Recently, the news media has gotten ahold of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's new goal of eating only meat he has killed himself. While I commend him for this, he has also caught a lot of negative press for his goal. For the most part I think this is because the public has a falsely preconceived notion of hunting in general and where the food they eat comes from. It is easy to forget that an animal has to die before it arrives neatly prepackage in your grocery store cooler. As hunters and sportsman we have chosen to be in control of the process from which our food comes. By being a part of that process I have a greater respect and appreciation for my food.
Hunting in general is a very visceral experience. It demands a hunter be prepared for the taking of life in order to further his or her own. Hunters must stalk and learn about their prey, choose a place of ambush, dispatch the animal as humanely as possible and clean and care for the game after the kill. This involves a certain emotional involvement that I believe many people do not see or understand. It's that involvement that connects sportsmen and women to their quarry and the environment. The perception of John Q. Public is just the killing of an animal they may perceive as "cute" when in reality it is so much more than that. Sportsmen have taken a leading role in providing themselves and their families with their own food. It also fosters a culture of individuals who strive to protect the natural resources that sustain them.
When I worked at a local garden center, it was quite common to see couples (often young couples) come in searching for information on starting an organic garden. Often they had no idea why they were trying organic gardening in lieu of an alternative other than they heard it was better for their families and for the environment. Grocery stores now carry an organic or free range alternative to nearly everything you would buy. Free range beef and poultry, organic fruits and vegetables. It is a bit ironic to me that people believe they are applying forward thinking to something that has been around for as long as man. They are actually only rediscovering something that hunters and sportsman have always known: organic and free range are new age definitions for "wild game". Wild game is inherently low fat (up to 97% lean), organic and free of hormones and antibiotics.
I hope with Mr. Zuckerberg's high profile the public will see that it is acceptable and often beneficial to become more involved in the preparation of the food that they consume. If nothing else hopefully the public will realize that the meat at the grocery store didn't just appear neatly wrapped in cellophane and begin the appreciate those who choose be more closely involved in the feeding of their families, even if they themselves choose not to.
