Our varying degrees of reflection and awareness may, indeed, be a large part of what makes the experiences and perspectives of one group of hunters different from another group’s.

I do often lean toward the word “spiritual,” as I tend to associate “religious” with religion as an institution. Yet “religious” can be a helpful word, too, evoking both individual experiences (such as awe) and our penchant for forging collective traditions (whether in tribal settings, in city churches, or elsewhere). And, etymologically, “religion” suggests “re-binding.” What could be better than a re-binding of human and nature?

I too think giving thanks is extremely important in the whole process. And, because of my religious beliefs, I am giving thanks to the animal as well as thanks to God for providing meat for my family’s table.

Having that intimate connection to nature, and ultimately to the food we seek, is what makes me hunt. It’s awesome!

Like you, I find that giving thanks feels important and even necessary. Yet, when I stop to think about it, I realize it’s not easy for me to articulate exactly why.

My “ceremony” evolves, it seems, year-to-year. But the bottom line is, I understand that it is necessary to give thanks in some way. I would be ashamed if I didn’t, especially with a critter I killed. Even found myself giving some sort of thanks to the critters killed by people I’m with at the time.

But I struggle sometimes with how others approach this, when they think that thanks aren’t necessary. I consider myself on the good side, along with you and your readers, it seems.

And I’m thankful for that, too.

Keep up the good work, and congrats on the CNN piece!

Like you and NorCal, I feel the best we can do is “reach down deep” and build our traditions as we move along. As NorCal says, the acknowledgment means a lot.

By the way, the comments on the CNN profile have gotten interesting. Some are insightful. Others are reminding me how easy it is for certainty to lead to viciousness. I’ve learned, for example, that you, dear readers, are ignorant and that I was never really a vegan. Ah well.

I’ll weigh in here, though I’m at the wrong spot in the nest for a general comment. I, too, Tovar, am developing my own traditions as I move along. This is probably one of the reasons I’m delving so deeply into what we humans did before agriculture came along and brought radical change to our planet. Based on what I’ve learned so far, I think any expression of gratitude or request for forgiveness acknowledges that food has a cost beyond the money we plunk down at the supermarket. I think that acknowledgment means a lot, because anything we take for granted we tend to treat with disrespect (hence modern food production and popular attitudes toward it).

Hunting has taught me to respect my food more than anything else ever has. Well, OK, Hank’s cooking has helped too .

Also ditto on Phillip’s other comments. And yours.

As for the German tradition, no thanks. Too sad. I’ve got a Christian tradition coupled with some really close connections to the land that I reach down deep for, whenever I’m lucky and blessed enough to get something.