Any more non-hunters out there?

[Grizzly Adams]

There is a misconception from the non-hunters, that hunters don't like animals.

.

I think your misconception is a misconception....

I think it's more about a person reaching a point in their life when killing is no longer enjoyable.. I call it appreciating life.

I also think that your $3000.00 + example of your daughters dog is a testament to the love you have for your daughter ..

I have to respectfully disagree, CC.

I am a hunter and I have an extraordinary appreciation for life. I never take the harvest of an animal lightly, and killing should not have been enjoyable in the first place. It isn't the part that is supposed to be. The hunt is the thrill, and the enjoyment of being immersed in nature. The appreciation comes from that animal giving its life for you, but also of its majesty and its place in nature.

And to add, I typed this with a purring rescue cat on my lap, getting fur everywhere. :grin:

 

[coloradoclyde]

I thought the title of this topic was about NON-HUNTERS?

 

[Gene L]

Now that we're getting philosophical, I think with modern weapons (which we're not talking about directly) has taken much of the immersion of nature away. And I don't think a lot of people feel that exchange of giving you life for his life.

As I see scopes on inline MLs and compound crossbows with scope on them, I see them as stretching the season. Unnecessarily, I would add. I'm against ML seasons if inlines are involved and they overwhelmingly are in my area. But that's just my opinion and I may be wrong. It's certainly none of my business.

Maybe many of these modern inline/crossbow hunters are altruistic, but I know some who are in it for the kill rather than the hunt. And when I was hunting, the hunt was the thing.

 

[coloradoclyde]

There is a misconception from the non-hunters, that hunters don't like animals.

.

I think your misconception is a misconception....

I think it's more about a person reaching a point in their life when killing is no longer enjoyable.. I call it appreciating life.

I also think that your $3000.00 + example of your daughters dog is a testament to the love you have for your daughter ..

I have to respectfully disagree, CC.

I am a hunter and I have an extraordinary appreciation for life. I never take the harvest of an animal lightly, and killing should not have been enjoyable in the first place. It isn't the part that is supposed to be. The hunt is the thrill, and the enjoyment of being immersed in nature. The appreciation comes from that animal giving its life for you, but also of its majesty and its place in nature.

And to add, I typed this with a purring rescue cat on my lap, getting fur everywhere. :grin:

Those that hunt, do so because they enjoyed it....I too once enjoyed it... We can sugar coat it however we want to by using such words a "honor respect and harvesting" But it's still killing and at the end of the day a harvested animal is no less dead than a killed one, regardless of how much one honors or respects the animal. Humans are the supreme predator.
Like I said...

I think it's more about a person reaching a point in their life when killing is no longer enjoyable..

There may or may not come a time in your life when you reach that point...It's not meant as anything against you....it's just the way it is... It's just my opinion.

 

[don hepler]

WHATEVER.

 

[don hepler]

I understand you views, my father-in-law was a very successful deer hunter, turkey hunter, and he especially loved squirrel hunting. He reached an age where he could no longer hunt, so belive me I understand.
I seen in several of your posts that squirrel hunting was number one for you. You also mentioned deer hunting in some of your previous posts, so I know that you are not anti-hunter.
Enjoy nature and best to you.

 

[Cruzatte]

Are there national forests or public land near you that allow hunting?

Nothing like that exists in the State of Kansas. In fact, this is, I believe the only state in the Union that has no national wilderness areas. All hunting is on private property. I am uncertain as to the regulations on State Parks, or Army Corps of Engineers reservoirs and adjacent lands. There are several wildlife refuges. Any hunting done there is best done with a camera.

In Kansas there are a number of public hunting areas. The state also has a "Walk In Hunting Area" program where the State pays private land owners to open their land to hunters. One can pick up an atlas at most sporting goods or Walmart stores that show the location of the areas. Most of the areas have date limits as to when the area is open that corresponds to the Fall hunting seasons.

