“I don’t ask everyone to hunt—I realize it’s not a likely reality. But I do hope that those who don’t hunt can understand why I pursue this connection to nature and my food. My experience and respect for death grounds me in what it means to live. Knowing the gravity of mortality is an expansion of the mind, and it provides a moral compass for who I want to be: A respectful participant in nature, as opposed to one who takes and offers nothing in return. “
— Brad Luttrell
Today GoWild Cofounder, CEO, Brad Luttrell, officially released a response to a recent magazine article condemning hunters in the south as "paramilitary who engage in the burlesque of masculinity.” The entire column is available as in audio format on the GoWild podcast, Restless Native.
"Writers, photographers and content creators have important jobs," states Luttrell in the response. "Documentary work is more than capturing a single moment. As conflict photographer James Nachtwey says about himself, this is about being a witness to moments in history."
Much of the repsonse identifies Luttrell's reasons to hunt, which is in direct response to the original author's exact sentiment and headline, designated as "Why I Don't Hunt Anymore."
"It’s my hope that the next time you see a hunter, you see more than a killer," Luttrell said. "Together, our modern hunters and anglers have helped restore this great nation’s wildlife to numbers never seen before. Our elk, turkey, grouse, duck, and whitetail populations have never been more healthy than they are today, all in response to the actions of those who wander the woods in pursuit of game."