Join Black Hills State University’s Earth Day Festival in welcoming Alaskan outdoor writers Christine Cunningham and Steve Meyer for a thought-provoking and photo-illustrated talk about their new book “The Land We Share: A love affair told in hunting stories.” Their book, published by Alaska Geographic in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, National, Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, is a remarkable collection of 60 outdoor essays about how hunting with bird dogs on public lands nurtures the human spirit, sustains physical health, and deepens appreciation for the natural world.

WHEN
April 20, 2024 at 11:00 am – 3:00 pm

WHERE
Black Hills State University on the Campus Green
1200 University St, Unit 9513
Spearfish, SD 57799
United States

LEARN MORE
Earth Day Festival – Facebook

BHSU Event Page

Welcome to The Land We Share, where relationships and connections are forged through experiencing the migration of caribou, the winged movement of waterfowl, and misty mornings in the field. Here the too-short lives of good dogs intersect those of the people with whom they hunt for elusive birds and inspiration in the wild public lands of Alaska and the Dakotas. These essays are written by Steve Meyer, a lifelong hunter, and Christine Cunningham, a lifelong Alaskan who embraced hunting later in life. Accompanied by a family of bird dogs, the two authors delve into how hunting on public lands nurtures the human spirit, sustains physical health, and deepens appreciation for the natural world. Although most stories are set in Alaska and the Dakotas, their messages and themes resonate across the nation, appealing to both hunting advocates and those with a profound connection to the outdoors. The 61 short stories about a large family of bird dogs take place in beautiful settings with a resonant core of day-to-day appreciation for the natural world that nurtures the spirit, sustains health, and connects us to the land we share.

About the Book:

In partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management, noted conservation and hunting writers Christine Cunningham and Steve Meyer share stories about wild lands, animals, and the relationships that can form around hunting. The Land We Share publication features personal narratives from two lovers of nature who provide a unique perspective on the way we interact with public lands. Hunting is an often-overlooked component of public lands, sometimes perceived with disdain by others in the outdoor community. This publication helps dispel some of the notion that hunters are only out to take from the land. The essays explore how hunting on public lands contributes to the sustenance of physical health, nurtures the human spirit, and deepens appreciation for the natural world

About the Authors:

Christine Cunningham was born in Sitka, Alaska, and is a lifelong Alaskan, author, and outdoor columnist. Christine has published articles in a variety of hunting and conservation publications, including Alaska Magazine, Gray’s Sporting Journal, Sports Afield, Shooting Sportsman, Pheasants Forever, Delta Waterfowl, and Wildfowl.

Steve Meyer grew up in Milnor, North Dakota and has lived and hunted in Alaska for over 50 years. Steve’s writing and photography have been featured by the BBC and in outdoor publications, including Sports Afield, Gun Dog, Dakota Country, Pheasants Forever, and Fur-Fish-Game Magazine.

Both began writing an alternating newspaper column in the Redoubt Reporter, a community newspaper, before they began their shared column for the Anchorage Daily News. Together, Cunningham and Meyer’s writing and photography have been featured by the BBC and appeared in a variety of hunting and conservation publications, including Alaska Magazine, Gray’s Sporting Journal, and Sports Afield. They make their home on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula where they live and hunt with a family of bird dogs.