Why I Hunt

In the fall of my senior year of college at the University of North Dakota I spent most of my time outside the classroom hunting. Inside the classroom I was learning valuable lessons taught by professors in the business school. One of my Profs was, Dr. Greg Patton, a great storyteller who related classroom information to real life. The class was Organizational Behavior; there I related many of the psychological theories to my own life.
As a hunter I found, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which maps out the path to self-actualization, to have a special meaning for outdoorsmen. The theory states that a person cannot pass to the next tier towards self-actualization until the lower needs have first been satisfied. I believe that by participating in outdoor activities, particularly hunting and fishing, we can see who we truly are.
The first tier on the hierarchy is the basic physical needs that all humans require. This includes; food, water, shelter and warmth. Early humans hunted and fished not only for food, but for shelter and warmth as well. The pelts from large and small game animals were used make clothing and shelters.
In the U.S. today we have plenty of food and shelter, hence we engage in outdoor activities for more spiritual reasons. Yet nothing brings the hunting or fishing more full-circle like the actual consumption of the game. With food on the table and a roof over your head, most humans can easily step onto the second tier in the Maslow theory.
Safety; is security, stability and a freedom from fear in one’s life. Stability can be witnessed first hand with the changing of the seasons. With the end of winter comes spring, with green grass and warm water. Being in the outdoors and witnessing sunrises brings a sense of security that there is more important things in life. Interacting with nature gives one the feeling of actually being alive.
Belonging-Love is the third tier humans most face on the road to self-actualization according to Maslow. This sense of belonging can be received through family, friends and life partners. Spending time with others while hunting and fishing strengthens relationships. A love for the outdoors has taken me many places and allowed me to relate to many people along the way. The hunting trips of my youth brought me closer to my cousins and uncles.
Self-esteem comes from achievement, mastery, recognition and respect. With a passion for the outdoors you strive to be successful at what you are doing. One reads articles, studies game habits, surfs the web, learns new techniques and spends time participating in outdoor activities. Mastering anything is a continual process.
Once you become confident in yourself and abilities one can move to the fifth and final tier of self-actualization. Discovering oneself is all about pursuing your inner talents, creativity and self-fulfillment. Through hunting and fishing you discover who you are by overcoming obstacles and challenging the elements.
I often get asked why I hunt and I try to explain to people that it is my total existence. I am not saying that the outdoors is for everyone. There are many ways in which humans search to discover who they truly are. Through my college education I discovered that I belonged outdoors. I am as sure of it, as I am that the sun will rise over the St. Croix in the morning.