The hunt is most often defined by its final explosive moment. The flash, the blast, the crack as the bullet slices through the air. But in truth, it is the time before the trigger is pulled – hours that are mindful, silent and elongated – that is sacred to the hunter. The kill is a culmination. The hunt is its rich prelude, mindful and satisfying, ritualistic and grittily romantic. The true reward lies in the communion between hunter and prey. Through this work I delved into this primal relationship, and witnessed an interaction driven by instinct and cunning; hunter and prey engaged in an ancient contest of skill and survival, with raw landscape as a backdrop. I observed a group of young men united by the desire to connect with their surroundings, who understand and interpret the story of the woods. Their mission is not one of violence, but one of appreciation of a worthy adversary, a respect for tradition, and a reverence for the hunt.
