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Chris La Tray's avatar

This is beautiful, Nia. I received a hunting rifle years ago determined that, if I am going to eat meat, I need to kill it myself. I've never aimed it at a living thing. Now as I get older, and my friends who do hunt tell crazy stories every year of growing crowds at the places they hunt, I begin to think I never will. It is just another of the deep sadnesses thrown onto the heap of ones I carry around.

Also, thank you for not posting the obligatory, "Here is me with my dead animal" photo. I hate those.

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

I've heard those stories, too, though the mostly state lands and national forest I generally hunt on are so far not that crowded. But I assume they will be. But ... still, to be able to walk the forests in early winter without someone telling you you're trespassing, damn, that's a release that keeps me close to tears all the time.

I hate hate hate those photos. The guide offered and I said absolutely not. Honestly, I think the "grip and grin" is a perfect representation of what is most wrong at the center of humanity.

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Chris La Tray's avatar

YES!

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Kathleen Cain's avatar

This story is lovely and amazing. Thanks for writing it.

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

Thank you!

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Elizabeth Aquino's avatar

The hunting part is foreign to me -- something that I'd never think about nor truly understand, but you've spun gold here, and I appreciate it.

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

That is so kind of you. Thank you 💕

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Chris Danforth's avatar

I love this so much. I went elk hunting - once - in Southern Colorado a little over twenty years ago. It was a wild and wearying this, but I really do think a lot of the overall lessons learned were incredibly important. I don't know that I'll ever hunt again - it's hard to find what I would call "ethical" hunting in Arkansas - but I also don't know that my appreciation of the Earth and the creatures that we eat would even be possible without that experience.

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

Man, it is such hard, hard work. But you're right, it does change the appreciate of the planet and our consumption. Taking responsibility for my family's consumption is a big reason why I do this, though I imagine it wouldn't be as compelling if I didn't enjoy it.

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Chris Danforth's avatar

this = thing, fml

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