The Provision of Hunting

A Primal Urge?

Many would claim that mankind’s desire to get out of our suburban and urban confines and take to the woods to track down the wild wapiti is ingrained in our DNA. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors survived in prehistoric times by grunting signals to one another and using crude stone tools, then moving on to bronze technology, and over hundreds of thousands of years, iron was eventually used, and language had been developed. But that is the false evolutionary view of mankind.

When we start from the Bible, there is no prehistory because we learn about humanity right from the beginning of time.

When we start from the Bible, there is no prehistory because we learn about humanity right from the beginning of time. And Genesis 4:22 tells us that, within seven generations of Adam and Eve, mankind was already working with both bronze and iron—no evolution required. Man was smart right from the start. God had created man—both male and female—in his image and set them on the earth to multiply and fill it. Their diet was originally plant-based (Genesis 1:29), but God’s command to them to subdue the earth and take dominion over it and all the animals would likely include the development of the tools that are mentioned in Genesis 4.

A Change in the Menu

But animal death only came into the picture after Adam chose to rebel against God, bringing sin, death, disease, and destruction into God’s original perfect creation (Genesis 3). And the command to eat a vegetarian diet is clear up to the time of Noah as he was commanded to bring onto the ark “every sort of food that is eaten” for his family and the animals (Genesis 6:21). We are confident from the fossil record that animals were eating other animals, and it is very likely based on the wickedness of man’s heart that people were likely doing the same, but Noah was faithful to God. It is not until after coming off the ark that God expands man’s diet to include animals (Genesis 9:3). During different periods in history, God restricted the animals allowed, but meat from animals is clearly allowed as part of our provision to sustain us.

But Isn’t It So Cruel?

As a lifelong hunter, I have sustained many insults about how cruel it is to shoot an animal. And I understand that it may appear so on the surface, but we must take care not to let our emotions get in the way of what is true. We must also be careful to evaluate each situation. I do not pretend to defend every hunter in every situation, but I do believe that there is a valid biblical justification for and uniquely Christian approach to hunting. I have not always been a Christian, but my grandfathers both taught me from a young age that I was to respect every animal that we were hunting because they were provided by God for us to harvest. And that was the mindset—we were harvesting, not killing. (Of course, death was involved, but it was not a senseless killing, but a means of provision of food.)

I train to be skilled and wise, and I pray before each hunt to be able to accomplish that.

I have been a shooting sports instructor for years, and it has afforded me the opportunity to convey those ethical values based on a Christian worldview to kids in various settings. Practicing shooting archery at animal targets where kids want to “shoot it in the eye” gives me the opportunity to talk about where to aim for an honorable shot. Many would use the word “humane shot,” but I choose the word honorable. I am not trying to treat the animal like a human—I would never shoot a human for food. I want to make a shot on the animal with the weapon I am using that will end its life in the fastest way possible and bring it the least suffering. And in doing so, I honor God and respect the animal he has provided for me to harvest. This is the way I have taught my sons and others I have had the privilege to train to hunt to think about placing a shot. Nothing turns my stomach into knots faster than thinking I made a poor shot on an animal and that it may suffer for my actions. I train to be skilled and wise, and I pray before each hunt to be able to accomplish that. And as I am blessed to harvest an animal, I stop to thank God for that provision and have trained my sons and others to do the same (James 1:17).

Stewards of Creation

I love to learn about God’s creation, so years ago when I was watching this engaging teacher talk about deer biology and habitat management, I was shocked when he closed his program with, “Don’t forget to listen to what the Creator is saying to you.” And then it happened at the end of the next program. I knew that a lot of people in the hunting industry were Christians, but this was bold, and every program closed in similar fashion. The scientific data and the way he shared about the studies he was doing to collect and analyze what he was seeing on his property was real science, and he was pointing to the God who had created it all as the source. Dr. Grant Woods of Growing Deer TV was being a steward of God’s creatures and teaching others to do the same. He also took the time to teach about ethical shot placement, spoke often of enjoying creation, involved his family, and made special time at Christmas and Easter to share the hope of Christ with his viewers.

As one example of our stewardship in hunting and conservation, humans have moved into areas and displaced the natural predators of large herbivores like white-tailed deer. In the area where I live in Northern Kentucky, there are no more wolves and mountain lions to control their populations. If left to grow unchecked, the populations would become riddled with disease, and food would become scarce. This would lead to suffering in the herd, so scientists like Dr. Woods help us come up with harvest goals to set population levels that are appropriate.

A Door for the Gospel

Even if we don’t choose to enjoy creation in the same ways, I hope we can agree that God provides for us in wonderful ways, especially what has been done for us in Christ.

Just like Dr. Woods, there are many others who use the outdoors and hunting as an opportunity to connect people to the awesome beauty found in God’s creation and teach them about what an amazing Creator he is. There are ministries for kids with disabilities, kids from the cities, veterans, refugees, seniors, feeding the poor, and many more. But while enjoying creation is great, the goal of all these ministries should ultimately be to point each of the individuals that join them to having a right relationship with their Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I hope that God allows me to continue to spend time out in his creation. I have spent countless hours pondering the beauty of the sun rising and setting, watching his wildlife, memorizing his Word, praying for his saints and my loved ones, and training kids in skills they can use to provide for themselves from God’s bounty for the rest of their lives. If you are a fellow hunter, may God provide for you and your family. If you are not in favor of hunting, consider my words in light of Scripture and how your attitudes align with those truths. Even if we don’t choose to enjoy creation in the same ways, I hope we can agree that God provides for us in wonderful ways, especially what has been done for us in Christ.