Call of the Mild: Learning to Hunt My Own Dinner [Kindle Edition]

Lily Raff McCaulou (Author)

Book Description

When Lily Raff McCaulou traded in an indie film production career in New York for a reporting job in central Oregon, she never imagined that she'd find herself picking up a gun and learning to hunt. She'd been raised as a gun-fearing environmentalist and an animal lover, and though a meat-eater, she'd always abided by the principle that harming animals is wrong. But Raff McCaulou's perspective shifted when she began spending weekends fly-fishing and weekdays interviewing hunters for her articles, realizing that many of them were more thoughtful about animals and the environment than she was.

So she embarked upon the project of learning to hunt from square one. From attending a Hunter Safety course designed for children to field dressing an elk and serving it for dinner, she explores the sport of hunting and all it entails, and tackles the big questions surrounding one of the most misunderstood American practices and pastimes. Not just a personal memoir, this book also explores the role of the hunter in the twenty-first century, the tension (at times artificial) between hunters and environmentalists, and new models of sustainable and ethical food procurement.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Her writing is evocative and inspiring, and it will encourage all manner of nature lovers to forge a deeper connection to their surroundings. . . . These are the words of a true student of nature, and they're sure to make even hunting skeptics wish they could join McCaulou on one of her dramatic treks through the woods." (San Francisco Chronicle )

"Eloquent debut memoir about a young woman's transformation from a New York City urbanite into small-town Oregon hunter with a conscience. . . A powerful story in which the author shapes a narrative of personal growth into a symbol of modern humanity's alienation from the natural world." (Kirkus Reviews )

"Lily Raff McCaulou has a good heart and a curious soul, and her story of learning to hunt touches every emotion in the spectrum. Call of the Mild is powerful, well-told, and a great pleasure to read." (Ian Frazier, author of Great Plains and Travels in Siberia )

"Lily Raff McCaulou has done the hard intellectual work of actually thinking about why she's hunting and what it means. A fascinating work, and a way into a debate often marked by obstinant close-mindedness on every side." (Bill McKibben, author of Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet )

"Call of the Mild tackles a fascinating and complex subject: the ethics, experience, ecological implications, and, ultimately, importance of American hunting. Lily Raff McCaulou is such good company-articulate, thoughtful, funny, intelligent, fair-minded, and warm-hearted-that I would have stayed with her for many more pages, and then I would have happily gone hunting with her, something I had never once thought of doing. This is a deeply good book in so many ways." (Kate Christensen, author of The Epicure's Lament and The Astral )

"Call of the Mild puts into words the same kind of transformation from urban consumer to hunter-gatherer that many of us "adult-onset" hunters went through: The excitement, the doubt -- the fear -- and ultimately the satisfaction we derive from finding our food the way our ancestors did. Raff McCaulou knows as well as anyone that a meal won by hard work will always taste better than one bought in a store." (Hank Shaw, author of Hunt, Gather, Cook: Finding the Forgotten Feast )

"In telling the story of how she learned to hunt, Lily Raff McCaulou shares the essential missing elements in the way we eat today: gratitude, joy, and responsibility. Call of the Mild is a compelling and honest work, a truly worthwhile read for anyone who wants to shift their relationship to the food on their plate." (Alana Chernila, author of The Homemade Pantry )

About the Author

Lily Raff McCaulou lives in Bend, Oregon, where she writes a twice weekly column for the Bend Bulletin. In 2010, she completed a prestigious Knight-Wallace journalism fellowship at the University of Michigan, where she researched this book.

Product Details

• File Size: 475 KB
• Print Length: 316 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1455500755
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (June 12, 2012)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005SCR2X8
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #138,159 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #33 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Science > Biological Sciences > Ecology
  • #33 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Ecology
  • #76 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Sports > Outdoors & Nature > Hunting & Fishing > Hunting

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I never write reviews but September 17, 2012

By Judy Kirpich

Format:Hardcover

I have a brother who hunts. We grew up in the same town as the author, Takoma Park, and I can tell you that NO ONE HUNTS.... not only that, but as tolerant as we proclaim to be, we really DO NOT LIKE HUNTERS. So for years, I have struggled with my brother who grew to love hunting and fishing over 25 years ago. He has tolerated teasing, even though we all devour his venison sausage... but finally after reading this wonderful book, I understand him, and I understand my own biases so much better.

I did not expect to find a balanced view of hunting, and certainly not a pro-hunting stance from Ms. Raff. Yet her reasoned arguments were impossible for me to unravel, and I found myself gaining a much richer understanding of the connection between those who hunt and fish, and those who are mindful of our environment. I found I could not put this book down, it pulled me in and was full of wonderful side stories that reminded me of the writings of John McPhee, one of my favorite writers. I found myself both laughing and crying, a range of emotions that I did not anticipate.

I heartily recommend this book for anyone who 1. wants a good read, 2. wants to be better informed about those who hunt and fish, 3. wants to come to a better understanding of our own liberal biases.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm no outdoors fan, but I loved this book October 1, 2012

By Robin Henig

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a beautiful book, beautifully written and beautifully thought out. I'm not a big fan of the outdoors -- museums, books, and movies are more my style -- yet Lily Raff McCalou managed to take me along on her hunts, hikes, camping expeditions, fishing, skiing, in a way that totally charmed me. What I especially loved was how much of her personality shone through the whole book -- honest, funny, smart, loving, mature, thoughtful, ethical, introspective, and just the right amount of self-deprecating.

Most impressive was how she managed to write the scenes so vividly -- I especially loved her time in gun safety class, and her early forays into buying the gun and using it . And how she wove all the other non-personal bits of information -- conservation, the NRA, cooking, dog breeding, all of it -- so seamlessly into the main narrative. And in her Year of Death chapter, McCalou managed to discuss a series of awful family tragedies in a way that avoided anything but the most essential emotions, without oversentimentalizing anything -- which of course made it all the more powerful.

The final chapter -- she killed an elk! --included a field dressing scene that was so vivid I found myself occasionally skimming to get past the gore -- only to find there was still more gore to come. The pride and euphoria she felt when she and her husband got the whole elk dressed and in their car was palpable, and something I shared. In short, I was blown away by Call of the Mild. It's a thoroughly delightful book, and a marvelous achievement.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Call of the Mild - if you're a fan of Michael Pollan read it! September 19, 2012

By jb30something

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is a wonderful American memoir and book on hunting. It strikes three significant cords:

1. A look at what hunting is and what it means to be a hunter in modern American society- including the resonant political, environmental, and cultural implications. From protesting, tree-hugging vegans to the NRA and shooting deer from you truck, McCaulou looks at every angle and view point with a researched and objective journalistic eye.

2. A self-inflicted gauntlet: McCaulou, a liberal East-coaster, moved to Oregon and decides to try hunting,which turns into a potentially life-long passion. How she gets there is like a literary version of "Survivor" except thoughtful, researched, committed and personal. McCaulou dedicates three years of her life to the challenge. She explores all of the needed preparation, many forms of hunting and the history of hunting. She hunts ducks, deer, elk, mushrooms and she fishes. She field dresses her kills. She deals with the emotional reactions she has to her new hobby humbly and honestly. It's easy to imagine being in her shoes whether you're an experienced hunter or a vegan - only she does it with an eloquence most of us lack. It's as much a lesson on where all our food comes from as it is an exploration of a new hunter's journey.

3. A memoir on life and death. No (good) hunting book should talk about the kill without addressing death. The extreme tragedies that befall the author midst her growing passion for hunting add new significance to the circle of life - a human issue, not just a hunting issue. She deals with the topic in an engaged, insightful manner.

Like reading Pollan with more humanity.

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