Get FREE Instant Access
To your online Video Fighting Course.
Click Here For FREE Instant Access.

You Are a Hunter-Predator-Warrior

A Fact of Nature

We are all hunters, predators, and warriors. Every one of us. I do not care whether you are a card-carrying member of PETA, a strict vegetarian, an avowed pacifist, or have never laid a finger on a hunting rifle or compound bow, let alone fired a bullet or bolt into an animal.

We are all hunters by the sheer dint of historical and biological forces. We are all the offspring of forebears that hunted for millennia and thrived because of that evolved prowess for hunting. Let’s toss all the contemporary arguments pro or con hunting aside, the titled observation is not telling anyone to abandon whatever moral precepts they possess regarding hunting, animals, and any perceived cruelty to animals.

It’s A Biological Imperative

To declare human beings as a hunting species is not a value judgment but a statement of fact. Evolutionary biologists, paleo-ethologists, and anthropologists from Robert Ardrey to Richard Wrangham have gone so far as to say that what makes the human species so distinctly different from its simian brethren is this very penchant, this evolved drive to hunt.

Other animals can and do hunt, some solitary and some in packs, but no animal exceeds the human animal in applying technology to the solo hunt or the exceeding depths of cooperation in the human-pack hunt.

Dolphins may work together to “bubble-net” a school of fish but this is in no way a match for the hauls fishermen made off the coasts of New Foundland even 400 years ago. Wolves may hunt in families (the pack idea is a bit of a myth) and bring down prey larger than themselves, but the wolf is still no match for our forebears who brought down mammoths and other gargantuan prey that we just may have hunted to extinction.

There are many authorities in the field of human development who surmise that our ability to communicate and cooperate so successfully was borne out of this evolutionary group-hunting path. There is also some very convincing evidence (from Dr. Richard Wrangham particularly) that the combination of meat and fire, i.e., cooked meat, is what led to the relatively sudden growth spurt in the neo-cortex.

How To Pick Locks. (Who Needs Keys?)

You may find this shocking, but picking open a standard "tumbler" lock, (like the one on your front door), is pretty damn easy when you know how it's done.

And in a "meltdown" survival situation, (once the smash-n-grab crowd has stolen everything not tied-down), the food and water and secure shelter will all be behind locked doors, (which explains why Special Forces are often trained in lock picking... and why they carry a set of lock pics with them).

It's a lot of fun learning this skill, (it doesn't take long)... and kinda nice to help out that buddy locked out of his house after the wife discovered what really happened on that "no money down" real estate seminar in Vegas.

>> Check Out "Lock Picking Kit" Here. <<

It’s In Our DNA

Robert Ardrey surmises that the birth of the individual began with the mastery of the bow and arrow, that is, hunting technology that allowed one to break free of the pack.

Now, whether we hunt or not in our own personal lives matters not a whit to the fact that you, me, every human you meet is here because ancestors who put millennia into developing the skills and attributes that make a good hunter survived and passed along some of those successful hunting attributes to you.

The human brain is wired to be alert to patterns, to clues, to solving. Why? To better track prey. To better understand whether this sign means good foraging or that sign means “Uh-oh!”

Our modern hunting selves have little need to hunt or forage for ourselves anymore, we allow the market to provide but that does not mean that these hunting bits of our selves lie fallow.

It has been surmised that this inherent “solving” is part of the reason we enjoy puzzles, mystery films, suspense television, thriller novels to the degree we do. We are looking for clues, paths, tracks.

It is also the reason we abhor spoilers, our intellect craves the hunt, the tracking and even this weak tea of trying to out-guess the third act of “Law & Order” fulfills some inherent need.

The Danger In Abandoning Our Nature

Is there any danger to being a hunting species that perhaps never hunts? Possibly.

Consider this, hunting animals are keen and alert to their surrounding environment. This is, of course, necessity. Flagging attention may mean missing a meal, or missing the signal that a larger or smaller but venomous predator has you in its sites.

Flagging of attention is not rewarded with full bellies or long lives, let alone the passing along of your unsuccessful hunter genes.
Hunting animals must be reflective animals, that is reflecting and adapting to the external environment they are currently in.

External Reflection

This is key. I repeat — This is key. Why?

Philosopher John Gray (the real philosopher and not the “Men Are from Mars/Women Are from Venus” guy) states (and I simplify) that the human animal has gone from being a reflective being for the most part to a self-reflective one and this is the cause of many self-inflicted woes.

This is that key difference. Successful hunting animals are keen observers of their environment well aware of signs of prey, signs of good foraging ground, and also signs of potential upper-apex predators. Hunting animals must reflect on all that is before them, all the sights, sounds, scents, tastes on the air, the shift of wind signaled by the fluttering of the hairs on your arms.

The Effects of Technology

As we progressed technologically, civilization was and is able to do more and more of our actual hunting and gathering for us, but this mere 40,000 year blip of agriculture is nothing in the scale of millennia when the hunting attributes were key.

