"The Nuge" nicely summarizes my own feelings about hunting...

Doc M said:
Amen, Brothers.

I, too, feel a tinge of sadness when I shoot a deer - but the sadness is more like a respectful moment; like I am emotionally saluting the majestic animal who has paid the ultimate price so that I may have both sport and meat.

You'll never find me dancing like an idiot around a kill, hooting and hollering, or "riding" the dead animal like some people do... if that's your thing, then fill your boots - I don't judge. But for me, when I reach my clean-killed deer I (after ensuring it's dead by giving it a poke with a loaded rifle - in case it gets up and bolts) kneel on one knee beside it, put my hand on its upper back or neck, and say a small prayer of thanks for its sacrifice.

To me, big game that has fallen to my hand is considered "honored dead" and is treated as such by making the very best use of every part of the animal.

Hunting to me is about more than just the kill, as everyone's saying here - it's a truly spiritual experience that one cannot understand fully until one tries it IMO.

-M
Click to expand...

Well said Doc.

There have been a few times I've been relegated to hooting and hollering...There is a primal sense of accomplishment.

As to the spiritual side well I'll stay out of that one except to say this....Have you ever looked into an animals eyes just as it died?
Nothing moves, but something definitely leaves. One millisecond it is alive and the next there will be no question in you mind that it is gone.....Pretty wild stuff if you have been lucky enough to see it.

Primal in every sense of the word.
 
X-fan said:
Well said Doc.

There have been a few times I've been relegated to hooting and hollering...There is a primal sense of accomplishment.

As to the spiritual side well I'll stay out of that one except to say this....Have you ever looked into an animals eyes just as it died?
Nothing moves, but something definitely leaves. One millisecond it is alive and the next there will be no question in you mind that it is gone.....Pretty wild stuff if you have been lucky enough to see it.

Primal in every sense of the word.
Click to expand...

I share the sentiments regarding big game and "honoring" them however I have also thought it was pretty awesome to see a prairie dog blow into 25 pcs upon a high velocity impact....:confused: Is life not life or are some things more alive than others??

Great segment by Ted BTW....
 
rsp1761 said:
I share the sentiments regarding big game and "honoring" them however I have also thought it was pretty awesome to see a prairie dog blow into 25 pcs upon a high velocity impact....:confused: Is life not life or are some things more alive than others??

Great segment by Ted BTW....
Click to expand...

You can admire the terminal performance of a projectile without dishonoring the life of the animal it hit, IMO.

Furthermore, to me gophers are vermin which are causing very real damage to my family's pastureland - and whose holes have done much harm to the cattle on it. If you have ever had to put down a cow with a broken leg at daybreak, you know what I'm talking about.

In this case, one can rationalize it by saying that one sees gophers as "the enemy" rather than "honoured dead."

Still, though I might enjoy high-caliber impacts on gophers, I don't go wearing the pieces as a hat... or kicking them like a football... or lighting them on fire... etc. After the moment of impact, I consider them hawk food and no longer mine to 'mess with.'

-M
 
, I don't go wearing the pieces as a hat... or kicking them like a football... or lighting them on fire... etc. After the moment of impact, I consider them hawk food and no longer mine to 'mess with.'
Click to expand...

I do all of these things at the same time.
 
Nuge always comes across a bit crazy but that's his thing. Under the "Crazy" skin, he is an intelligent, insightful, caring human beign. One that we should all be happy to have as a spokesperson.
 
rsp1761 said:
I share the sentiments regarding big game and "honoring" them however I have also thought it was pretty awesome to see a prairie dog blow into 25 pcs upon a high velocity impact....:confused: Is life not life or are some things more alive than others??

Great segment by Ted BTW....
Click to expand...

Driving to south Montana this summer to do my fair share to thin out the pesky bipeds.
No sense of sense of sadness in killing a pest.
Quite to the contrary, I thoroughly enjoy the red misted fireworks! :D

Is a cat or deer more significant?
God only knows man, but they are to me.
 
X-fan said:
Driving to south Montana this summer to do my fair share to thin out the pesky bipeds.
No sense of sense of sadness in killing a pest.
Quite to the contrary, I thoroughly enjoy the red misted fireworks! :D

Is a cat or deer more significant?
God only knows man, but they are to me.
Click to expand...

As indicated I would agree however there is an innate hypocrisy present here of which I am guilty also. It could be argued that various big game species that we tend to honor also cause havoc in agricultural environments and could be viewed as "pests" on occasion.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom