We have 3 individual hunting clubs in my village; The Chestnut Lads, The Mushroom Lads, and the St Hubert Lads. The belated good wishes above, have just arrived by post, and come from the 'Chestnuts'.
For those who might not read French, I shall translate.... Other than sending their best wishes for my good health and happiness, they also thank me for having attended their banquets, and hope that I was satisfied with the standard of their delicious fare.
They also hope to welcome me to further such revelries, and will keep me informed of dates.
Isn't that nice of them! I wonder how many hunting groups outside of France do this; not many I imagine.
Hunting is an essential part of country life. It is not done just for sport, it reduces damage to crops, and (something that is often misunderstood by 'townies') it actually helps preserve the very species that are being hunted; mostly Roe Deer and Wild Boar. Nothing is over-culled, and a good quantity of healthy breeding wildlife is always conserved.
In my village, most of the bag is preserved (probably by freezing), then served to the villagers (at a minimal cost) over whose land the shooting was conducted.
All very civilised, n'est pas?.
Just listened to Spoonface Steinberg - very moving.
ReplyDeleteGood, isn't it!
DeleteWe only have the Poaching Lads here. They tend to keep a low profile.
ReplyDeleteI really like the everyday attitude to food, the land and it's inhabitants. Hunters here tend to be demonised, but everybody gets meat from industrial slaughter-houses. Very hypocritical.
ReplyDeleteHunting and trapping here is strictly conrolled. It is necessary but there are always some loonies out there tearing out trap lines and causing trouble.
ReplyDeleteAll namby-pambies, and no common sense in the UK.
ReplyDeleteHow very civilised, indeed! We have hunters here, and most keep what they kill. I've never understood hunting for sport and never shall. Most of the locals who hunt do so to help feed their families.
ReplyDeleteVery good idea Cro. Here there is an (often mistaken) idea that shooting at least is the province of only the very rich. Our little group of farmers shoot on one another's land and once a year have a dinner. The farmers who have provided the land get a free dinner. Not in the same league I agree, but a start.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good club to belong to. My Dad was a hunter, mainly deer, my husband is a fisherman. Just saw a program on the white-tailed deer here in the States, a 100 years ago there were a million of them, now there are 30 million and people want to ban hunting. Short-sighted thinking.
ReplyDeleteMais oui - although it's about 42 years since i failed french so I may have spelled it wrong!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good idea and I understand animal mumbers need to be kept at a sustainable level.... just glad someone else does the shooting !
ReplyDeleteMy daughter and her hubby are hunters....They use every part of the deer/ buck....Last time I used a shot gun, I landed on my butt from the kick back....needless to say my daughter is the only hunter in our family.
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