The Shotgun Conservationist: Why Environmentalists Should Love Hunting

By Brant MacDuff

Book Overview

At the intersection of hunting and conservation, a man shares his personal journey from staunch anti-hunter to compassionate, ethical hunter, weaving together a larger history of humans, animals, the environment, and our food systems.

Picture a hunter. Who comes to mind? Millionaire playboys or big truck owning folks? Maybe so, but there's more to it. Because if you love nature, value sustainability, abhor the pollution and inhumanity of factory farms, you could be a hunter in the making. And if you've never even considered hunting, The Shotgun Conservationist reveals all the reasons you should. Brant MacDuff makes us rethink who hunts and why. Growing up an animal lover with no hunting background, MacDuff himself would seem an unlikely advocate. Yet a lifelong love of the outdoors and a restless curiosity compelled him to investigate a simple question: is hunting conservation? So convinced, he consistently holds a hunting license in multiple states and gives lectures on the positive impact hunting has on conservation efforts nationwide and around the world.

MacDuff tells the story of how he became a hunter and the colorful characters, big personalities, and firsthand research that helped change his mind. His journey led to a deeper understanding of how hunting protects public lands, supports sustainable ecosystems, encourages biodiversity, and can help bridge social and political divides. Along the way, he introduces us to a new generation of hunters, different from timeworn stereotypes and preconceptions. And who better than MacDuff? A trans man living in Brooklyn, he defies expectations of who hunts and invites people of all backgrounds into the field.

Whether or not you decide to take up hunting, The Shotgun Conservationist provides a new perspective and appreciation for those who do.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1643261037
• ISBN13: 9781643261034
• Release Date: April 2023
• Publisher: Timber Press (OR)
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.5" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Totally Changed my Mind !

Wow, this book was clearly the result of a lifetime of thought and study, it's funny too! The book makes "wildlife economics" and conservation history and theory totally accessible and fun. It uses hunting as a lens to explore all sorts of ways people relate to animals and the environment. There are a lot of personal stories and silly movie references too, it's not a dry textbook even though it's full of research. Also the author is cute.