在台灣，原住民族的狩獵活動一直受到相當的關注，既有的研究側重原住民「權利」或原住民狩獵活動「保育」功能的討論，本文則試圖由行獵者的生活脈絡來瞭解狩獵活動，並認為「瞭解」是「尊重」與「接納」的開始。筆者長年對台東地區排灣族社會發展有所關注，在2010年冬及2011年春，跟隨排灣族獵人在山區行獵。基於這些經驗，本文試圖剖析當今排灣族獵人進行狩獵活動的情境背景。研究發現，在台東縣排灣族間，從事狩獵活動的行獵者以從事農耕或短期就業的在鄉人口為主，實際進行狩獵的獵人人數有限、專職以狩獵為生的獵人更是少數。獵人進行狩獵的地區，多選擇在日常生活領域（包含舊社、耕地等）範圍之內，狩獵活動進行配合農事以及在薪資市場中就業的時間節奏。因獵人並不以狩獵為生，獵獲量少，故獵獲多以自用或親友間分享為主。本文將這些排灣族當代狩獵行為的一般情況，置於行獵者日常生活的脈絡中來理解。行獵者日常生活脈絡之構成，則受到傳統排灣社會的文化特質、當代的經濟模式、以及部落發展的歷史過程與變遷等因素影響。筆者相信，如果我們能夠設身處地，想像自己身處排灣族當代獵人的生活情境脈絡，那麼，我們將比較能理解、體會所謂「打獵」活動，在討論與狩獵相關的議題時，我們也將會有更為開闊的思考與辯詰空間。

Past discussions concerning hunting activities of the indigenous populations of Taiwan focuse on either "rights" or the "function" aspects of such activities. This article focuses instead on the contexts of actual hunting activities as a way to understand them. The author suggests such understanding will help for one to respect and accept hunting activities as hunting is all so natural for those who hunt. Based on experiences participating in hunting activities during 2010 and 2011 in the research area, and on long years of observations of the Paiwan social development, the author finds that the contemporary hunting practices among the Paiwan indigenous groups in Tai Tung County include the following characteristics: most people who hunt are those who are either farmers or who work in the nearby wage labor market. Most hunting activities in question take place in areas where hunters are most familiar with and are usually within the range of hunters' daily activities. Most hunting activities occur during Fall and Winter months, in coordination with hunters' other farming or wage labor activities. Most hunting gains are shared among family members and friends as there is not a formal game market. Such patterns of contemporary Paiwan hunting practices need to be understood part and parcel with the overall pattern of livelihood of those who hunt. Further, such pattern of livelihood of the Paiwan hunters results from the traditional Paiwan socio-cultural and economic institutions, in conjunction with the processes of social, cultural, and economic changes in the past hundred years. The author suggests that these understanding may inform and broaden our discussions of issues concerning hunting activities in general.