I live next to a Corp of Engineers lake and hunting is allowed on most of the Corp property next to the lake, but access can be a problem. Also the State of Kansas managed wildlife areas allow public hunting in many areas. There is several Federal owned areas in Kansas, but not "forests". Some do allow hunting. Public hunting is also allowed at Fort Riley, but access has become more involved with the changes in security issues in recent years.

In most parts of Kansas, I would guess you can find public hunting and fishing areas within 10-20 miles. The down side is hunting pressure on some areas close to populations centers is pretty heavy. Many private land owners will also allow hunters if they are asked, but it may be difficult to find the actual owner with absentee owners and larger farms. Also, there is an increasing trend for private land to be leased for hunting and not open to the general public without a fee.

This is just a quick overview.

Thanks for the clarifacations, Jake.

 

[Gene L]

I shoot most of the year, with people that just like to shoot paper, and have never hunted. I respect and appreciate that. Hunting is not for everyone. It depends on how you grow up. If shooters ever turn their backs on hunters, I can assure you, it won't be long before our gun rights are gone.

Google, "the importance of hunting in the state of Virginia", and you will understand, the problems associated with not hunting.

No one has suggested that shooters turn their backs on hunters. Where does that come from?

I was raised up on hunting so it doesn't depend on how you were raised up. I don't do it any more. My choice. I enjoy shooting small groups (as small as I can) at distances. What's wrong with that?

I am not sure why there is a suspicion of divisiveness between hunters and shooters. There is none, I'm don't think it exists except in your mind. Do what you want to do and God love you, just don't expect me to hunt out of some sense of duty. It's a matter of choice.

There is no need for paranoia here. Hunting is in no danger from us paper shooters. Sensitivity and defensiveness when none is called for indicates weakness.

 

[azmntman]

I am a hunter. Was raised to hunt to eat the meat. I do not get a kick or thrill when I shoot and elk or deer and always say thanks to the creator for said meat. Killing is sad. So when A family member gets an elk or deer I dont need the meat so bad and often pass up easy shots while waiting for the "just right" shot or animal.

To horn hunt makes no sense to me. I have on several occasions shot a small spike or three point out in front of a large "trophy" animal. When asked why its really a no brainer "he was closer" :idunno:

If I didnt need the meat I would still be out there and would become a better photographer every time I pulled the trigger....er shutter :thumbsup:

 

[AZbpBurner]

Given opportunity to only eat North American Elk for the rest of my life, I'd be happy. It's leaner and more naturally tender than beef, and doesn't have that gamey taste most deer and grass grazing animals can have.

Unfortunately, I no longer have a large game freezer from past years, nor family to make it worthwhile to hunt to feed. Impending 'old age' is limiting foot travel, too.

Guess I'll content myself with the trout I bring home from Arizona mountain lakes and streams. The Native Apache Trout is among the best there is.

 

[Snakebite]

For me, it has become so expensive to deer hunt in Texas, I don't hunt them anymore. I'm certainly not against it and if I have the chance such as an invite, I might take it. For me, there is a thrill in taking a buck, but I also ensure the meat never goes to waste. There is also great sympathy for the deer. A friend of my wife told her that she cried like a baby when she shot her first deer, but she was ready to do it again. I think it's respect for the animal that most hunters have. I don't know anyone who just wants to kill. I think most hunters who hunt with muzzleloaders aren't there just to kill an animal, they do it to replicate our forefathers to an extent. What's really important also is the money hunters pay in license fees and taxes and such. If it weren't for the hunters, there wouldn't be a whole lot of money for conservation and the maintenance to keep good healthy animals. One good example is Ducks Unlimited. They seem to love ducks and they play a big part in keeping the duck population going. Also there are parts of the country where deer are over populated and the herds need to be culled. When you have hunters paying to do that, it saves state resources and actually add to the coffers. What I really hate are poachers, they give real hunters a bad name.

