Conscience

Have you ever felt bad about something you did while hunting?

  • yes

    Votes: 71 71.0%
  • no

    Votes: 29 29.0%

  • Total voters
    100

sealhunter

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21   8   1
Have any of you guys ever been hunting and whether by accident or intention, done something that immediately or later, you felt bad about.

I've added a poll just to see how many it's happebned to.

If it involved something illegal, better not to post it in the thread.

If it wasn't illegal, what was it? If you feel like saying.

It's happened to me a couple of times.

I once shot a deer, and her young in the bush didn't run away and watched us dragging her off. I felt like a sack of ####. If I had my time back, I probably would have passed on the shot. I was in an area that was heavily populated with deer, so filling my tag wouldn't be hard.
These days, I don't rush, I don't "need" an opening day animal, and I give every animal I shoot a tremendous amount of respect. I take about 5 minutes to take it all in when I arrive upon the animal I've shot, then I start in at the task.
 
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I shot a deer with buckshot and broke both it's front legs... Thought the hit was good and gave the deer 2 mins to expire... LONGEST two minutes of my hunting career, it just bawled... I had to get down out of the stand and, at close range, finish the job.

I'm sure that if that was a first experience for some, they would have quit hunting. I know I sure didn't like it!

Cheers
Jay
 
I spine shot a deer three years ago with my crossbow. Was up in my climbing deer stand, about 25 feet. I only took up one bolt. That deer got about 100 feet away from my stand, bawling it's head off the entire time, with just it's front legs,while I tried to get down as fast as I could. Not an easy task in a climber! I now always carry an extra bolt up with me, and I practice from up in the climber in the summer months.
 
The first deer I ever shot, I hit him high and broke his spine. I walked over to this flopping deer and cut its throat....cold eh? I was 17 and knew nothing, that almost made me quit. Now I know why the gun holds more than one shell.
 
Not that I've done it. But, I would imagine a lot would feel bad about getting drunk and banging a dirty schwa or some thing like that, during a long week of hunting?

Troll Bait
 
I've felt bad and kicked my self for NOT taking a shot when I should have. Or not being ready an alert when I should have been.
 
I suppose in my case, it's been pretty minor stuff. A few ducks I've brought down, having to break the neck, shot a rabbit once with the shotgun, perhaps too far away, and it sure screamed.

Nothing I'd ever lose sleep over, but I like to ensure a quick dispatch, no matter what it is, even varmints or pests.
 
I've been hunting for over 40 years. I trapped for 10 years. I feel bad virtually every time I take a life under any circumstance. That's what makes me human.
 
Went bear hunting once. On the way back to the camp I saw a rabbit. At 30 yards away, I put the reticle square on the rabbits eye. Dont know if I flinched or the rabbit moved, but I ended up shooting both back legs off the rabbit. When I got to it, it was still trying to run away with its front paws. One of only a few times I was truely sad and ashamed.
 
I think my worst were a few occasions where a friend or family member wanted to go hunting or fishing and I lied and said I wasn't going just because I wanted to go by myself. I don't do that anymore, I never was able to really enjoy myself when I was out there. It's more fun now with someone else. :redface:
 
Almost all the time.

Cant help but feel a tiny bit sorry for the critters, tasty though they may be.

Its the way nature is though.

Its not all sunny days and BBQs.

Something has to die to go on that grill and I sure as hell am not going vegetarian!
 
When I was a kid, I shot a jack rabbit's nose off. Thankfully, I was able to get a quick second shot and finish it off. Bothered me for a long time after. Another time, I broke the spine of a nice fat whitetail buck, and it bawled in pain. Bothered me. As said above, that's what makes me human.
 
About 10 years ago, I took a head shot on a Muley doe at about 50 yards. I was aiming between the eyes, but hit low and a bit left.
The bullet only broke the skin under her left eye, and knocked her out.
The guy I was hunting with and I walked over and cut the throat the way we always do, and she started kicking and trying to get up and basically bled to death in front of us. It only took about a minute, but seemed longer... In hind sight I should have just plugged her in the head again, but was in kind of a WTF is going on moment til it was over...
 
I shot a black bear this year, was sure I made a good shot, knew that I hit it, but I couldn't find it anywhere. No blood or hair at the spot where it was when I shot. I looked around until after dark, couldn't find anything. Went home for the night and felt like $hit all night. Took the Lab pup in the next morning, put him on the scent and about five minutes later had my bear. I'd never had to leave anything overnight before and it was an experience I'd just as soon not repeat.
 
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