Duck Harvesting | Story Telling

I would really like to get into more storytelling forms of photography. Not necessarily simply branding shoots, but actually telling a story, a craft. It’s something I need to work on. Getting back into photography has been fun, although I’m realizing that even though it’s been “easy” to pick it back up, my work sat stagnant for the past 7+ years. I feel like a lot of what I’m creating is just going through the motions… not art, not imagery I’m obsessed with. I’d like to truly create more. Learn more. Test myself; PUSH myself. If you have a project and you’re willing to take a chance on me and learn with me, let’s connect.

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From Jake:

I have never been a hunter. I didn’t grow up in a family that hunted and didn’t have much exposure to it other than when someone would occasionally give our family some venison. I’ve never been opposed to hunting but previously never really had a desire to do it. To be honest, the idea of killing an animal and then cutting it up and processing it grossed me out and made me a bit squeamish.

I do eat meat though. A good amount of it. And I love it.

A few years ago I started thinking about these two things. It occurred to me that if harvesting an animal was something that bothered me too much to do, then maybe I shouldn’t be eating meat.

So, I made a personal goal to eat an animal that I had killed and processed. I started learning about hunting and have been on several hunts at this point. Most of the tags I have had have gone unfilled but last year and again today, I was able to harvest some ducks and eat them.

I am grateful for those who have taken time to mentor and teach me on this journey (@alecferrin@mistatoone@macitoone @bwill727@backcountryhunters) and grateful how supportive @brittniwillie has been. My ultimate goal is a successful big game hunt, but I am happy with the progress I have made so far.

I love having meat that is as absolutely as fresh as possible, meat that I know exactly where it came from, meat that is 100% natural, and meat that I put in work to get and feed me and my family.

I have so much more to learn and so much to improve on, but I’m grateful that I’ve come as far as I have and grateful to those who have helped me get here.