Hunting or killing

maple · Post by **maple** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 4:55 pm

BOTH.

I hunt and I kill.

Whether it's ducks, grouse, deer or whatever, more often than not I come home empty handed. And out I go again, and again, and again. That's the hunting part. Looking, planning, expecting. Walking in to swamps in the dark, chasing a lone grouse over hill and dale, spending hours, days, sometimes weeks in a stand, getting my son into the woods. It's all good.

Even when I work on the landowner's farm, that's a necessary activity in order to hunt too. It's all part of the chase, being outdoors, enjoying the woods. It's all part of the quest.

Occasionally some live meat mistakenly walks out in front of me and I kill it (harvest, take, whatever). I am happy to do so. Big or small as long as it tastes good it's fine with me. Only having hunted deer for 6 years makes me a beginner I guess, but it makes every encounter and kill a heart-racing thrill.

To me a kill means; steaks on the BBQ with friends, a gift of sausage or roast to the neighbours, celebrating with the farmer, choosing a good red wine for venison, meat in the freezer for the winter, and sharing the tale with you guys, the wife searching through cook books in anticipation, and head-shaking respect for how tough those deer are.

It's not just a kill, it's both a finish and a start, cause then I do it all over again.

Antlers? Yup, I've got a few of those.

Golden Eagle · Post by **Golden Eagle** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 7:31 pm

My main objective is the Hunt now. Many many years ago, it was about the kill but I just want to be out there now and enjoy nature. I do have my sights set a couple of specific Deer each year though.

gruntahunta · Post by **gruntahunta** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 7:50 pm

I love to hunt, it, what gets me through a week of work and it keeps me sane(allmost) the kill for me is the sade part but it is nesisary and i dont have a problem with killing/ harvesting an animal for our use but killing animals because they are deemed a pest and leaving them to rot is not on in my book, thats not game managment or hunting, thats just killing.
processing what you take is part of hunting in my book and is a lernt skill, our for fathers would never have dreamed of killing animals for fun, if there was an abundace of say gees one year then you could bet what was on the menue most nights.
I personaly love and respect Gods creaturs and i love to hunt but i ow it to God and his creation to do it in a responsable and sustainable way so one day my son can enjoy the things i enjoy to day.
if i take a frend hunting and they kill something and refuse to get there hands derty i dont take them agane.
my 2c worth.

hikerman · Post by **hikerman** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 8:14 pm

I love to be out there.
I hunt to be out there, to learn, to harvest a deer.
I enjoy to butcher myself that is apart of it also.
Being a part of the circle of life.
When I am in the bush I get to leave behind what I don't like about being in the rate race.
It is my meditation.
That and I take a few naps.

gruntahunta · Post by **gruntahunta** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 8:51 pm

Well tell me Gruntahunta have you shot a big buff with your Excal?? I would love to give that a shot

planter, I have not shot a buffalo yet but one day i would love to go up north and hunt donky, camel and buffalo, that would be another hunting trip of a life time and if im lucky there would be lots of meat for family and frends, buffalo makes great gerky and stake and aparently camel meat is realy tender.

gruntahunta · Post by **gruntahunta** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:21 pm

brokenbow, I am not sure about your question, if we know why some people get made because they have to clean ther rabbits so they can be wade, or does any know why they need to be cleaned?
who knows why people get made if they need to get there hands dirty?
maybe they require the rabbits to be cleaned so they can be put to good use at the end of the event, for those that no body wants to take.
even if they are used as pet food they are not wasted.

Limbs and Sticks · Post by **Limbs and Sticks** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 7:18 am

I AM A SNIPER,THE FARMS THAT I HUNT INORDER TO KEEP THEM WE'VE GOT TO KILL DOES, WE GET TAGS FOR THIS SO WHEN I GO IT'S TO HUNT AND KILL????

