

Next, the Pittman-Robertson act passed in 1937. This voluntary tax that hunters imposed on themselves ensured that a portion of the sale of all firearms and ammunition was expressly dedicated to managing the wildlife entrusted to the public. The Pittman-Robertson Act generates $700 million annually, which is distributed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to state fish and game agencies across America.

Simply put, the United States has the most successful wildlife management system in the world. Hunters and anglers have contributed more financial and physical support to that system than any other group of individuals.

Hunting Provides Natural Nutrition

If you believe hunting is out of touch with society, then I can only tell you that’s a new concept when you consider our human history. We have been hunting for thousands of years, and it’s a part of our heritage, and I would argue that it is in our DNA.  

From a nutritional standpoint, wild game is a nutritional protein source. These animals make their living in the wild foraging on natural grasses and forbs, running from predators, and existing in a way nature intended and designed to power our bodies.

It also requires a body that’s built to survive as nature intended.

Wild animals are highly attuned for survival, so from a hunting standpoint, there’s a tremendous challenge involved.  Most of my elk hunts are around ten days, and if everything goes right, I might get a one-shot opportunity. These high stakes require knowledge and a tremendous effort to seal the deal.  

I have to put in work so I don’t miss the opportunity to feed myself.  This means I must be proficient with archery to stay consistent year-round and keep myself physically fit.  Additionally, I love that there is a real connection with my food, and know that it lived a truly free and admirable life.  

I see huge value in butchering the meat myself and stocking my freezer with a renewable resource. Obviously, with grocery stores, hunting is not necessary. Still, every swipe of the debit card is a death sentence for an animal that was not wild.     

If you would like to feed yourself with meat, hunting is a healthier and more natural option for consuming meat versus relying on the store.  

Hunting is Better For Us Physically

There is a considerable fitness component of hunting the mountains out West.  

A typical elk hunt requires navigating and traversing through the mountain landscapes with all the necessary gear on your back. An average day of elk hunting can be double-digit miles and many thousands of elevation gain and loss with a 40lbs pack on your back. You will be far from towns, people, WiFi, and cell phone service. You have to rely on yourself and work hard towards arrowing an elk in a rough and tough country. 

It brings new meaning to becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. I find it to be the most challenging yet most rewarding form of exercise. 

Yet many folks only do their fitness inside the four walls of a gym.  They rarely get to express the value of their work in the real world. My training is more than just burning calories or wanting to look good; instead, it’s a requirement for me to be limitless in the mountains and packing 300 lbs of meat back to my truck. 

It’s the ultimate test for anyone willing and able to cut their teeth in the wild landscapes of treasured public lands. The mountains are the great equalizer, and Mother Nature doesn’t care about your gender, age, or wealth. She’ll treat you the same, and you have to be ready for it.

This form of physical requirement is mostly missing from our lives these days, which has led our society into a deplorable physical condition.

Hunting is Good For Mental Health

It’s my contention, and I hope that you agree, is that it’s not healthy to be constantly plugged into a wireless connection all the time. There are a million reasons to check your phone minute by minute, and we never get to break from that.  

Our minds need to break free from technology. There is no better place to do that than the wild and undisturbed landscapes across the American West. I know I come out the other side of a hunting trip a better person. I have more clarity, and it’s a huge stress relief for me, regardless if I am successful or not. There’s a significant ripple effect when you get a chance to unplug from modern society.

Call to The Hunt

Man has hunted since he walked the Earth. Every early culture relied on hunting for survival. Through hunting, we’ve forged a connection with the land and learned quickly that stewardship of the land went hand-in-hand with maintaining wildlife – and their way of life.

I believe that connecting back with nature in this way doesn’t only make our world better, but helps build better individuals as well.

About Dan & Elk Shape