I’ve been around hunting all of my life and I’ve never wanted to go. The people in my life that go hunting have never really sold it too well and usually every story ended in wasted time. Over twenty years of horrible experiences.
Chris Pratt manages to talk me into wanting to go in less than two minutes. That’s an amazing feat.
This interview just popped up on YouTube again today and comes from a 2011 episode of the Kevin Pollack Chat Show. It was a time when Pratt was still on the verge of being a big star and transitioning from Parks & Recreation to movies like Zero Dark Thirty and Moneyball.
This isn’t the first time Pratt has talked about his love for the outdoors, having a memorable chat with Conan about his outdoorsy activities back in early 2011 and also giving a short interview to Outdoor Life back in early 2012:
OL: Hollywood isn’t exactly known for its outdoorsmen. Is it ever strange to be into hunting, yet involved in an industry that’s so non-outdoorsy?CP: It’s true that there aren’t a ton of hunters in Hollywood. That being said, the people I’ve talked to about it are actually fascinated with the subject. I think I’ve changed a few minds regarding the sport. It’s pretty incredible how little people actually know about hunting. Most people don’t even realize there are seasons or tags. They don’t understand the regulations or conservation benefits of hunting. I get a lot of, “Well as long as you eat the meat, I don’t care.” I have to be honest with them though. My passion for hunting is not simply the result of a need to feed myself. There’s grocery stores for that! I’m not eating ground hog or coyote! Sometimes people don’t understand and I don’t waste my breath trying to explain it. Either you get it or you don’t. But for the most part people aren’t judgmental about it. We just disagree and move on…
OL: Describe what a “good day of hunting” entails.CP: On a perfect day of hunting I hike into the woods an hour before first light with the wind in my face. I’m completely undetected. Darkness gives way to deep blue, the last stars twinkling. I hear the squirrels wake up, the birds chirp good morning. With months of preparation at my disposal I picked just this spot. I know they’re here. As the sun crests the horizon I find my preparation paying off. The perfect broadside shot on a monster trophy presents itself. I find the unsuspecting bruiser through my scope and take the shot. He takes two steps and falls dead in his tracks. I take a moment to feel it all: the pride, the excitement, the remorse and gratitude. I say a prayer and give thanks. I radio to my friends, who are all very jealous, and make my way toward the fallen beast. And on this perfect day, I smile, noticing he happened to fall not two feet from a well worn four wheeler track.
All of that comes off a lot better than, “Me and my boys tore out to the woods, cracked a few beers, and froze our asses off for six hours.” Those are the kind of stories I’m used to. This is like something out of Hemingway or The Ghost And The Darkness in comparison.
This is the kinda thing I love Reddit for these days, there’s such a wealth of things I’ve missed that I genuinely like seeing pop back up. I never would’ve watched the Kevin Pollack show any other time, but I looked it up thanks to this and you can see the full interview over here. Worth a look.
(Via Kevin Pollack Chat Show)
