It just occurred to me this afternoon that I never put together a photo essay of our New Mexico hunting trip from last February. Some of you will know that the upland season ends on February 1st here in Idaho. We decided to extend our season by two full weeks by heading down to New Mexico for scaled quail, bobwhite quail and Mearn’s quail. We truck camped on BLM land or Forest Service land — woke up early, went to sleep early, slept in the bed of the truck with the dogs, ate out of the cooler and fresh from the field, schlepped through sand dunes, crept the truck over hard country to watch the stars over Texas and we harvested a lot of birds. I really found my shooting rhythm and the dogs were bone thin, tired and in utter rapture.
It’s brutal, vicious hunting down there. The vegetation is prickly and serrated — cutting and poking at you with every step you take. The sunlight is harsh, even in the heart of February, so harsh that it seems to come from every direction. We’re used to ankle breaking basalt lava flows, brutal and frozen gale force winds and near vertical hiking here in Idaho. It was interesting to test our mettle in a new place, in a new way.
Rob and I were reminiscing about this trip last week and talking about our plans to head down again this winter to scout out more territory for ourselves and to simply enjoy the company of each other.
We hunt for food, but hunting also gives me such a strong sense of family. We’re together out there — just him, me and our dogs. A unit. Working together (kinda like a wolf pack would) to bring home dinner. The wolves got it right.
Without further adieu:
New Mexico
I just want to thank you for publishing these photos. I grew up in a town where plenty of people hunted, and I’ve always been fine with it. Then I look at your photos, which are so well done, and part of me thinks, uh, this is not okay. That’s totally unexpected, and I know it’s not your intent, so I hope you’re not offended. I completely understand that if one is going to eat animal protein (and I do), hunting is probably the most ethical way to do it. Obviously the pictures stir up some thoughts I didn’t know I had, which means I need to think more deeply about my food and where it comes from. I didn’t realize I needed to do that. Thanks for providing the catalyst, and the opportunity.
EVERYBODY should be thinking hard about their food and where it comes from…and not just MEAT!!! We should be thinking about our grains, our fruits, our vegetables, all of it. One of the reasons people have knee-jerk negative reactions (and I’m not calling your specific reaction knee-jerk or negative) to some of my hunting photos is because they’re perfectly honest pictures of food and the average human being doesn’t have a clue where their meat comes from or that it was ever part of a whole animal and dressed in feathers or fur or scales. It comes as a shock to people. The truth is uncomfortable!
Some people are conflicted because they are disconnected, or disillusioned, or they’ve shoveled food in their mouths all their lives and never thought about it until I reveal a real life moment of food-getting that doesn’t involve a grocery cart and debit card.
That said, every time I hunt an animal with the intent to eat (which is the only way I hunt, and all the hunters I know hunt) I have mixed emotions. I need animal proteins in my diet. This is the best way I can think to get it for myself. It’s my choice to live this way and get my food this way. The food I eat is beautiful — the elk, AND the carrots from my garden. All of it. It’s just a big, gorgeous, timeless, energy tornado — the animals are out there eating each other, eating the bitterbrush, eating the clover…everything has to eat. Everything has to eat and then live and then die and then be eaten. There’s nothing ignoble about it — the system is beautiful. Nothing goes to waste. At a certain point, if you can see so far, everything is everything.
Your comment on this post does not offend me. Last year, some yahoo told me to go kill myself on Instagram when I posted a photo of deer antlers. I’m used to a lot of hate this time of year — my email inbox would horrify you — and I gird my loins and do my best to prepare my heart for all of that before I post hunting essays or hunting imagery. ‘Tis the season. As they say. I wish everyone would leave comments as thoughtful and honest and care-full as yours.
It’s ok if my way is not the way for you. We all get to choose.
Thanks for being here.
