Date of Award

12-1-2023

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of Sociology

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

Joanna Dreby

Committee Members

Kate Averett, James Zetka

Subject Categories

Sociology

Abstract

Hunting is not simply a sport, but rather a culture that connects practitioners to each other, to the natural environment, and to those who have come before them and will continue the tradition long after they are gone. As a culture intertwined with the environment in which practices and traditions take place, hunting can act as a mechanism for both environmental conservation efforts and the performance of a particular type of ethics. This dissertation explores how hunting values and traditions are transmitted to new, more diverse generations of hunters, how hunters forge and maintain connections through hunting, and how hunting traditions reflect and reinforce environmental values. Through a combination of in-depth interviews with 42 Adirondack hunters and eight hours of participant observation, I examined the processes through which hunters invoke environmental stewardship, sportsmanship, and intergenerational ties as cultural values within the Adirondack community. Drawing on previous literature, I identified a new “interrupted pathway” to hunting involvement that bridges the existing traditional and nontraditional pathways, and uncovered a shift in moral codes from perpetuating ideals of masculinity to upholding values of ethics and environmental stewardship.

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