Growing up in rural Alaska, hunting was always part of life. My family didn't do it much, but we always had meat from friends or family. When I moved to Portland for college, I eventually swore off hunting as barbaric and unnecessary.

The thing is, I never swore off meat.

Now, my wife and I almost never eat red meat, only chicken once or twice a week and maybe some pork once a month. But I have started to realize (partially due to moving back to Alaska recently) that if I can't look an animal in the face, kill it and butcher it...should I be eating meat at all?

If I can't do it myself, I expose myself as a hypocrite, because I would rather have someone else do the "yucky stuff" and I get to reap the benefits. Not to mention that wild meats are far healthier than most domestic meats.

All that to say, I've been invited to go grouse hunting, and I am deliberating. Any thoughts?