We can no more minus out the seeking and the solving of the hunter mindset than we can minus out familial affection. Hunting instincts are part and parcel of who we are as a species.

But, with the hunting prowess left with little to nothing to work on it has, in many cases, turned inward. Our powers of reflection have turned from reflections of the external/actual world, to self-reflection.

We spend far more time pondering the fallible recreations of the real world inside our skulls than what goes on in the actual world. John Gray and others say that is a bit of a problem.

And we can’t turn that off. Reflection, that is.

Final Thoughts

If we do not reflect, we are no longer human. The key is whether we embrace the hunter’s reflection of the world, the external reflection that allows us to see and recognize patterns, tracks, make real associations, the day to day concrete observations that make up a sort of personal science, a pragmatic mechanistic understanding of the world comprised of the real and not the imagined.

Or, we mull and chew over only our own thoughts and the phantoms inside our skulls. Looking for dubious patterns and tracks in the words and acts, the perceived slights of others that may, in fact, be indicative of nothing.

All the while keeping in mind, that being lost in thought also means being lost in the world. It is inescapable that we will hunt and track whether self-reflective or outward reflective, this is a symptom of being a hunting being. I wager that one form of reflection is of far more value than the other.

Twitter
Google+
Facebook

Leave A Reply:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

47 thoughts on “You Are a Hunter-Predator-Warrior”

  1. A very eye-opening article with stimulating depth. There are valuable lessons to be learned as well as a wake-up call to come out of our own heads and pay closer attention once again to the world around us. I have enjoyed (and learned from) all of the articles I have read from you Mr. Hatmaker. Thank you.

    Reply

  4. So true and yes we are all warriors/ predators. Like most of us from time to time we find ourselves in a Duck blind or a tree stand waiting for that monster buck to come by, it’s in our nature. when push comes to shove we will do whatever it takes to feed our loved ones and ourselves even if you have never hunted in your life you will take that crash course and just do it. Survival is the key, and that is built into each and everyone of us. We should all have a back up plan in place just incase everything goes south and the grid comes down, no electricity, no running water, no internet what then? That’s when that second nature kicks in and we do whatever it takes to survive and protect those around us. Well I feel I’m starting to ramble so I will close for now. May Gods blessings and peace be with you.

    Reply

  6. Yes, I can agree with out. What I would like is to turn back time, when were we hunting for food, not to just get a trophy. Hunting to make animals extinct.

    Reply

  7. Unfortunately the human animal has evolved for the most part into a savage beast. That has no idea of sustainability let alone care about the land around them. Public education available to all students through a school as pre req. to graduation. It could be taught for 6-8 years, leave one school year excited about next years study course. This I feel would strike a students interest through field trips, nature outings with film, no arrows or bullets until they are finished at 16 w/o adult supervision of course. This would be a great way to get people back in touch. By the way that was a great piece of writing, thank you

    Reply

  8. It is nice to hear somebody not taking the political stance. It is true that as hunters we can get lost in thought and find patterns when there is none. I may have skipped over it but I don’t see anything about the Farmer who can track his field but beyond that is lost, or the city slicker that outside the concrete forest is lost. We all have our own issues and I get you’re saying wake up but I speak for many that say I’m awake already those that aren’t won’t listen to you anyway. Good luck and Good wishes

    Reply

  9. Thanks for all the info , and really cool gear , I’m on a fixed income so I can’t always get all the cool stuff that y’all offer , but I get what I can , y’all take care and be safe mad respect for y’all God bless America and God bless y’all

    Reply

  10. I’m an evolutionary zoologist so Mr Hatmaker’s thoughts struck home for me. Just now I’m headed out to the low tide beach with my sack to hunt clams. In the process, today I’ll surely be that much more alert to my surroundings. Thanks for your clear thinking.

    Reply

  12. Enjoy and really honor the work/items/training you offer…not much more can be added to that, but thank you for making it possible for low-budget guys like me to nourish and treasure!

    Reply

  13. Excellent article and definitely makes a valid point. Certainly being one who dwells on inner thoughts this article
    brings sense to why. This will make me try and reflect more on what is going on around me rather than being tied up
    with the internal dialogue.

    Reply

  14. Right on the money, too bad that in my lifetime I’ve actually seen the general population “devolve” into the prey category instead of the hunters.

    Reply

  16. I whole heartedly agree with Mr Hatmaker human’s are the greatest predators on this planet we call home even though we live in city’s or small town’s we are all sti predators. I do not like living in the city it’s to crowded the animal in all of us is trying break out . Yet some of us supposedly civalized humans are
    Trying to prove they arle right and we are wrong!!

    Reply

  20. I found this realization several years ago,inner reflection can lead to some weird,dark places. Much better looking out- keeps me in touch with the real life “situational “

    Reply

  21. I have to totally agree. I was raised to fend for myself at a young age and have lived off the land using my innate skills many times in my life. While modern conviences are nice they can make you lazy. Keep up the good work.

