From quite early on in my lifetime, I noticed the disdain that Hollywood and many of our urban friends and family have for hunting and by extension hunters. It’s understandable, if your only exposure to hunting was through movies or television that inaccurately portray the hunting community, you may have negative or indifferent feelings. It is not very often that Hollywood gets it right, but if you’re looking to find something on that order, there do exist a few films sympathetic to hunters.

First off, however, some misunderstandings need to be dispelled; hunters are not bloodthirsty simpletons who wander around shooting everything that moves and leaving it to rot. Secondly, hunters and poachers are two different things. To address the first, hunting is no free for all. Wildlife biologists establish hunting seasons, bag limits and other rules and restrictions based upon the populations and well-being of each species. For example, hunters are required to take home all the edible portions of meat from their kill or face fines and penalties.

To address the second, hunters follow these rules, while poachers do not. The tags and licenses hunters pay for each year amount to several billion dollars, a goodly portion of which goes to conservation efforts. Hikers, bird watchers and bicyclists enjoy the effects of these funds with parks, bird refuges, trails and wilderness areas. Poachers don’t follow these rules nor pay into the system. Their motivation is primarily commercial but sometimes egotistical; they may or may not even take the meat from their kill. If we are ever to positively change hearts regarding the public point of view, we must be willing to speak up for our traditions and invite those who know nothing of them to find out for themselves.

To get back to Hollywood, there are a few films which I feel “get it right.” Certainly everyone has their own taste for what is quality entertainment, but these four films to me are family friendly.

“Hatari!” (1962) — The Duke employs his hand at catching wild African plains game and winning the heart of a lady photographer, a great supporting cast. My favorite John Wayne movie, in fact.

“Jeremiah Johnson” (1972) — Robert Redford’s historic portrayal of mountain man life leaves little to be desired. I can probably quote this movie line for line.

“Dances with Wolves” (1990) — Although primarily a look at life with the Sioux in the 1860s, Kevin Costner does a good job of showing the difference between hunters taking what they need versus the wastefulness of the buffalo hide hunters.

“The Ghost and the Darkness” (1996) — Based upon the story of Tsavo man-eating lions in 1899 Africa, Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas team up for this hunt.

There are others I could no doubt add to the list, but suffice it to say, they may or may not be entirely family friendly or may only focus certain scenes upon hunting while the premise of the movie itself goes elsewhere.

Do whatever you can to educate others about our hunting traditions. Those who are ignorant or indifferent not only deserve to have an accurate portrayal of our hunting community, but the future of our community depends upon that education.

What are your favorite movies? Write to us at shootingthebreezebme@gmail.com!