Most of y’all know I have hunted around the world for a lot of different species. I have seen different cultures and the way of life in other countries. It has truly been life-changing, and I am forever thankful for these experiences. It’s something you can’t really fathom until you experience it for yourself.
One of the most common questions I get in regards to hunting “exotic” species is, “Do people really eat that?”
I can assure you, people in rural third-world countries eat EVERYTHING! For us, in America, it’s hard to understand that people really do eat elephants and lions instead of just going to a local grocery store down the road and grabbing beef. It’s important to realize that not everyone has access to places like that and/or can’t afford it.
Hunting in countries like South Africa or Zimbabwe, locals rely on hunters to get meat and protein. For those people, it’s their way of life.
I have seen firsthand local village tribes showing up once an elephant is killed to help skin the animal so that they can take some of the meat back to their village. When I harvested an elephant, I witnessed over 300 villagers show up to do their part and get the reward of the animal’s meat.
I came across this post from blood origins that is very powerful:
The caption states, “A lot of people abhor elephant hunting. They don’t believe that an elephant is an incredible protein source for people who have very little access to it.
Unfortunately, photos like this are rare. All that the non-hunting / anti-hunting crowd typically sees is the trophy, the Hunter with the animal. While there is nothing wrong with that, we should place equal weight on the consequence of the hunt, the fact that this resource provides life-sustaining protein – that’s where the real story of hunting lies.
In this case – the incredible provision that this animal provided. The visual proof that everything was used.
Some may argue that the Hunter didn’t eat it! Does it really matter if they did or didn’t? The fact is straightforward – someone that absolutely needed it received it and utilized it.
After everything is said and done, all that is left is a stain on the dirt that will wash away in the next storm.
Sustainable, consumptive utilization of wildlife is an incredibly viable method of wildlife conservation across the world.”
Seeing pictures and hearing stories like this really puts things into perspective for me. Although I have witnessed something like this, it is always humbling to get a reminder of just how blessed we are to live in America.
What do you think after hearing this story? Does this change your perspective?
