Taking the shot

Last month marked a first for me...

Steady mind, full heart

...the first time I took the shot to field harvest one of my own bison. A moment I have been working up to for about five years. Field harvesting our animals is the cornerstone of our operation, and one of the biggest reasons we started raising this specific animal. But I've had a friend take the shot up until this point.

Bison are considered a "non-amenable" species according to the USDA--exotic. Since they are no longer considered a main food source, the USDA doesn't regulate them as tightly as they do chicken, pork, and beef. A win for me, I love the grey areas ;) but this brings up a whole bunch of other questions in regards to why they don't allow us to put other meat animals down as humanely. A great book explaining our defunct National slaughter system is Eating Animals by Jonathan Foer.

This is the book that changed my life--led me to where I am today--the huntress of my own bison. I wanted to be become a vegetarian originally, but thought that wouldn't really change the system, it would just remove me from it (and the health benefits of meat). So I chose to be the change I wanted to see in that system--and here I am now, taking the full weight of the shot.

Field harvesting also mitigates the spike in stress hormones an animal releases when they are corralled, led down the kill chute, restrained, and then shot in the head. Or worse, electrocuted then stuck to bleed to death. Or even worse, just slit in the throat to bleed and die from blood loss...but I digress! These stress hormones get pumped into their muscles in preparation for their fight or flight response, then we eat this meat...need I say more?!

As a nurse by profession, and considering the stress epidemic in our nation, I didn't want to consume stressed-out meat myself or feed it to my growing family. I am also an avid horsewoman and animal lover, which is another reason why I want my meat to be humanely raised and harvested.

I believe there is nothing better you can do for a living being than to give it purpose and an honorable death. Again, from the nurse in me, a quick shot to the head is more honorable than most humans will get to experience--and it's much swifter than what Mother Nature has in store. Most people don't like to think about these things, and many don't want to know what it actually takes the get that steak onto their plate.

Then maybe they shouldn't be allowed to eat meat?

As I stood there steadying myself to take the kill shot from just 30 feet away, waiting for the bull to look me head-on, my heart was full of emotion. He turned his head and looked me in the eye, stood proud yet curious of my position. I honored his health and life by making the shot quick and clean--a single shot.

Three year old bison bull

So in that moment, I felt like you shouldn’t be allowed to eat my meat if you can't handle the truth about what I had to do to get it ready to for your plate. Three weeks later, I still feel a lot of that! But, I am settling down and into my new role. It feels right--part of my life's work. And I hope to inspire other farmers, meat eaters, and even politicans. We can make our food system so much better--together.

#honestcarnivore