PASSING ON THE TRADITION

Photos courtesy Hayley Johnson

Passing on the Tradition

As the fall foliage emerges, so too does a new wardrobe preference…camo. Hunting is engrained in Idaho’s heritage and continues to be both a popular recreational activity and necessity for stocking freezers before winter. It is also a tradition that continues to be passed down through the generations. And the McCall area serves as a prime basecamp for hunting everything from elk to deer to turkey to bear.

For Hayley Johnson, learning to hunt came later in life. She married an avid hunter, and loved the taste of elk, but resisted participating herself for many years. “It took me a really long time,” says Johnson. “I thought I would be someone who never shot a gun, but my husband wanted me to understand the mechanics of it so I wouldn’t be scared of them.” At 28 years old, and with their growing family needing more meat in the freezer, Johnson took the leap and completed a Hunters Education course. “Going through the class and being really well informed was empowering,” says Johnson.

Since that time, Johnson has come to love hunting for the chance to get out into nature and disconnect as well as put quality meat on the table. But that doesn’t mean she takes it lightly. “When I am face-to-face with an elk or other big game, it can be hard to pull the trigger,” she says. “But I know where these animals have been, I know they have lived a great life where they were able to roam free and I know that my family will get a huge benefit from the nutrients they will provide.”

This respect for the process is now something Johnson and her husband are passing down to their daughters. “It is really important to be able to teach our kids about sustainability and help them understand where our food comes from,” she says. The kids help process the animals they harvest, from skinning to quartering and butchering, which Johnson says always turns into a bit of an anatomy class. “Involving them in the process has given them a better grasp on the circle of life concept,” says Johnson. “We use a lot of an animal, but what we don’t use is taken care of by other animals – nothing goes to waste.”

While her girls are still young, Johnson says passing down these skills is important to her family. “We want to ensure that the girls are educated and involved so they can decide if they want to hunt for themselves as they get older…and continue the tradition.”