WES

brokebow · Post by **brokebow** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 3:07 pm

Thanks for all the post,they were great. I makes us who we are a (hunter)or a (killer) I guess that we are all of both but I think that when we get older we hunt more than we kill,which is ok to. I just enjoy nature and what is has to offer. And I think that everyone out there feels the same way. Jerry

MPSNIPER · Post by **MPSNIPER** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 7:22 am

I'm a hunter first and foremost. This is my 33rd year hunting. In that time, yes I've killed a lot of deer however it's the experience of hunting and drawing me back to my roots so to speak that I so desperately need. My father started me out hunting and because of this common link, has created a very strong father / son bond. My father is 81 years old and still is very much the "hunt leader" every year at our hunt camp. Yes he's slowed down and often times needs the atv to take him to the stand, but every year he's with me for two solid weeks hunting.
Hard to explain in words, and I only think fellow hunters understand...
but I hunt, and that is what I am.

-Michael.

brokebow · Post by **brokebow** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 10:32 am

To npsniper,be thankfull that your dad can still hunt with you,my best hunting partner died 26 years ago, and I still think of him everyday.We hunted every year till he died.Every time I hunt I think of him. Enjoy your time with you father,the best friend you will ever have.
Sincerely , Jerry

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 10:57 am

I love to hunt. I do not get pleasure from killing, but sometimes it is a necessary conclusion to the hunt.
If I need meat, the kill is necessary. If the target animal is causing problems and the animal can be put to good use (eg. - problem raccoons, beavers, etc. can be used for fur and/or food) I will kill them.
I neither take pleasure in killing the animal, nor have any regret in killing it. I do feel that as "sportsmen/sportswomen" we should always strive to make the kill as quick as possible (ethical).

VixChix · Post by **VixChix** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 12:06 pm

Hunting for sure. I enjoy the close encounters, the sneaking up and watching them when they have no idea you're there. That makes for better memories than some of the killing I've done - especially the tracking wounded and finishing them off point blank (not my own).

I've killed and I'm ok with it, but it's not what makes the experience for me, although I like to have meat in the freezer. Maybe it's more of a girl thing? I always feel a little sadness when I stand beside a dead deer. I think it's good and right to feel some remorse for taking the life of such a noble animal. If I didn't feel some sadness or remorse I think I shouldn't be out hunting. Does that make any sense?

chris4570 · Post by **chris4570** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 8:22 pm

I just love to be outdoors. With Excal, camera, fishing rod or binocs. Scouting, hunting, walking, looking, seeing, hearing, smelling. It's all part of it.

Deer hunting has become an obsession. Last year I didn't hunt any other critters during the fall. I didn't purchase a waterfowl permit last year or this year.

I am happy to watch does and fawns mill about unaware of my precence. Or seeing a sharp shinned hawk chase song birds below me. But I also enjoy harvesting deer. I look forward to following a short(cross fingers) blood trail. Butchering, cooking and eating said deer.

Pydpiper · Post by **Pydpiper** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 8:57 pm

I kill.
From the moment I set foot on my land my only intention is make my quarry dead. I call it hunting because I strap on camo and prepare for the hunt, but in the end it is me against mother nature, she is a vicious bi%$ch and needs to be opposed. I love animals and everything they represent, but when I am out there it is me against her, and my intention is to kill.
I tried the whole "hunting" aspect, got my butt kicked each time. Now I look at my target as what it is, an age old way of feeding my family and it really changed how the day turns out.
I suppose it is all about the wording, but in the end my goal is to achieve meat.
I hunt to kill. I kill to hunt.

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 10:30 pm

i love the hunt and everything about it the scouting the feeding the pictures the challenge of it but the kill is still the highlight of it for me. now in my case i can only kill one deer a year so i don't have the dilemas that some of you have with the use of the meat . i pass on does and fawns and younger bucks while i wait for a good shooter buck and usually late in the season ( end of nov early dec) it all comes together and that makes everything else worthwhile without the kill as said before it is only wildlife photography and enjoying the peace and quiet

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