Understanding Locavores and Their Approach to Hunting

1. Understanding Locavores and Their Approach to Hunting The hunting and fishing population of today is mostly more mature, but that is rapidly changing as the era of the locavore takes center stage. A locavore is a coined term for someone that eats produce or meat that is only locally produced or grown where they live. Some locavores have now gone as far as wanting to either hunt or fish for their own food as well as this type of lifestyle and diet is deeply rooted in sustainability. That is why hunting and fishing programs and lodges have now started to see suburban areas that house a younger adult population as one of their key target markets. It is also interesting to note that of these target markets, a very large percentage, and an increasing percentage, are female. Hunting and fishing as a recreational hobby used to be a predominantly male space, however, with the rise of the locavore, females are now becoming more and more commonplace in this industry. It is also true, and interesting to note, that because more and more of the target market for hunting and fishing programs are now younger females, they may have fewer skills and slight misconceptions as well as relatively little knowledge regarding hunting and fishing in general. The reasons for people becoming locavores are numerous. Mostly this type of diet and lifestyle is rooted in sustainability and those interested in procuring their produce and meat locally will be highly aware of their ecological and carbon footprint. The ecological footprint of factory meat production is much higher than that of sustainable hunting and that is why many will turn to hunt to obtain their meat, particularly if they can hunt locally in an area where the game is controlled and hunting is controlled so as not to wipe out populations or damage habitat. Locavores can also be interested in the health benefits that may come from ingesting organic produce and meat on a regular basis. It has been well-established that organic produce is much more nutrient-dense than GMO produce and that sustainable and organic meat has a far lighter carbon footprint and is much healthier overall than factory-farmed meat. If the health benefits are important to locavores, they will be interested in a hunting or fishing program that takes care of the animals on its property so that they are ensured that the game that they are hunting or the fish that they are angling for is healthy so that they get the best nutritional value for their efforts. Industrial food sources are usually deeply mistrusted and the humanity of the organizations that mass-produce meat is questionable to some, and that is why many turn to the locavore lifestyle. They are able to visit the habitats of the animals they intend to eat and they can see that the animals are kept in a healthy and humane environment and that hunting takes place in a sustainable and also humane manner. This eases the conscience of locavores and can be a very important factor for someone that decides to opt for this type of diet. This also links to the idea that locavores enjoy the idea that the animals they obtain their meat from have been free-range, which means that they have had the opportunity to live life as nature intended without being bound to a cage or dragged to the abattoir at the end of

2. their life. They are merely grazing when they are hunted, which means that they are never scared and never have to live in a confined or secluded space that is unnatural to them. Locavores are becoming more and more commonplace and hunting and fishing programs and lodges will do well to cater to this new type of target market. This new type of target market will also benefit greatly from training sessions or courses as they are often younger and female and will have relatively little knowledge and training to start with. About Us: Of the many choices for deer, turkey, quail, and dove hunting in Alabama, Westervelt Lodge’s reputation for quality experiences has served as a benchmark since our first hunt in 1951. Guests pursue free range white-tailed deer and wild turkeys roaming our 12,000 contiguous acres in West Alabama – private property that rates as some of the finest in the country. Westervelt Lodge hosted its first organized deer hunt on November 30, 1951. From those very first moments, at Westervelt Lodge, it has always been about the experience. Our nationally-recognized professional wildlife and forest management program has attained and preserved our tradition of providing an outstanding, natural hunting experience – a true challenge in a fair chase setting. For more information on Westervelt Lodge, please visit https://westerveltlodge.com/.