Hunting is one of the oldest and highly sought-after sports out there. As a result, countless famous actors, singers, poets and world leaders have taken part since the dawn of time.
Profound people that, very often, have profound things to say.
In this article, I have collected all of my favorite hunting quotes from some of my favorite people and conservationists throughout history.
When I’m feeling unmotivated, these are the quotes that always get me back into the brushes.
#1 “In a civilized and cultivated country, wild animals only continue to exist at all when preserved by sportsmen.”
Theodore Roosevelt
Did you know that Roosevelt was a massive hunter and outdoor enthusiast? He was often referred to as the “Conservation President” as a result of all his contributions to the conservation movement.
Hunting was a big part of Roosevelt’s life. When his mother and wife died on the same day, he headed out to Dakota to hunt on his ranch, which is where his deep passion for conservation ethics started.
It’s Roosevelt’s passion for ethical hunting and the “fair chase” policies he advocated for that inspired the Elite Hunter!
#2 “The history of the bow and arrow is the history of mankind.”
Fred Bear
Fred Bear is often referred to as the father of modern-day bow hunting, and his founding of the first major archery store in the United States led to him becoming one of the largest archery equipment producers in the world — equipment that he developed himself!
#3 “Hunting is about the savoring of nature, the communion of it, and the occasional, joyous celebration when something is caught or killed.”
William Faulkner
Did you know that the famous American writer was an avid hunter? Growing up in the South, it was a deep part of his childhood and family roots – and he had a strong reverence for the sport, something you can always tell from his writing.
“The Bear” one of his more famous works, talks about the experiences of a young man hunting trips in the Mississippi wilderness.
#4 “There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.”
Aldo Leopold
Leopold was one the most notable conservationists that the US ever had. His work as both a hunter and environmentalist set the foundation for modern-day conservationism, and we have him to thank for our access to ethical hunting in today’s world.
#5 “More beasts are killed by pens than by hunting.”
Spanish Proverb.
I just like this one, and use it any time I have to argue with some vegan PETA city-dweller about how I’m a terrible person for hunting.
You know who I’m talking about.
#6 “One does not hunt in order to kill; on the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted.”
Jose Ortega y Gasset
Gasset was a famous Spanish essayist, who was known for being one of the first major philosophers to truly delve into the ethics of hunting. His famous work “Meditations on Hunting” is an excellent reflection on why people hunt.
#7 “The sportsman’s life isn’t for all men, but for the man who loves the challenge of the wild, it’s a life he’d never trade.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower:
Eisenhower, our 34th President, was a huge outdoorsman and hunter. During his time in office, he would frequently go out on hunting trips as a way to get away from the stress of his political duties and was known to host notable politicians and allies out on hunting trips with him.
He even asked Churchill to come hunting with him once, but he declined due to poor health.
#8 “The wild still lingered in him and the wolf in him merely slept.”
Jim Corbett
Jim Corbett was an Indian-born British hunter and tracker, who was famous for hunting down man-eating tigers and leopards that were terrorizing villages around India.
In other words: he was really badass.
#9 “The game belongs to the people. It’s the people’s resource. It’s not even the government’s resource.”
Theodore Roosevelt.
Enough said.
#10 “The joy of hunting is derived from the pursuit rather than the capture.”
Robin Page
Robin Page is an English journalist who’s mostly known for his strong views on conservation, agriculture and hunting. Most notably, he was a massive critic of the UK fox hunting ban in 2004 and would ravage politicians for not understanding the culture of the countryside.
He embodies the frustration a lot of hunters have for the city-dwelling activists and politicians who don’t actually understand the true nature of hunting, and just say “killing is bad” while eating their store-bought beef from one of the most unethical meat producers in the world.
#11 “Go afield with a good attitude, with respect for the wildlife you hunt and for the forests and fields in which you walk. Immerse yourself in the outdoor experience. It will cleanse your soul and make you a better person.”
Fred Bear
I couldn’t agree more.
#12 “Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.”
Aldo Leopold
Leopold was another huge environmentalist in the United States and spent his life seeking conservation policies across the land.
#13 “Through almost all of human existence, huntable land and huntable wildlife have preceded the hunter. They caused the hunter. But in the future, this must be reversed. It is the hunter who must cause huntable land and wildlife, and a world worth being young in.”
John Madison, Great Grandfather of President James Madison
Great hunting quotes by great men
There’s a certain beauty and point proven in the fact that some of the greatest hunters in history, who came with some of the greatest quotes and literature about the fact, are also conservationists.
There are groups out there that are constantly dragging hunters down into this misguided view of “evil climate deniers” when that couldn’t be further from the truth.
We are the very reason the United States has such a healthy and varied wildlife today. Hunters have funded and taken care of the conservation of animals that would never see the same love from the city politicians.
We also source a portion of our meat and dinners in a far more ethical manner – through clean kills of animals that have led good lives. We don’t subject them to years of torture in captivity, only to be ground into large pieces of metal.
If you want to learn more about the ethics of hunting, and how it’s good for the environment, you can read more about it here.
If you’re looking for other general hunting-related content, check out our library of articles here!