 

[Captjoel]

What I enjoy the most about deer hunting is the get together that I have had with my brother's.

We make a camp just for the opening weekend where I have been the "camp cook" for many years.

Most of those years I stayed in camp and did not partake in the actual hunt. Instead I would tend the fires and just enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.

Then I became infatuated with the flintlock and the ways of our ancestors. That lead me into the bush as a hunter. I really enjoyed all of my successes, bringing home meat for the table. But also passed up many chances for the kill just to watch the majestic animal in its own element at very very close ranges!

This may seem a bit strange to some but these days of my older age, I kind of hate the hunting season. I enjoy target shooting in my back yard and the laws of my state prevent recreational shooting during deer season.

I can understand the reasoning for this law but I still miss not being able to target practice during the last two months of the year.

 

[smoothshooter]

What are you respectively disagreeing with?

 

[Stophel]

I used to go squirrel hunting, but haven't in years. Would like to again... but... The reason I don't hunt now is that I simply don't have anywhere to go. I'm not a farmer, so I don't have, nor can I afford any land to hunt on, unfortunately. There is VERY little public land anywhere near me, but I have recently discovered a small State Forest that I want to try squirrel hunting this winter after deer season is over... And while I enjoy running around this little set of woods in the summertime (where no one else is fool enough to go out in the woods when it's 95+ degrees), for my own safety I consider it off limits during deer season. which brings me to deer hunting. I've never done it, as sitting in a deer stand on a tiny staked-out spot of land, surrounded by dozens of others simply does not appeal to me. Trying to stalk deer here would be impractical and quite dangerous. There simply are too many people. Everybody wants to hunt, and there's not enough woods left for them all to hunt in.

I would hunt all the time if I could. I'm desperate to get out of here, get out of "farm country" and go somewhere where there's only rocks, hills, trees, and no people, but being poor makes that a little difficult. Plus, the precarious state of our once-nation means the future looks pretty bleak, and I think I'll never be able to do so.

 

[bpd303]

The Valhalla you describe is where we live. Bought 60 acres in 1980 at the top of a mountain where the family has another adjoining 125 acres. Few people and we can shoot year round from our deck which we built in '82. Wildlife abounds, turkey, deer, rabbits, doves and an overabundance of squirrels.

Lately we have a problem with wild pigs and a couple of months ago I shot one in a group of about ten which were tearing up our yard. He ran off a couple hundred yards, down the hill into the woods before expiring.

I don't consider varmint control hunting and the scavengers, buzzards & coyotes have to eat too. However if we needed the meat, I would have no problem butchering him although that's not my favorite thing at this stage of my life.

 

[don hepler]

"I see no point to shoot at animals in our modern societies where we're already wasting most of the available foods (and where breeders and farmers are stressed to an insane level by price pressure)." This is what LEM said, not me

I was responding to this post by LEM. I was making a point about helping the hungry, helping the farmer, helping reduce the deer herd as recommended by the state. I'm not mad...just respectfully disagreeing,...Gees.

Also I did not say that Shooters are turning their backs on Hunters. I said If shooters turn their backs on hunters, we will all suffer. My point was shooters and hunters should be supporting each other.

 

[sidelock]

I have quit hunting--- can't walk much any more. I will not shoot anything from my front door, never have, except pests. Spent some time yesterday cleaning elk nose prints off my windows. The day before I had about 75 head including 3 very nice bulls and some spikes in my front yard. They love to look in my windows--- go figure???????

 

[coloradoclyde]

Yesterday I walked out on the deck and watched a big buck tear up one of my saplings.....25 yards away.... :shocked2:

 

[Skychief]

Sorry to hear this Sidelock. You must be a true hunter and know the difference between hunting and shooting an animal. All respect Sir. :hatsoff:

Best regards, Skychief

 

[Britsmoothy]

Maybe share some memories with us?

B :thumbsup: