By Rebecca Drew
THIS MUM of three was still hunting to provide food for her family at NINE MONTHS PREGNANT and says her children ‘love the adventure’ of it despite receiving DEATH THREATS from cruel trolls online.
House painter and full-time mum, Lucy Rose Jaine (29) from Wanaka, New Zealand, first started hunting when she met her partner, Sharn.
Lucy, who is against intensive factory farmed food, soon fell in love with hunting animals to feed her family as the meat is organic, sustainable and she knows that the animal has had a fulfilled life.
Lucy and Sharn love the outdoors and go hunting between five and eight times a month and take their children, Indie (7), Kahu (4) and Daisy (5 months) along for the adventure, which they love.
The family mainly hunt wild pigs but also hunt deer, chamois, tahr, goats, rabbits and wallabies to fill their freezer. Lucy estimates she saves approximately £150 (300NZD) per month through hunting animals for meat.
Lucy, who was still hunting at nine months pregnant, shares her family’s incredible hunting adventures on Instagram under the handle, @hunting_lucyjaine, where she largely receives an overwhelming level of support from other women in hunting but unfortunately has been subjected to death threats from people who don’t understand her hobby.
“I began hunting when I met my amazing partner Sharn. We love hunting and the outdoors. Pig hunting mainly but we do it all and bring the kids along for the ride,” said Lucy.
“A day hunting is always different but usually starts with packing the truck and heading off into the mountains or the bush, if it’s a pig hunt, we bring the dogs and when we get to the spot we collar them up and follow them in.
“When they find a pig, they let us know by barking and we follow our GPS to where they are. We then stick the pig or shoot it, gut it then carry it out.
“I like that we can teach our children how to hunt their own food. I hate factory farming so hunting wild meat is ideal. Organic and sustainable. The animals are living a good life. I don’t support factory farming and we prefer organic. It’s free, it’s fun and it helps the farmers.
“We gut, skin and clean the animals. Then we cut it up and pop it in the freezer to eat.
“The kids love the adventure. We don’t do screens in our family. Being in the wilderness so much really sparks their imaginations.
“The hardest thing is finding places to hunt but we are pretty lucky with farmers ringing us to help them with their pig problem and NZ does have a lot of public hunting land. It’s all about who you know really.”
The biggest animal the family have hunted was a 250lb boar and they hunt between five to 10 animals each month.
Lucy spoke about how she deals with the reactions she receives on social media.
“They say that I’m a hot little blonde pig hunting pocket rocket,” said Lucy.
“I receive great support, especially from other women who hunt. It’s a really uplifting community.
“I’ve had a few death threats from people who just don’t have any experience with hunting. Or maybe they are against animal cruelty. But I don’t take it to heart.
“I just tell myself, ‘that person must be going through something in their own life and I can’t judge what I don’t understand’. We make sure we respect the animal in the process.
“Some guy just said, ‘I hope you die’ I obviously didn’t respond. I hope he finds happiness.
“Be kind, everyone on this earth is especially doing their best.”
For more information see www.instagram.com/hunting_lucyjaine