Call of the Mild: Learning to Hunt My Own Dinner

Description

When Lily Raff McCaulou traded in an indie film production career in New York for a reporting job in central Oregon, she never imagined that she'd find herself picking up a gun and learning to hunt. She'd been raised as a gun-fearing environmentalist and an animal lover, and though a meat-eater, she'd always abided by the principle that harming animals is wrong. But Raff McCaulou's perspective shifted when she began spending weekends fly-fishing and weekdays interviewing hunters for her articles, realizing that many of them were more thoughtful about animals and the environment than she was. So she embarked upon the project of learning to hunt from square one. From attending a Hunter Safety course designed for children to field dressing an elk and serving it for dinner, she explores the sport of hunting and all it entails, and tackles the big questions surrounding one of the most misunderstood American practices and pastimes. Not just a personal memoir, this book also explores the role of the hunter in the twenty-first century, the tension (at times artificial) between hunters and environmentalists, and new models of sustainable and ethical food procurement.

Lily Raff McCaulou lives in Bend, Oregon, where she writes a twice weekly column for the Bend Bulletin. In 2010, she completed a prestigious Knight-Wallace journalism fellowship at the University of Michigan, where she researched this book.

Her writing is evocative and inspiring, and it will encourage all manner of nature lovers to forge a deeper connection to their surroundings. . . . These are the words of a true student of nature, and they're sure to make even hunting skeptics wish they could join McCaulou on one of her dramatic treks through the woods. - San Francisco Chronicle "A thoughtful examination of the issues that surround hunting in modern America, an entertaining account of McCaulou's evolution from someone afraid of firearms to an avid hunter, and an inspirational guide for anyone interested in following suit. - Mike Stahlberg - The Register Guard (OR) [An] excellent memoir. . . Clear, well-crafted prose . . . A book that rewards readers with a wealth of interesting information along the way. - The Washington Times Combines hunting stories with entreaties to be thoughtful about where dinner comes from and grateful for nature's bounty. - Dwight Garner - New York Times Will resonate with many readers, female or male, who are trying to reconnect with the natural world, whether via hunting or other outdoor pursuits. . . . It turns out that facing death in its many guises is at the core of McCaulou's memoir, and this stubborn fact of life is explored in some unexpected ways. Not so unexpectedly, the book culminates with a big game hunt, though the patience and detail with which it's recounted will be appreciated by neophyte hunters wondering what this moment of truth might be like. - Langdon Cook - Fat of the Land Compelling . . . her reporting skills help readers gain a deeper and broader understanding of the complex experience of hunting. - Melanie Balog - The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) Eloquent debut memoir about a young woman's transformation from a New York City urbanite into small-town Oregon hunter with a conscience. . . A powerful story in which the author shapes a narrative of personal growth into a symbol of modern humanity's alienation from the natural world. - Kirkus Reviews If you have always wanted to try your hand at hunting, buying this book is a must. Lily takes you on a journey through the eyes of a novice growing into an experienced hunter, beautifully illustrating the excitement of being able to hunt the food that you eat in a sustainable way. - April Bloomfield, chef of The Spotted Pig and author of A Girl and Her Pig