Yes, Amish people hunt, and in many communities it’s a deeply rooted part of everyday life. Hunting serves as a practical way to feed large families, protect crops and livestock, and maintain the self-sufficiency that Amish culture values. While not every Amish person hunts or even approves of it, the practice is widespread across Amish settlements in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Maine, and beyond.
Why Amish Families Hunt
The primary reason is food. Amish families tend to be large, and wild game provides a significant supplement to what they raise on the farm. Venison is especially valued. One account from an Amish community describes a man with a family of eleven who hunts deer on neighboring land and adds the meat to their winter stores. This kind of practical, food-driven hunting fits naturally into the Amish emphasis on self-reliance and simple living.
Hunting also plays a role in protecting farmland. Deer, groundhogs, and other wildlife can damage crops, fruit trees, and gardens. In states like Pennsylvania, farmers have legal authority to kill game that threatens their crops or livestock, provided they report the kill to a wildlife conservation officer. For Amish families who depend on their harvest, this isn’t optional. It’s part of running the farm.
Firearms, Bows, and What’s Allowed
Many Amish men own hunting rifles. This surprises people who associate the Amish with pacifism, but the two ideas coexist comfortably in most communities. The Amish reject violence against other people and refuse military service, but a rifle used to put food on the table is viewed as a tool, not a weapon of aggression. Handguns, on the other hand, are much more rare and would be viewed differently than a hunting rifle in most communities.
Bow hunting is also practiced. In 2006, an Amish man in Adams County, Ohio set the state record at the time by downing a 36-point buck with a bow. Some communities may prefer archery or muzzle-loading firearms over modern rifles depending on their specific church rules (the Ordnung), but there’s no single standard across all Amish groups. What’s acceptable in one settlement may not be in another.
Deer Season Is a Big Deal
Opening day of deer season can take on an almost holiday-like feel. One Amish family described how their daughter’s factory job gave workers the day off specifically so they could take advantage of the opening day of shotgun season on deer. Hunting isn’t limited to men, either. Women and younger family members participate in some communities, though the degree of involvement varies by settlement.
Muzzle-loader season, archery season, and shotgun season each draw Amish hunters into the woods at different times of year. Families plan around these dates, and the meat harvested during fall hunting helps stock pantries for the winter months ahead.
How Game Meat Gets Preserved
Once a deer is harvested, Amish families typically process the meat themselves rather than sending it to a commercial butcher. Venison gets diced and canned, a traditional preservation method that works without electricity. Jerky is another common approach, since most cuts of deer make excellent dried meat. Families with access to community ice houses or gas-powered refrigeration may also freeze portions, but canning remains a staple method that fits the Amish lifestyle.
The Blaze Orange Debate
Most U.S. states require hunters to wear fluorescent orange hats and clothing so other hunters can spot them in the woods. This creates a tension for some Amish communities, where religious beliefs discourage wearing anything that calls attention to yourself. In Maine, a group of Amish residents petitioned the state for a religious exemption, asking to wear less conspicuous red garments instead of blaze orange.
Three young Amish men testified at a state hearing that they couldn’t even pay fines for failing to wear orange, as accepting a legal summons would itself violate their beliefs. Maine’s Deputy Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife testified in support of the exemption, noting it would still provide visibility while respecting religious convictions. Not all Amish communities share this objection, though. Some settlements, including one in Whitefield, Maine, have no issue wearing the fluorescent orange.
Trophy Hunting and Amish Values
Attitudes toward trophy hunting are mixed within Amish culture. Some hunters do bring home antlers and display them in their homes, treating an impressive buck as a point of pride. But others view this practice as conflicting with core Amish values. Hunting purely for sport or fun is considered frivolous and wasteful by some community members, and displaying a trophy rack can be seen as prideful, which runs counter to the humility the Amish strive for.
Not every Amish person approves of hunting at all. Some view it as unnecessary or distasteful. But for the many families who do hunt, the practice centers on filling the freezer and the pantry, not mounting heads on the wall. The line between acceptable and excessive depends on the community, the family, and the purpose behind pulling the trigger.