A woman from the United States has detailed her remarkable personal evolution, shifting from a committed vegetarian to an enthusiastic and ethical hunter. Amy Rush, who now lives in New Hampshire, has shared the story of her gradual transformation, which was driven by a desire for sustainable, humanely sourced food for her family.
From Childhood Confusion to Conscious Consumption
Amy Rush grew up in a small town in Maine, where she heard tales of her Uncle Gary hunting deer. At the time, she could not comprehend why anyone would hunt when meat was readily available in shops. This perspective initially led her to adopt a vegetarian diet, which she maintained for years.
Her mindset began to change in 2007 during her pregnancy. Wanting to ensure optimal health for her baby, she felt a need for more protein and reluctantly abandoned vegetarianism. Concurrently, her research into industrial farming practices, through books and documentaries, revealed the often poor conditions of factory-farmed animals. This knowledge was a turning point.
"Learning about how chickens and cows were kept in tight quarters before slaughter made me rethink everything," she explained. Her solution was to start raising her own chickens and pigs, allowing them to roam freely on her property. This gave her control over their welfare and allowed her to eat meat with a clearer conscience.
The Natural Progression to Hunting
For Rush, hunting became the logical next step in sourcing ethical food. Her journey into the woods began in earnest in 2020, inspired by her son, Jenek, who started hunting turkey and deer. On Thanksgiving Day that year, 10-year-old Jenek shot his first deer, marking a significant family milestone.
Rush herself has since become a proficient hunter. She has harvested one doe and one buck in New Hampshire. This year, she achieved a notable success by taking down a 178-pound buck that ran approximately 50 yards before falling. Based on its impressive antlers, friends and family believe the deer could qualify for the prestigious Boone and Crockett record book.
"Everyone keeps telling me that people pay big money and travel all over in hopes of coming across a buck like him — a buck of 1,000 lifetimes," Rush told the Bangor Daily News. Her 15-year-old son expressed relief that she was the one to shoot it, joking that he would have been worried about never topping such an achievement.
A Philosophy of Respect and Connection
The Rush family hunts with a strict ethical code. They avoid killing does with fawns and young bucks, harvesting only what they plan to eat. For Amy, hunting is far from a trophy sport; it is a means of providing food, spending quality time with her children, and connecting deeply with nature.
"I have learned that a leaf drifting down from a tree makes a sound. I know how a crow's wings create music as they move the wind in flight above my head," she said, describing the profound mindfulness she experiences in the woods. "I love being unplugged and in the moment."
Reflecting on her complete reversal, from opposition to deep appreciation, Rush stated: "I cannot say enough about what hunting is to me now. Crazy, since I was so against it in the past. To say I am grateful is an understatement." Her story is a powerful testament to a personal journey towards conscious consumption and a renewed relationship with the natural world.