By Hal Herring

(Editor’s Note: The Debutante Hunters won the Shorts Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival after this post was written.)

Sometimes it seems to me that conservation in the American West is like a Rocky Mountain river, wild with snowmelt, tumultuous and dramatic, with some new, obvious, challenge every second. But Southern hunting and fishing, and the conservationist ethic they spawn, seem more like a southern river, broad and slow and deep, shadowed with history and tradition.

In this new Sundance short film, The Debutante Hunters, director Maria White of Summerville, South Carolina, interviews and films her own circle of friends, young women and their families who are steeped in the southern traditions of hunting, shooting and the general wonders of a life spent outside. What these women hunters have to say is extremely important. What we see here is the kind of connection to wildlife, the land, family, and tradition that has made American hunters the world’s foremost conservationists. These are the kinds of hunters who will make sure that it can go on.

The Debutante Hunters is a movie made by a non-hunter who was open-minded enough to recognize a fascinating story when she saw it, and skilled enough as an artist to make an outstanding documentary. In the end, the fresh eye she brings to her subject reveals the heart of hunting in a way that the multitude of hunting shows and videos miss entirely. You can learn more about the film here and on Facebook.

Comments (12)

from Walt Smith wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Any movie with women hunters instead of spend thrift divas has to be worth watching. I'm looking forward to seeing it.

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from Sayfu wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Looks like bikini weather to me. And if they have good tans they'd blend right in, no need for camo, especially in my blind.

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from RockySquirrel wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Does that mean conservation in the north east is a lot like a polluted, PCB contaminated river with lots of commercial power plants interrupting the flow?

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from hal herring wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Naw, Rocky, think of the Allagash to the St. John. Phoenix or Lazarus rivers like the upper Potomac. The Esopus mixing in to the Hudson, a mixture of hope and despair.....and big fish still in most of 'em.

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from neuman23 wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

http://screen.yahoo.com/debutante-hunters-27874990.html here is a link to the video. It is well done, and does a pretty good job of catching the essence of hunting.

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from dleurquin wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

The softer side of hunting can be a good thing. My daughter needs to see this.

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from djamesdavidson wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

We need more documentaries like this in mainstream media.

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from buckhunter wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Wonder who the sponsors will be?

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from rock rat wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Thanks Neuman23, I saw this somewhere already, need to re watch with the sound on.

I'd like to see a documentary of regular hunters also, I think hunters are more diverse and informed than is generally believed.

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from Glenda Jaquez D... wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

I have only been hunting for 3 years and as a grandmother, mother, and wife, I regret those years lost. Fishing has always been a family endeavor and now hunting has joined. Even our 11 year old grandson has the bug and his first hunt is coming up in September 12.

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from 1uglymutha wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

the woman who put this short movie together is extremely talented and i'm sure we'll be seeing more of her work in the future. this work is so far and away above the goofy "hunting shows" that are on t.v. it's like the difference between a ferrari and a model T. too very bad this artistic person will not make this genre her life's work. we need all the help we can get. this movie serves, however,to let everyone know what is possible and maybe some young person with a love of the outdoors will pick up the banner.

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from mcrumrine wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Very well done film and I agree with the sentiments above that we need more like this in mainstream media. That being said I wish the people I hunt with looked more like these young ladies instead of... well like me. It would make deer camp much more attractive. ;-)

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from Walt Smith wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Any movie with women hunters instead of spend thrift divas has to be worth watching. I'm looking forward to seeing it.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from neuman23 wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

http://screen.yahoo.com/debutante-hunters-27874990.html here is a link to the video. It is well done, and does a pretty good job of catching the essence of hunting.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from dleurquin wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

The softer side of hunting can be a good thing. My daughter needs to see this.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Glenda Jaquez D... wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

I have only been hunting for 3 years and as a grandmother, mother, and wife, I regret those years lost. Fishing has always been a family endeavor and now hunting has joined. Even our 11 year old grandson has the bug and his first hunt is coming up in September 12.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from RockySquirrel wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Does that mean conservation in the north east is a lot like a polluted, PCB contaminated river with lots of commercial power plants interrupting the flow?

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from djamesdavidson wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

We need more documentaries like this in mainstream media.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from rock rat wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Thanks Neuman23, I saw this somewhere already, need to re watch with the sound on.

I'd like to see a documentary of regular hunters also, I think hunters are more diverse and informed than is generally believed.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from mcrumrine wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Very well done film and I agree with the sentiments above that we need more like this in mainstream media. That being said I wish the people I hunt with looked more like these young ladies instead of... well like me. It would make deer camp much more attractive. ;-)

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from hal herring wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Naw, Rocky, think of the Allagash to the St. John. Phoenix or Lazarus rivers like the upper Potomac. The Esopus mixing in to the Hudson, a mixture of hope and despair.....and big fish still in most of 'em.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from buckhunter wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Wonder who the sponsors will be?

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from 1uglymutha wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

the woman who put this short movie together is extremely talented and i'm sure we'll be seeing more of her work in the future. this work is so far and away above the goofy "hunting shows" that are on t.v. it's like the difference between a ferrari and a model T. too very bad this artistic person will not make this genre her life's work. we need all the help we can get. this movie serves, however,to let everyone know what is possible and maybe some young person with a love of the outdoors will pick up the banner.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Sayfu wrote 1 year 19 weeks ago

Looks like bikini weather to me. And if they have good tans they'd blend right in, no need for camo, especially in my blind.

-5 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

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All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.