Having a freezer full of wild venison keeps us well fed over winter. The very concept of harvesting while the weather is good in order to prepare for when the season of rain and freeze arrives is a winning formula. An approach to survival that’s served humans well for thousands of years seems like a good idea to me, especially given my disdain for the impact of the commercial food system in Western countries. None of this food politics is on my mind when I’m hunting deer, though. It’s just me and the animal I’m hunting. I’m in that mode, hunting mode. If you’ve hunted, you’ll know what I’m talking about. It’s almost like a switch gets flicked – you focus and nothing else matters but the task at hand. I used to think too much when I first started hunting. I’d think about the ethics of what I was doing. Now I just focus on getting a clean kill and picking the right animal. It’s one thing to pull the trigger and kill, it’s another to hold back and let the right animal go. Deer is one of those animals this applies to. If a doe has a fawn in tow, for example, you let her go. That can mean days in the bush with no meat for the freezer. As frustrating as it might be the time, it’s just the right thing to do. Patience and sensibility are skills a good hunter requires.
A good hunter also requires a glass of port, and to relax in front of a warming fire after a hard day’s work. And to make that moment even more enjoyable, how about a serve of venison pie with a hint of port? Life’s pretty good, you know.