“Happiness only real when shared.” –Christopher McCandless, Into the Wild
Pursuit of Food is about going out and catching & making food and sharing it. I think that’s the step that we often miss as hunters or foodies or hardcore food pornographers. We take pictures of the beautiful food without showing the context – the beautiful people we are with, the occasion of happiness and celebration, maybe a birthday or a hunt that was just perfect. To be honest it’s a very simple concept that in general, I wish we could strive to show. That it’s not about how many michelin stars we’ve eaten, but how many moments we’ve enjoyed with others. Because if we’re there just to critique the food, surely we could dine by ourselves? And I’ll tell you, that it’s rarely me, myself, and I. 🙂 . This concept is very elemental in what I want to accomplish. You can call it foodporn, but not for the sake of posing with the trophy. Because if the trophy is the end goal, that’s hella stupid… and… i’m not even from NorCal. I will take a picture with the fish or the animal or the beast, not because I want to show that I conquered it…But, because I want to show that I have LOVE for it. My memory isn’t really that good, but show me a picture, and I will remember that hunt detail for detail, the successful and the unsuccessful. I remember when my good friend and I were to shoot simultaneously on the count of 3 so he counted 1, and then my ears shattered from the ringing of the bullet before the 2 and 3 count. Thanks dude. So memorable after I found the group of 20 wild boars!!!!!!!!!
And in light of sharing, I want to be completely forward and I admit that I have shot an animal and been unable to recover it. and in my mind, I know it doesn’t get wasted. Because the Earth does not waste anything. The fish that sinks will be eaten by the lobster or other fish. The Boar that runs for miles and then drops – the coyotes will eat him. And even though I know that in my mind, I feel in my heart that there is nothing more heartbreaking knowing that I was responsible for the death of one of God’s creatures, and I can’t find it. It’s Devastating to me with a capital D. It’s like overcooking a steak (so i’ve heard 😉 ) but 50 x worse. I know a lobster that I might possibly catch and eat later could be fattened by a fish I killed and sank. But still, I have searched for an HOUR for a fish that I know I was responsible for taking its life. a FISH. Now really, how the f do you find a fish in the ocean?????? I have. under rocks and crevices and yeah, GL HF buddy.
Back to the trophy – the reason that I don’t want to end the story with the picture of the trophy is because…that doesn’t even tell 10% of the story. It doesn’t tell the preparation of the hunter to get the trophy, it doesn’t show the beautiful nature and landscape. It doesn’t show the hours of sweat, the days of regret. It doesn’t show the unsuccessful hunts replayed in the mind.
When a life is taken, whether it’s a bird’s or a fish’s or a boar’s or other – there’s so much sacrifice on both ends. First on the end of the animal, which should always be praised first. Without the animal there is no food. Then, on the hunter who undoubtedly could go many days without any good catches. The good hunter maximizes his catches when given the opportunities yet also realizes it’s hunting and not killing. It’s fishing and not catching. And that’s what makes it so exciting. And because the opportunities are limited, every day aspires to be a better and better hunter. To learn more about the game and the landscape and himself. So when the opportunity rises over the hill, he is ready.
-E
a picture of my brother taking pictures.