Jordan Flynn

UWRT 1101
11/13/14
Insight to the world of Hunting

Hunting- the activity of hunting wild animals or game, especially for food or sport.
Although this uniform definition is always inferred, it is only right to look into what hunting
truly is, in a discourse community. Hunters across the world, grasp the true definition and are
often times misunderstood. To gain insight on this close knit community, we have to look at
hunting in the eyes of a few.
What does it require to be a hunter? This question is often times hard to answer because a
lot of people who are considered hunters just feel like hunters. So I decided to ask myself that
question rather than anyone else. Being a hunter is being a person who has a love for nature, and
if someone cannot qualify for that requirement, they cannot/should not call themselves hunters.
Loving nature is key because that is where hunting takes places and many days will be filled
with not seeing a single huntable animal, in that time period, you can really find your mind at
ease and feeling one with nature. The second quality hunters possess is knowing that there is a
commitment when killing an animal. This quality is more of an emotion I believe hunters should
have. If a person is emotionless after they just put an arrow through a deer, they are killers not
hunters. Hunters feel such a bittersweet feeling after tagging a buck. With all the excitement of
dropping that monster buck comes the sense of calm understanding. You understand you just
took the life of an animal and you feel compassion for the deer and always will. These two
qualifications combined make a hunter what a hunter should be, humble.

Jordan Flynn
UWRT 1101
11/13/14
Michael Flynn, my father, but an avid hunter, believes that hunting is a way of life. It is
putting all your effort into this one thing, and finding yourself in it all. I asked him , what is
hunting to you? His response, one that I have come to find a rather similar definition among this
community of people. He says Hunting to me is sort of like a mini day vacation that separates
me from the rest of the world. Its a get away from the everyday worries of life like cell phones,
text messages, social media or just being social. It's an emotional and for me a spiritual get away.
Its my palates, workout and my meditation time all in one. It's a time of peace and tranquility,
just me, the woods, my thoughts and my time alone with God and nature. A common belief
among this community is that hunting separates you from the not-so traditional world we live in
today. Hunting gives people a chance to put down all the things we call distraction in the society
we are surrounded by. Being in the woods is like being in the calmest place you could possibly
think of to these people.
I followed up my question by asking, What do you feel when you hunt? He responded,
When I hunt I feel relaxed. I feel like there is nothing or no one there to ask me a question, need
my help, call me, hound me or even touch me. I also feel excited. It is exciting just sitting there
not knowing what you may see or hear. Hunters are surrounded by this feeling every hunt. What
will I see today? Anything? The whole day is filled with such anticipation, and eagerness to
catch just a big enough glimpse of that big buck walking through the dense brush, and hopefully
landing an arrow or a bullet in the right place. When looking at hunting as a community, it
should be relatively easy to see why hunters are the way they are. Although we hunt for big
bucks, we also just enjoy becoming one with nature, for just a little while, until we have to make
the return to todays society.

Jordan Flynn
UWRT 1101
11/13/14
As the interview progresses more and more, it is becoming easier to see what this
community stands for. Hunters hunt for deer, yes of course, but, we hunt for the experiences that
will stay with them for the rest of their lives. I asked Michael what his fondest hunting memory
was, he replied, I have so many that it is so hard to choose just one! I have always had a hunting
buddy over the years. You would always hunt together but in separate places of course and the
best part was getting back together after the hunt to share what you saw or in a lot of cases what
you didn't see. I guess one of the fondest memories that comes to my mind right now is more
recent and I will always remember. I was on a deer hunt with my son Jordan in fact it was our
first full year of what I call real hunting together and using crossbows. Jordan rode to my stand
after a couple of hours, proclaiming he had just his first deer! As a father, there comes a time in
your life when you get to say, I am so proud. It wasnt just that I was proud of him tagging that
first buck with a crossbow, but I could see his patience, how long he had been waiting to harvest
his first buck. Never once had he complained that it was the deers fault for not showing up, he
showed hopefulness. And as a father thats all I wished for. Experiences that last a lifetime,
thats where hunters hearts truly lie. Although the size of the deer come into effect most the
time, the experiences along the way mean the most. Some have funny ones, some sad, and some
that are total fiction, but it is what they hold onto for their whole life. The last question I asked
Michael was what does he love most about hunting? He answered What I love the most about
hunting is the peacefulness of it. Being one with nature. Again being there without anyone
bothering me. Having the buddy along with you for the after the hunt chats. Plotting where the
best place to hunt is to hopefully bag that big ole buck. Its a challenge believe it or not. We all
see deer everywhere now days but I could put you in the woods where you know there are big
deer (caught on our cameras) and not see a thing other than a few squirrels. Thats the thing

Jordan Flynn
UWRT 1101
11/13/14
about it. I can sit in a tree all day long take a nap, see absolutely nothing and come out of the
woods relaxed. I guess my biggest love of hunting has changed to my biggest love of hunting
now is being out there with my son and forming a great father son relationship. I love teaching
him all of the things that I have learned over the years. I love the fact that those things will be
passed on to his sons or daughters. I love the peace, solitude and the joy of spending time with
my son. Again and again, time in and time out, the answers to these questions always have
common qualities. The most common answers to this question include, the peacefulness, hunting
with you buddies or best friends. Michael, my dad, my best friend, my hunting buddy, shows
what the true members of this community look like.
When observing members of this community, I have found that none of the stereotypical
Hunter qualities can be found. In this community, there are only those passionate about being
one with nature, possibly harvesting a buck, but ultimately making memories. Common
misbelief is that hunters are just people killing animals, but I say, that those people are called
killers, not hunters.
I decided to observe a hunt with my friend a few weeks back, and what I found was
amazing. The experiences reinderate this community and how special it is. The day began at 3:30
A.M. me and my buddy Tyler woke up and gathered out hunting necessities. We hit the road at
about 4:30, on the way we were laughing and cutting up about some stories we had about
hunting and wishing each other good luck. We arrived at our hunting destination and headed
towards the stand. The day progressed and a few does and fawns strolled through the woods. A
small 6 point buck arrived on the corn pile, and although he wasnt a shooter, me and Tylers
faces just light up with joy that we had seen a buck. The day ended and no more deer were seen,

Jordan Flynn
UWRT 1101
11/13/14
but when coming out of the stand after hours of whispering funny stuff and having a good time,
Tyler turns and says to me Id say that was a pretty successful day. This small story captures
what people often skip over when they hear the phrase hunting.
Hunting is an often time misunderstood community, but luckily I am proud to be a
member. The experiences hunters receive over the years will be passed down and down to
fathers and sons, and daughters. Its not always about killing the deer, but in this community its
about what happens along the way that makes it all worth it.