Articles Reflecting a Vegan Lifestyle used with permission from All-Creatures.org

After a recent interaction with a young, nature-loving hunter, Suzanne McAllister muses on the cognitive dissonance of people who kill animals for sport.

Cognitive Dissonance
From Suzanne McAllister, Post Animal Use World (PAUW) Substack, suzannemcalllister.substack.com
November 2026

Photo Credit: Andrew Patrick Photo / Pexels / Canva

Recently I was walking in a park near where I live. It’s mostly wooded, has a small lake, and paved paths. Most of the people I see walking are older, out for fresh air and exercise.

On this particular day I noticed a young man, probably in his early 20’s, crouching off the trail looking intently at a bush. I wondered if he’d spotted an unusual bird or other small creature. I asked what he was looking at. He showed me a part of the plant where some of the stalk was shorn off. He called it ‘buck rub’, explaining ‘It’s what bucks do to sharpen their antlers for the fight in mating season’.

He explained he was a hunter. I noticed he was wearing a green, hooded sweatshirt with the silhouette of a deer. He then commented on how beautiful the park is, saying ‘it’s like walking in a painting here’.

I was struck by the poetry of his words, his obvious appreciation of nature, and seemingly his desire to kill animals.

When things like this happen I try to imagine what it’s like to be in that person’s heart and mind. This man was observant and clearly appreciates nature. He was slight in stature. There was a gentleness in how he talked about what he was seeing and yet, he kills animals for sport.

I have no judgement about this. I ate animals until I didn’t. I’m grateful that something occurred in my life that opened my eyes and changed my life. I didn’t purposely seek that information, but when I stumbled on it, I started the process of eliminating animal products from my diet and eventually, to the best of my ability, from everything else I use.

After this encounter, I found myself thinking what it might have been like if I had asked him ‘do you like killing deer?’ I would have asked with genuine curiosity. I think my tone would have demonstrated curiosity, not judgement. I didn’t think of it soon enough.

These events occur periodically in my life, almost always unpredictable. My lifestyle is such that I don’t hang out with hunters, but, as in this instance, I come into contact with them. I’m not a confrontational person by nature, and I don’t think there is any benefit in being harsh or judgemental, especially with a stranger. And, yet, I truly am interested to learn what it is like to want to kill a deer, or other innocent, unsuspecting animal.

I guess it is no different than when I loved animals, but still ate or wore them. I lived with that contradiction, but because I was unaware, I didn’t consciously experience dissonance. Just as I suspect this young man doesn’t experience dissonance between love of nature and a desire to kill animals.

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Posted on All-Creatures: November 3, 2026
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