About – My First Shot

Meet The Land Between

The Land Between region is a meeting place of species and peoples; of moose and deer, of woodchuck and river otter; of the Great Canadian Shield and the farms of the St. Lawrence Lowlands…and it is a meeting place of city and country. It is a place where diversity abounds, which can be the source of opposition, or through brave exploration, a source of greater understanding and wisdom. This landscape is a microcosm of the larger dichotomy in North America.

This film provides a platform for greater dialogue between two worlds. The outcomes are brave discussion, understanding, appreciation and respect for one another, for our natural world and for our relationships with it.

Meet Erin Carmody

Erin Carmondy. first-time hunter.

Erin was raised in Southern California and lives in Toronto. Erin studied Psychology and Botany with a minor in Sociology at Ohio Wesleyan University, and then went on to complete an advanced degree in Environmental Studies with a focus in Urban Ecology Planning and Design from York University in Toronto. Erin works in strategic planning and analytical research in the world of social innovation; with Peace Builders International; I-Think at the Rotman School of Management; Ambient Squared Marketing; and currently at STEM Village. Erin’s perspectives and experiences may seem at the opposite end of the spectrum to those of the hunting community. But through her eyes, we can explore hunting with a fresh and new perspective. In fact, at one point in Erin’s life, she did not eat meat. Erin has never been hunting… before now.

Hunting is a large part of the cultural and community fabric of the Land Between region; and of many areas in rural North America.

The audience gets to experience hunting through Erin’s journey. Through expert interviews, the film explores the relationships that hunters have had to conservation including the lessons learned from our historic mistakes of over-development and over-harvesting. Through research and testimonies, the film showcases those responses and contributions that hunters have made to wildlife management and conservation. And the film touches on the current challenges. In this way, the film provides an orientation and a gateway for thoughtful dialogue and greater understanding of these complexities.