From Patti's Paganism / Wicca Blog
From Patti's Paganism / Wicca Blog
By Patti Wigington,
Why Hunt if You're Pagan?
Friday December 4, 2009
For many states, this past week has seen the opening of the annual gun season, which means the woods near you are probably crawling with hunters. And believe it or not, some of them are Pagans. Sometimes, I'll get emails from people asking how a "peace-loving Pagan" or "nature worshipping Wiccan" can hunt with a clear conscience, and the fact of the matter is that it's just not that simple.
It's not so much the act of killing that a hunter enjoys, but the pursuit itself. For me personally, there's something very Zen and magical about loosing an arrow (I bow hunt, because I pretty much stink with a gun). While the kill is sometimes the end result of this process -- and often it's not, believe me -- this too is something that can be celebrated as ritual, honoring the deer after it goes down. An ethical hunter, Pagan or not, uses every part of the deer, and nothing goes to waste. My family eats a lot of venison -- it's about 50% of our annual protein consumption.
I think what it really comes down to is not "can you be Pagan and hunt" but "can you, as a hunter, do so responsibly and ethically"? I know everyone's got differing opinions on this, and I would never tell anyone who's opposed to hunting that they should go out and do it. I simply think it's a decision that everyone needs to make for themselves: Pagans and Hunting.
Praise the gods!
ReplyDeleteI'm a hunter and a Wiccan . I felt alone , until now. For me it is our connection to our history, our role in the balance of nature , the only hope for wildlife conservation in the future. Yes I'm a pagan and a hunter . Thank you kindred spirit .
When hunting and fishing land is leased, it is typically no longer a handshake deal, but requires the use of a written hunting lease agreement between the parties. Check This Out
ReplyDeleteWe are Wiccan and hunters! We Only hunt public lands and honorable hunting! We thank The Horned God for his blessing upon the kill and we eat all that we kill! It is Not a sport for us. It is the hunt, life and death, sustaining our lives! Blessed be!!
ReplyDeleteEthical hunting by Pagans and Wiccans reflects a deep reverence for nature and spiritual beliefs. Ways Watch Youtube It exemplifies a harmonious relationship with the environment, where hunting becomes a sacred act of sustenance and connection to the earth.
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