Though Wisconsin has multiple hunting seasons (duck hunting, bow hunting, etc.) we are fast approaching the annual deer gun hunt, which is the most popular hunting season of the year. Many Catholic hunters are aware that there exists a patron saint of hunters- St. Hubert of Liege (feast day, November 3rd). To some degree, it is a bit ironic that he is celebrated as patron of hunters, because as a bishop, he forbade clergy to hunt. They were required to do penance if they did.

Hubert (c.656-727) was a member of the Neustrian court at Paris, and there he met his wife, Floribanne. He thoroughly enjoyed hunting as part of court life. His story really begins around the time of the death of his wife. She died in childbirth, leaving Hubert a son, Floribert. After her death, he withdrew from court life and threw himself into hunting in the forests of the Ardennes.

Stricken with sorrow, Hubert would hunt, even skipping Holy Mass. On Good Friday, while everyone else would have been at the church, he was following a beautiful stag through the forest. The deer turned, and there between the antlers, the crucifix was hovering. At that moment, he heard, “Hubert, unless you turn to the Lord and lead a holy life, you shall quickly go down to Hell.” Hubert, in awe and reverence dismounted his horse and lay prostrate. He asked, “Lord, what would You have me do?” The Lord replied, “Go and seek Lambert. He will instruct you.” (I have read somewhere that he was asked by the Lord to become a hunter of souls.)

From there, Hubert left to meet the bishop Lambert of Maastricht, who became his spiritual director. Hubert put his son, Floribert, under the guardianship of his brother, Odo, who inherited Hubert’s birthright, which he gave up to live with the creatures and people of the Ardennes. Eventually, Hubert became a priest and helped Lambert in the care of his diocese. Lambert was assassinated, and Hubert was appointed bishop in his place. He distributed money from the Church to the poor, and became well-known for his eloquence in preaching. After receiving a vision, Hubert translated the body of St. Lambert from Maastricht to Liege, and shortly after, the see was moved to Liege as well. (Liege is in modern-day Belgium.)

He spent his time evangelizing pagans throughout the area, gaining trust from the people because of his previous life and skills as a huntsman, and was seen as the authority in matters of the forest. Because of his history as someone who lived in the forest and hunted, he is the patron of hunters today, but Hubert himself gave up hunting after the vision he had on Good Friday. It isn’t that the Lord said that hunting was bad, but that hunting kept Hubert from spending time with our Lord. We see this type of issue so often in this day and age, though the culprit for distraction isn’t typically hunting (though it can be), it’s things like sports. Our hearts are directed towards things other than God, despite knowing we ought to put God first in all things.

Today, Hubert is not only honored as patron of hunters, but is also the model of ethical hunting. Many Catholic hunters today are a part of St. Hubert hunting clubs, which encourage and instruct hunters in ethical hunting and hunter safety. They frequently coordinate a Hunters’ Mass before the primary hunting season begins, where hunters, their weapons, and sometimes their gear is blessed, and they also encourage the praying of a St. Hubert’s Novena for a safe and ethical hunt.

In my own parish, though there is not a Hunter’s Mass, there is always a Sunday before the big gun hunt when the priest offers a blessing of the hunters in our parishes. Hunting has been a very helpful means by which our family is provided with red meat for a substantial portion of the year. When my son or husband are not able to shoot a deer, very often, my father-in-law or brother-in-law shoots more than they need, and we are able to fill our freezer. In our area, many hunters that do enjoy hunting for sport and shoot more than they need will have the meat processed and donated to the area food pantries, which is a great blessing to others.

On our homestead, though most years we raise animals for meat production, we do not currently harvest any red meat, and the meat of the deer provide a highly valued addition of protein to our diet. My husband enjoys the quite of hunting, but often feels guilty spending that time in silence when he knows there are things he could be working on or helping with, and I in turn encourage him to stop feeling guilty and enjoy the quiet. We debated naming the hermitage for St. Hubert, since he spent time in the quiet of the woods (our hermitage is not technically in the woods, but next to it), but ultimately named it for St. Hildegard since she lived a portion of her life as a type of hermit in an anchorite.

Though I never particularly took issue with my husband hunting, I admit that I didn’t understand the peace and stillness of hunting until I accompanied one of our boys on a hunt a few years ago. This time of quiet, whether spent hunting or sitting in a hermitage (or a cabin) is something we really need today! Even when our house is silent from the usual noises of the family, I can still always hear the hum of electricity. It is difficult to feel fully at rest or to be so completely attuned to the sounds of nature when we are distracted by any number of electronics and activity. Hunting can provide a place of stillness that allows us to encounter Our Lord.

Though I am not going to include the entire novena prayer for hunters, here is one for you:

Prayer Before Hunting

Lord, you spoke to St. Hubert and converted him to You during a stag hunt. You changed him into a hunter of souls, yet you continued to use his skills as a hunter to open minds to your Gospel. I ask that you make me into a hunter of souls above all other hunting activities. May I look for the opportunities to speak of You and Your salvation. Let the hunting camp itself be a place that uplifts the soul. May my time alone be an opportunity to pray and listen to You. May all the actions of the rest of my life be a constant hunt for You, for the opportunities you give me to evangelize, and to target the souls most in need of Your love.

Amen.

If you plant to butcher the deer yourself, here is a prayer before the slaughter that we use before we begin butchering our animals:

Prayer Before Slaughtering an Animal

O Lord Jesus Christ, Creator of all, we thank You for the abundance of Your creation and for the gift of this animal. Grant us, we pray, reverence for this life which You have made, that we may take only what we need, in humility and gratitude. Bless this animal and receive it into Your care. May this food nourish us, that we may serve You in love and mercy, as we honor the life You have given. Through the prayers of the Mother of God and all Your saints, have mercy on us and on all creation.

Amen.

Both of these prayers are available to print as a pdf for a prayer card. It isn’t fancy, but it will do the job! Feel free to print as many copies as you’d like. The lines don’t perfectly line up, but you should be okay if you cut on them looking at one side vs. the other. I laminated copies of this to pass out at a parish event so that they can be tucked in a hunting vest and kept safe.

If you have the good fortune of getting a deer this hunting season, enjoy a rosemary venison neck roast!

In Christ, Danielle