1
Brian and Rob
with the buck
described in this
article. It was at this
stage some 13 years
ago that Brian
started going and
interest in game and
wildlife photography.2
You get just as
much thrill from
capturing an image
of a game animal as
you do shooting it. A
nice 9-point hog
deer.WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 73was old enough to own and use an
old ex-army SMLE .303 that my
brother had given me on my 16th
birthday. It was at this age that I
also took up training in martial
arts when I joined the local
Kyokushin karate club. I have
continued to participate (and I
hope develop), in both hunting and
a number of martial arts over the
last 44 years. To me, both have
connections and similarities as
forms of moving Zen.
Hunting as a form
of moving Zen?
Now you are probably thinking to
yourself, Zen and hunting really?
So, let’s think about it. Most people
these days when they consider the
modern practice of Zen think of a
pasty-looking, skinny, vegan, inner
big city-type dude (who looks like
he needs a decent feed of venison)
sitting on a mat in front of a
scented candle saying OMMMM.
But Zen has many applications,
including hunting for us normal
non-vegan types who take
responsibility for the protein we
consume by going out and hunting
and processing it ourselves.
Zen has its origins in Chán - a
school of Buddhism that originated
in China during the 7th and 8th
centuries. Zen emphasises rigorousON THIS
SPREADmeditation-practice, insight into
human-nature, and the personal
expression of this insight in daily
life, especially for the benefit of
others. Martial arts, including the
style of karate I have done for the
past 40 years, Seido Juku, are not
just a physical discipline, but a
mental discipline as well
incorporating Zen. To me deer
hunting – especially bushstalking,
is both a physical and mental
discipline and is a form of moving
Zen. Let me explain.
Think about how physically and
mentally demanding it is to bush
stalk a sambar deer in dry,
crunchy conditions for four or five