    Reply

  22. Great article! Thank you.
    Very insightful and good cause for reflection.
    I was particularly struck with the thought that, whatever our current perspectives on what’s “good” or “bad”, we should recognize that our political, economic, sociological, and (to your core point) genetic history cannot (and should not) be denied. It is what it is.
    Embrace it. Learn from it. Use it for your betterment and the benefit of others.
    Thank you!

    Reply

  23. My brain hurts…
    Think I’ll go out and kill something.

    (Bowhunter, shooting rabbits in the head on the run)

    Reply

  24. We need to have an appropriate balance in the ebb and flow of the inner and outer reflection. If the inner is not appropriately dealt with, we can’t be present enough to engage the outer rationally. Too much outer reflection leaves at the mercy of reactive stimulus response. We can get addicted to the hunt to the detriment of the ecosystem through over hunting.

    Reply

  28. Awesome article. I think the plains buffalo is another frat example of hunting large prey to extenction. Deep stuff in there, it kind of echos some of the points Ray Donovan mentions on the Way of Men. Respect for the warrior is the backbone of a strong Society. I think a large part of the anxiety/depression and depravity in modern society stems from the internalized hunter in combination with escapism. Thought provoking to say the least.

    Reply

  30. I come from along line of Hunters but above God fearing Americans!
    We eat what we hunt!But we will always protect what love!
    Our family & our Country!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!

    Reply

  32. What happens when the hunt never happens? Frustration! We turn on each other at the moment it is left vs. right. Even if it is just hiking we are hunting. Too many of the younger people are face in phone unaware of good or bad in real life. Blown left like leaves in the wind, unable to think critically.

    Reply

  33. thank you very good presentation on something I have known for along time but it’s good to see someone has exposed to the world wide community our true natures not the spoon feed b.s that is been feed to the youth how wrong it is to have the nature of a hunter or warrior and it’s not just America but Australia to, so thank you

    Reply

  36. Okay, but Stonehenge and other constructions as said to have started when people went over to Agriculture.

    Reply

  37. This was a very good article. It seems that the majority of people have went from a hunter/predator to the hunted, As people attend events or
    walk in public places there eyes and ears are focused on their smart phones. They are not aware of any sights, sounds, patterns etc. around the area they are in. This makes them an easy target for mass shootings, terrorist threats, robbery, muggings etc.

    Reply

  39. I think we’ll all be seeing our inner animal here shortly when the economy crashes will be forced into her primitive State unfortunately a lot of people will die but I agree totally with the above and thank you

    Reply

  40. Thanks Fight Fast- understanding ourselves is pretty important; understanding other people is irreplaceable.

    Reply

  41. I choose to use the term SURVIVOR instead of hunter or predator. But yes, in order to continue our existence and propagate to future generations it is imperative we implement all means at hand to insure our survival. That is why I continue to follow FIGHT FAST with enthusiasm.

    Reply

  42. External reflection, as you put it, is key but I think the ability of human beings staying at the top of the food chain is due in part to our

    opposable thumb.

    Reply

  43. Hello Mark,
    We taught our six (6) year old grandson to shoot an arrow at a straw target. As I was wathing him from a kitchen window while he practiced, suddenly a Mountain Jay landed upon a nearby bird feeder. He immediately when into a crouch. Arrow ready in bow, he launched into a slow stalk upon that bird. He had never hunted a day in his life, but his preditor instinct was triggered from somewhere deep in his psychi.

    Yes, I believe the instinct to hunt is within all of us. We are all preditors and opportunists. These elements are attributes that help us to survive. These instincts can be applied to other areas of our lives. For instance, I am a nurse who spends my work days nurturing and caring for the needs of others, but come Saturday night you can find me at a hold-em poker game looking for an unaware novice (victim) who I will cut from the herd to savagely attack and mercilessly destroy their money stack. It is a deep satisfaction to relieve these fools of their money.

    Reply

  44. Hunting and fishing are activities that I’ve never really aspired to do. I’ve tried fishing and really don’t care for it. I’ve shot several types of weapons in the military. But can’t I stand the noise. However, I am someone who has learned to hunt for ways to solve certain problems. Maybe that’s my type of hunting. I’ve been able to repair things that other more experienced people hadn’t thought of. I’ve been called a genius by learning how to move things like large tables by myself without any assistance. I’ve also been able to enlist the help of others who could solve situations that I could not…and they happily did it…spurning any kind of compensation. So maybe that’s my way or method of hunting? Of course, there was a time when I was a great hunter of two-legged dear (the ladies). Haven’t quite given up on that yet. Great article, though!

    Reply

  46. As a child I was very active in baseball , football . As I grew older hunting , fishing , hiking and golf were very important. All if these
    actively require being outdoors. I believe Mark Hatmaker is on the mark and that it comes from a hunters instinct that goes back thousands of years. Great article .

    Reply

  47. It is part of our DNA. It derives from natural survival instincts. There is nothing more straight forward then your naturally DNA ingrained instincts of self preservation and survival .

    Reply