By Sean Fagan  
 
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Tracking is not just a means of increasing our understanding of nature - it can be a complimentary skillset to hunting wild animals (photo: Sean Fagan - mink track, southwest Ireland).

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DONNIE VINCENT

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“If we want fantastic experiences, we must go to fantastic places” ~ Donnie Vincent

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Donnie is clearly a man that pursues his passion for hunting with great dedication.

Grueling mountain hikes while carrying heavy loads, stalking and killing large animals with a bow and arrow, then carrying the butchered meat a long distance back to camp are all part of the hunting experience for Donnie.

He is clearly not your average, recreational hunter.

There is more than a touch of the extreme endurance athlete in Donnie’s approach to hunting – he really wants to earn his quarry and just as importantly - immerse himself fully into the wild, rugged landscapes where his quarry dwell.

Although I don't agree with everything Donnie says about hunting in the video, what I don’t have an issue with is his passion for the outdoors.

Donnie clearly loves being in wilderness areas.

He is a true outdoors person that puts his body where his mouth is.

 
Bushcraft & Hunting
  Hunting is a part of bushcraft whether we like it or not.

The unspoken and spoken premise by many is that we can cherry-pick bushcraft subjects according to our tastes. I generally have no problem with this attitude, as long as it's a conscious decision, and that the individual knows why he or she chooses (and excludes) different bushcraft subjects.

In order to embrace a truly broad and honest understanding of Bushcraft - hunting should be included as a cornerstone skill-set.

Canoeing pristine lakes, hiking along an inspiring mountain ridge,  savouring a warm campfire in a quiet wood - yes, these are all deeply enjoyable parts of the bushcraft experience, but so is fostering the ability, with good conscience, to hunt wild animals.

Even from a survival perspective it makes sense to learn hunting skills - as many bushcrafters expose themselves to remote, wild places, and if such individuals are unfortunate enough to be thrust into a survival situation then it's important, if possible and necessary, to be able to hunt wild animals.

I'm not condoning killing animals just to sharpen our hunting skills. What I am encouraging is having the perquisite hunting skills so that if we have to hunt we can do so.

Honing outdoor awareness skills such as tracking and stalking a well as creating and knowing how to use primitive hunting weapons, fish and animal traps and how to humanely kill animals are all bushcraft skills that are equally valid and important as, for example, shelter-building, navigation and axe skills.

If you look at many hunting and gathering societies still in existence today – they spend a lot of time hunting and making and checking traps.

However, as stated already, it’s perfectly okay for the modern bushcrafter, to select bushcraft subjects that greatly interest us. That’s perfectly okay, especially since its often illegal to hunt  wild animals and so many wild animals are uncommon or rare today and are important components of ecosystems.

However, the challenge for many ethically-minded, passionate bushcrafters (that wants to acquire competence in all of the bushcraft basics) is...how do you get good at hunting without killing animals?

It is more than possible, and this subject will be explored in an article in the near future.  
Concluding Thoughts
 

When it comes to the outdoors - Donnie has my respect as the real deal. He works very hard to exposing himself to the wonderful and often exhausting vagaries of true wilderness – often for long periods of time.

Anybody that willingly and passionately hikes frigidly-cold mountains, day after day – while carrying a heavy back pack and occasionally kills a large animal with an arrow, then butchers it on site and carries the meat for an arduous descent to a basic camp, gets my respect and admiration, as a true outdoor person.

In that regard, Donnie is exceptional.

Wherever you stand, ethically, on the issue of hunting - I've little doubt that as an outdoor enthusiast or bushcrafter, you'll find Donnie's videos a source of inspiration.

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Related articles on this website:

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*Check us out on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook for more outdoor-related topics.

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Another chance to see Donnie's exceptional video...

 

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For more inspiration, check out Donnie’s fantastic Instagram Site and Website (contains some good outdoor blogs). .  

PIONEER BUSHCRAFT DISCLAIMER

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The aim of this article is to provide advice that will enhance the quality of your time, and well-being, when outdoors.

Pioneer Bushcraft does not take any responsibility for the misapplication of advice in this article.

The advice in this article is very much an adjunct to, and not a substitute for,  high-quality bushcraft training (including outdoor medical training), relevant research and experience, trustworthy local knowledge, a thorough risk assessments and all other health & safety considerations specific and pertinent to your outdoor excursions.

Please – when outdoors, take responsibility for your well being seriously.

It can make all the difference between a great or bad outdoor experience.