Beautiful pictures and post
I’d rather see pictures like these than pictures of animals which are lifelong in stables, never seeing daylight, just living to die for to be eaten by us humans. And there are so plenty of those, that food is being thrown away, so the animals lives were for waiste. Hunting for food is honest, and we just have to realize we are part of the chain. Our intellect gives us the moment of choice how to live our lives, and how to fit in the world with least damage on the whole… Love your view of your world Jillian, thank you for sharing.
Thank you for being here, Susan, and for being thoughtfully realistic.
X
Oh! I just love it when you traverse NM in all her thorny ocotillo, prickly pear and towering yucca! Your smile ignites the glow and flame of that campfire, while Rob checks out the map. 🙂
Of all your stories in pictures this might be my favorite. (A tie with the mule train pack trip, of course).
The way you feel so strongly about what you do and why you do it. You do it exactly right. With grace and honor, you give back to nature, to the land and animals that provide. And I admire you to the max. You know that.
This post is pure and true. It also bring many smiles. Especially when I see you standing like that in the desert, in that cute-as-all-get-out unitard!
xo
New Mexico is my number two. Ideally, I would have an off-grid cabin there in the piñon pine…maybe someday…
There’s no place like it.
XX
“The wolves got it right”–yes indeed! Wolf packs are families, after all.
As for hunting: All species hunt for food, be it animal, vegetable, or mineral. Humans who hunt with care are partaking in this fundamental endeavor of life just as seriously as creatures (also including H. sapiens) who graze or pick or excavate their fare. And wild animals and plants live free and fully until they become nourishment for other animals and plants.
Fabulous photos! You are living a dream.
xo
Eloquently put, friend!
X
I just love your photography and the way you think. I’m pretty sure you’re my spirit animal.
Well heck!
Rawr!
X
Every time you post photos, my jaw drops. Stunning as always.
Ahh.
Thank you, Rebecca.
Wow! Those are beautiful filets! And your sillouette captures are just amazing. I love that you capture the beauty, not only of the world but of the America West.
The American West.
FOREVER.
Never won.
Beautiful.
XX
wow. that’s a crazy-beautiful paisley’d flower’d undergarment thingy.
a few days ago, i made a meal without even thinking about the origin of all the ingredients, and when i served it up, i proudly said [with a wave of my hand] “this….all of this….is from our making.” caribou, carrots, brussel sprouts, kale, onions, peas. and it was fantastically tasty.
thanks for the *realness of this post.
xx
Unitard delux!
I love how the sand almost looks like snow. New Mexico is a magic place.
It’s a beautiful, pure place. Everything refined by the elements…
Absolutely stunning shots. The variety of style and colors is phenomenal. Just gorgeous.
🙂
XX
I am so glad you always stay true to who you are and share with us your amazing capability of love and kindness. You are an inspiration Jillian. Sent with love,
Xo
Dagmar
Dagmar, thank you for saying that. I’m incapable of conformity so…
🙂
Love seeing you here.
X
I know you get hate from some people. And I know it must be difficult. I just want to say that as someone who’s followed you for some time, here on the blog, it’s completely obvious how much you (and your guy) RESPECT the land, the other creatures living on it, how you are living more “with the Earth” than most of us ever will. Don’t let the shortsighted, knee-jerking haters affect you. You are living one of the purest lives I’ve ever known and you just keep right on doing so. So many idiots…so little time for them. The rest of us might not be as vocal (I think this is the first time I’ve posted on your blog) but we are here.
Haters don’t have an effect on me. I’m going to keep on doing what I do and living the way I live and sharing all of that with word and photograph.
But haters do have an effect on the CLIMATE of my spaces which is what I find offensive. To be clear, I do not mind people respectfully disagreeing with the way I live my life (that’s not hate, that’s just a difference in opinion and diverse opinions make life interesting). I’m all for thoughtful, well mannered discussion on the topic — I welcome it! I am more than happy to talk about it, discuss it and earnestly LISTEN to opposing opinions on the matter and I expect the same of everyone else here.
I am glad you are here. Thank you for commenting. I have every intention of carrying on!
XX