The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word REWILDED
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
R
E
W
I
L
D
E
D
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "in a state of nature again" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case in a state of nature again = rewilded.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does REWILDED mean?
REWILDED verb- (conservation) To return an area to a more wild state, especially to repopulate it with wild animals.