A Dialogue About Hunting
A while back I briefly discussed Steven Rinella in post about Why I Hunt. I was a fan of Rinella’s short-lived show ‘The Wild Within’ but I was a little dubious about some of his exploits and what message they signaled about hunting. I was a little concerned that he was only engaging in the kinds of hunts that few of us will ever be able to do (chasing British deer in tweed, for example). I wanted to see him hunting in a way that was more familiar to us regular joe hunters. Regardless of those misgivings, Rinella did a fantastic job of representing his fellow sportsmen on Monday when he was on the Joe Rogan podcast.
I like Joe Rogan (as a UFC fan it’s hard not to) but when it comes to hunting he often has his facts skewed. He’s not an opponent of hunting but his ignorance of the ethics behind fair-chase hunting became apparent quickly during his conversation with Rinella. This leads to a moment at the 01:20:20 mark that is one of the most beautiful explanations of modern hunting I have probably ever heard. Rinella really, really impressed me here.
If you have the time, check out the link. It’s worth a listen.
Cool interview. Thanks for sharing. A nice, thoughtful discussion. I think I’ll check out Rinella’s show.Report
Cool stuff. I live in a place where a lot of people hunt. My twin boys are six. I feel compelled to take it up again so I can share it with them.
In the meantime, did you see this? Originally appeared in the NYT, reprinted here in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12008/1201760-109.stm
It’s about a guy explaining why he took up hunting and why he chose a flintlock. Something about really wanting to challenge himself. Etc. Only… the opening scene features him gut-shotting a doe. I am sure the doe appreciated his reasons, but I suspect she would have preferred a well-placed 160 grain from a 30-30.
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Sam – I did read that article (a friend passed it along to me a while back). I appreciate the author’s intent, but yeah, I don’t see the logic behind hunting with flintlocks today. Beautiful guns and accurate IF you practice a LOT. They aren’t forgiving to the casual marksman.Report