Last year I was put in contact with David Williamson, a taxidermist in central Texas, who was “sole searching,” as he put it. David was in the accounting world for most of his career but shortly after moving to Austin he decided to give the family business a chance. Once David put his intentions and energy into taxidermy his questions on ethics, conservation, local community impacts (for US and hunting abroad), and theoretical questions of “wilderness” were ever present. Without an outlet to discuss these things within his professional network, a mutual friend put us in touch. Needless to say, we have had many long conversations about everything between the effects of lion hunting (1; 2; 3) to the slow food movement. The main point of our conversations though has been trophy hunting. Right off the bat David told me, “I want to make sure that what I'm putting my life's energy towards is not only good for me but also good for the planet and wildlife.” Taxidermy to David is “tangible art,” he has grown to enjoy, but his experience growing up in his dad’s shop left a bad taste for hunters. Confronting those feelings, he started doing some research and began to see the benefits hunting can bring to conservation of public and private lands. This is where our conversations began. David first went to the scientific literature (yes, for real) to start understanding his own perceptions of hunting and hunters: "'I'm beginning to realize my negative viewpoint on hunters is because the only hunters I've dealt with [in the taxidermy shop] are the "dominionistic/sport" hunters. Let me explain my terms: There was a fascinating study done (Kellert 1978) in the 70's which attempted to explain the dichotomy between hunters and anti-hunters. In the study, which I believe to be just as relevant to today, they realized that all hunters can't be lumped into one category, just like you can't lump all anti-hunters into one category. They broke hunters into three categories:
David's eagerness to understand the hunting-conservation nexus at its roots and through each step of the chain from traditions, local impacts, conservation +/-, and drivers for trophies is compelling. Taxidermists are thought of as the “last step” with little to no influence in the other components. However, shops like David’s are actually a central recurring connection between the places, people, wildlife, and traditions that sustain trophy hunting. Trophy hunting is a collective hobby strengthened by stories, experiences, and displays of accomplishment. That display starts with a photo after the kill (more and more important in the age of the attention economy, aka social media) and is further solidified with a taxidermy trophy. Taxidermists are a trusted element in this process and their shops have a huge role to play in perpetuating norms and narratives around hunting. As customers are often repeat visitors, who bring their friends or kids in to the shop and use the space to relive hunts and share insights. A taxidermist with knowledge of the issues, who questions their clients (in an inquisitive and supportive way), and has recommendations is a powerful advocate for conservation. David and I agree: "[taxidermists] can have the conversations with the Dominionistic/sport (39%) type of hunter and hopefully steer them to better decisions. For example, I have a client planning to go to Africa next year to hunt a lion and I'd love to be able to be speak with him in an informed way. …. I also see myself having a role as mediator between hunters and anti-hunters. I believe that all 3 types of hunters can be used to benefit wildlife. To begin connecting with outfitters that are ethical and sustainable would be amazing!" And that part of next steps! David and I hope to work together on several fronts.
If you have resources or ideas we’d love to hear from you: [email protected] My first interview as Dr. Doubleday was for the blog The Jaguar & It's Allies, managed by Josh Gross. This fantastic blog brings together wild cat conservation and human psychology through article reviews, recommended reading, and interview spotlights of wild cat researchers. Josh asked great questions that provide insight into my research, the big questions I'm interested in, and highlight a few pieces of fieldwork advice for solo female researchers working in patriarchal societies with all-male research teams.
Read the interview here. |