Using the Whole Deer

  |  November 16, 2016
deer

There’s a special place in the Hudson Valley where people can go to learn compassion and connection.

Welcome to Wild Earth.

Wild Earth is a program-based organization dedicated to spreading reverence, stewardship and respect for nature, in all forms.

We’re not going to be glib in this article, it deals with a very serious issue. How to hunt with compassion. There’s a deep spiritual connection to food and art based on animal products, and Wild Earth, with it’s mission of stewardship at the heart of its mantra, wants to educate people on how to connect with nature and the world around them. So often we forget where food comes from, how deeply tied to life it is. This program is a hands-on weekend where wilderness skills, crafts, art and life are all tied together.

The program will be run by Neill Boviard, a man who has dedicated his life to practicing and teaching conservation. He has been a passionate hunter and gatherer for over ten years and is dedicated to sharing how to approach hunting and gathering in a respectful way, helping people connect more deeply to themselves, nature and their communities.

It doesn’t hurt that he looks like a young Ron Swanson.

Don’t let that glorious beard fool you. Neill has a B.S. in Natural Resource Conservation from UMass Amherst and holds a Track and Sign Level III certification through the CyberTracker Conservation. Neill has been a facilitator at Art of Mentoring since 2001 and has studied with Jon Young, Mark Elbroch, Errett Callahan, and Steve Watts.

He’s also on loan from his own organization, Wolf Tree Programs based out of Montague, Massachusetts.

It’s an impressive resume, but Neill has an impressive task before him.

He will go out and hunt a deer for this event, hunting locally and legally with the sole and explicit purpose of taking a deer’s life for this program. It’s a huge responsibility, and he’s in charge of making sure that the deer is treated respectfully and compassionately. Hunting has been a part of the American culture since before its inception as an American culture, and in order to foster a poignant sense of respect and reflection on the meaning of food and life.

The schedule from the Wild Earth site shows an array of skills and crafts. Participants will be asked to harvest the deer’s hide and meat; learning how to prepare the hide for tanning and how to properly butcher the deer. There will also be a focus on using all parts of the deer, and bones, hooves, tendons and even the brain will be transformed into beautiful crafts and functional tools.

Again, this is a workshop environment, meant to foster a deeper connection to food and earth. It is an adult program, but teens are encouraged to apply, and should contact Wild Earth directly about the program. 

If this is a little much for you, Wild Earth offers plenty of programs for the budding wilderness explorer. Two such events are the Winter Tracking Workshop and the monthly Wilderness Club.

Visit their site to find the perfect ourdoor program for you.

 


Wild Earth Wilderness School

Read On, Reader...