Hunting and conservation are often mentioned together, and for good reason. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation makes it clear in their tagline, Hunting is Conservation. I don’t know if hunting and conservation are the same thing, but the overlap in their Venn diagram is so large that it’s difficult to speak of one without the other, especially in the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. If you enjoy wildlife like deer, Canada geese, elk, sheep, and other iconic species, their healthy populations are a direct result of this overlap between hunting and conservation. There are places where people are involved in conservation outside of hunting, much of my early career was in this space. There are also hunters who don’t do much for conservation. But stray too far and you move away from conservation and into something like environmentalism, which, although it can boast some particular victories we ought to be grateful for, can often lead to more exclusion of people from the land than an invitation to be on it.
Before anyone objects to this idea, I want to clarify that I don’t think hunting is the only pathway to a stronger relationship with nature. I’ve read books from biologists who are not high on hunting, that have demonstrated an incredible reverence and awe for our wildlife and wild places. I have also worked with foragers, hikers, photographers, and others who may not hunt but who have added critical aspects to the health of our communities.
The important part for me is not whether you hunt, or how you draw your philosophical diagrams, but rather, are you conserving not just particular species and habitats, but the human communities integrated into these landscapes? Are we preserving pathways to a healthier relationship with nature? Or are we taking them away?
This week I am traveling to Reno, NV for the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Sheep Show. As far as hunting and conservation goes, you will find both in almost each vendor booth and outfitter presentation. Scientists also meet to discuss best practices and new research, millions of dollars are raised for the species we love, and attendees can win hunts and experiences that might be life-changing. There is even an international exchange with countries who are doing their best to implement similar wildlife models. I will be posted up at Booth #370 with the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance, where I will be sharing more about how to help North America’s most iconic alpine species.
In honor of the Goat Alliance and of Sheep Show, I am happy to share images from a mountain goat hunt from the stunning slopes of British Columbia, Canada. A selection of these images can be found in the most recent Gray’s Sporting Journal in their 2025 Expeditions & Guides Annual edition. I encourage you to pick up a copy online or in bookstores and see a variety of wild trips for hunting, fishing, and conservation.
To get you in the mind of a goat hunter, of which I am very much a beginner, I’ve shared some words from my personal journal from the trip, which I also included in AFIELD Journal Vol. II, available on my website and included for Founding Members to this substack.
A wet, long, slog. We've gained altitude through miles of thick slide alder. With rain
all day it was more like wading through steep swamps with heavy packs than any
kind of hiking. We camp in an enchanted forest covered in moss and ancient trees. It
is so steep we have to dig out flat spaces for our tents. All my clothes are drenched and I rely on my body heat to dry my baselayers beneath my insulation. Tomorrow's route is unclear, we may be cliffed out. But tomorrow is never clear. It's why we carry so many things.
My breath hangs in the air and dances like the Holy Spirit. I remember what it means to be in the wilderness, to lean not on my own understanding. We leave the enchanted forest and fail to find a route up the cliffs. We use the rest of the day to return to Camp 1. Tomorrow we return to the boats to try a new location. We have our tents beneath the pines and we dry our gear around the fire like scarecrows. My fingers are full of thorns and my gloves are soaked. My body is well. My mind is present. My heart is with my family.
Every great mountain hunt makes me question whether I want to hunt mountains at all.
If you’ve enjoyed these images and would like to see more, I am making the entire photo essay available to paid subscribers at the link below the paywall. A special thank you goes out to the hunters, Marvin and Kaden Kwiatkowski, Steve Baerg, and Brian Shorten. To learn more about how to hunt and conserve mountain goats, please reach out to info@goatalliance.org.
While I am away, Griffin Galleries will be hosting their monthly Third Thursday Gallery Salon in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Please drop in between 4:00 - 7:00pm on January 16th for a drink, see my work, and enjoy photographs from the masters of the craft. If you’d like to schedule a private viewing, you can contact me via email or direct message, or by reaching out to the owner, John Griffin, at John@griffingalleries.com
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