The Spirituality of Hunting

[TCBF]

The recent Supreme Court 4-3 decision to allow a BC FN band to hunt at night received a lot of air time on 630 CHED radio a few days back.  One caller pointed out that FN (the First Nations, not Fabrique Nationale) hunting was spiritual, whereas European hunting was not.

Notwithstanding the fact that my family has been on this side of the pond for two hundred years, I suppose my cultural and genetic heritage carries baggage from it's Irish/Norman/Viking trail of plundered villages.  Did they not celebrate the hunt in Pagan fashion?  Germans still give thanks to their kill by dipping the feather in their cap in it's blood - acknowledging that the animal was sacrificed to feed humans.

We know most Canadians today have little idea how the meat gets to their plate - perhaps it is cultured in petri dishes in the back of Sobeys, then slid onto a Styrofoam tray to grow.

But I digress.

What I want to know from other people is this:  What religious or spiritual activities do/did you or your tribe/culture associate with hunting and successful hunts?

Remember - We are ALL the descendants of successful hunters.

Tom

 

[mainerjohnthomas]

I'm a heathen by religion, and my hunting traditions were passed on by my father and grandfather pretty much intact from the pre-Christian northern European roots.  I was blooded on my first kill, which was considered one of the important steps towards manhood.  I was trained never to take a shot unless I was in position to follow up and assure a kill should my first strike only wound, and of my responsibility from the moment I take up pressure on the trigger, to see that the animal not suffer needlessly.  No scoped shots for us, bare iron and within 100m to assure that you were in position for a snapshot finish were it needed, and proper placement for the one shot kill. 
  Hunting was a family event, men only (sorry ladies).  It was the men's job to hunt for the winter food, and what we killed was for our table (actually, we traded quarters with neighbors to mix the take over the winter).  I was taught to feel the animal's strength, to allow myself to move with it, to feel and anticipate it, and when the perfect shot was present, it was as much a surprise to me, as the buck, when I took the first one.  The feeling when you come home with enough meat to supplement the family through the winter is a powerful one, to know that the life you took will sustain those who depend on you is second only to the feeling you get when you deploy in the knowledge that you are fighting to defend the same family.  Hunting was treated as a sacred thing, and I was taught more care and compassion for the animals I hunted than I would ever apply to the enemy in battle.

 

[darmil]

My dad passed hunting on to me as his dad to him.I love the challenge of the hunt, at times its been hard work others it's been easy.If you think iron shots are hard try bow hunting that's true hunting,shot placement is everything.I like scopes because you can scan a area,also take long shots.Not all shots have been 100m.I think it's bullshit that these guys are getting away with shooting at night. That's lazy and pathetic hunting and doesn't give the animal a chance. The government better get rid of that loop hole.The laws should be equal for everyone.It's 2006 not 1806. Also you don't get enough meat to feed an entire family from one deer (mmm  jalapeno and Cheddar smokies) moose you do. ;D

 

[mainerjohnthomas]

I'm sorry if I implied that one deer was enough to feed the family, but we hunted as a family.  When you have a couple of deer and an elk or moose, you have to pack pretty inventively in the deep freeze for the first few months.  We never really counted the birds; pheasant and grouse were sort of ways to build skills and keep the dog happy.  Not to mention that it made a nice change from more friggin moose sausages (they go a long way you know).

 

[darmil]

I never make the moose I get into sausage too me it's a waste, only deer is sausage ;D.Maybe we should make a new hunting thread.

 

[Franko]

Sure....if it as spiritual as they say, let them hunt at night as their forefathers did.

With a bow and a handheld torch of fire....not the 14 million candle power one.

Regards