How many of you do this?

[noahmercy]

If any of you ever make it out this way to vacation or hunt, look me up. I'd be right pleased to shake any of y'all's hand. As mentioned above, it is indeed humbling to be in the presence (cyberspace or not) of a group with such a strong sense of connection to the living world. :master:

It may seem funny to some that we can go kill and eat an animal while we also enjoy watching them and care for their wellbeing, but that's stewardship. That is conservation. That is one of the highest forms of ethics imaginable. It's what causes us to pass up shots because we might not give the animal the quick end it deserves. It means that some of us go home without a trophy or meat for the table. But it also means that we have nothing to appologize for, and gives honor to the act of hunting. My hat off to all of you, and my thanks for making me feel like I'm not a lone voice. :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

Non-hunting friends are always surprized when I mantion how much I love whitetail or how concerned I am about how they're weathering the winter or disease. They just can't understand how I can kill something I claim to love so much. Probably everyone reading this understands.

I've had that same situation from a couple of relatives and friends...I focus on deer hunting all year, from practicing to scouting to hunting...Whitetail calendars in various rooms of the house every year...my own framed photos on the walls from when I was heavy into wildlife photograpy through the 80's...and when the question is asked, I always struggle trying to answer it...

 

[cayugad]

The walls in my home are decorated with over 18 wildlife prints of various artists. Other then; one of Elk, one of geese, and two of mountian men, the other 14 are all Whitetail deer in various phases of their life and of course hunting. I walk from room to room stopping often to admire the art. Friends that come over are amazed at the collection but it is something I really enjoy.....

I moved into the middle of the woods so I can look out the windows and glass patio doors of the house and admire the deer, bear, rabbits, and grouse that walk past the house undisturbed. Even the dogs are trained that under no circumstance are they allowed to bark or disturb the animals (other then the squirrels.. they are fair game to bark at).

 

[Hoyt]

When I walk up to a downed animal there is feeling of sorrow inside and that feeling brings on a prayer giving thanks...However..No ... if, and, or buts about it....a successful hunt for me is a kill...that's why I buy all my guns, bows, and equipment, and what gets me up in the morning to do it all over again after many days of unsuccessful hard hunts. I don't lust for the actual death of game, or the dying act, but killing and eating the game is what hunting is all about for me. I have no desire to get up at 3:30am drive to a far off destination, wade through swamps, etc., just to hear birds chirp or see a sunrise. Hunting comes in many forms.. some very easy..and other extremely difficult and taxing...the form I choose is the latter.. but for me most satisfying. It also means many unsuccessful trips afield, and for me at my stage of life, that's the way it has to be, and I guess the way I unwillingly like it......because to tell the truth the more yrs. I hunt the more I identify with the animals I hunt and the more conscious I am about taking their lives. When the killings get too close together and too easy it becomes something other than hunting and really weighs on my conscious. When luck shines on me and I get a couple or three deer in about a wk or two span.....I will dwell on their reaction to the kill and their pain and my mind will try to analyze just what I'm doing......when in the "real world" this analyzation shouldn't be done because creatures have to die to sustain life. However I find when I have to work real hard for a kill...like in the old, old, days... I have more of a hunger for it and that brings out the primal predator instinct ... which I think is buried deep in all hunter's psyche...that predator instinct overrides any feelings of sorrow for taking the life of a game animal that I care so much about. Could be the real reason ..the more I hunt... the more difficult I like the hunt to be.

 

[three otters]

In the past when asked by others what is your most memorable experience hunting I'd often reply "the day I shot my first black bear", and when questioned by others what my least desireable memory while hunting was I'd often reply "the day I shot my first black bear". (quite the paradox) My father was of native american decent and a true sportsman. He taught both my brother and I to honor the life of the animal no matter how big or small of which we had just taken. Not having a ritual to follow I simply admire the animals (from squirrels to deer and bears) and whole heartedly thank the good Lord for allowing me the opportunity to provide food for my family and myself. It's been many years since my father passed on, but I am proud and honored to see others (based on the replys) had an influential person that distilled similar values in their lives. The day I stop feeling both happiness and remorse after the taking of an animals life will be the day I'll hang up my guns forever. Thank you all for your true dispaly of humility and may God bless.

 

[Finnwolf]

Hey Stumpy and Sharps,
Could not find much on the www concerning the letzler bissen tradition but here it is in a nutshell

http://www.deer-uk.com/Hale1.htm

This little reference is nowhere near as descriptive of the tradition as was my grandfather's explanation to me as a 15 year old. As he dressed his deer, he explained to me that it was the deer's job to test the skill of the hunter and the hunter's job is to give a quick, clean kill to the deer. The deer gives up his life not only to feed the hunter but also to allow more food for the other deer.

The successful hunter pays tribute to the deer with a last bite of food and then wears his blood out of the woods. GrandPa also tasted the blood but I must confess, after doing that once or twice to please him, I'm satisfied to just wear the blood on my forehead. 34 years later, I still carry on the tradition and say a brief prayer - Vielen Dank Gott f

 

[dodgecity]

I pray every morning (and evening), and on days that I will be hunting, I pray for a safe hunt (never a successful hunt) for myself and those who will accompany me, and those that we will encounter. My Scriptual obligation to the game is that it shall be fairly and humanely taken, and, that it shall not be wasted. More than that is not part of my spiritual beliefs.

 

[brushbuster]

- Vielen Dank Gott f

 

[WV_Hillbilly]

I know most of you who replied will understand this.

On a visit to a deer farm, I was fortunate enough to be blessed by the owner. He allowed me to go with him on his rounds. Mixing up the various grain/feed, Cleaning out the watering troughs, filling them up with fresh water; AND best of all, bottle feeding a VERY tiny orphaned fawn--a little Buck.

That little bitty deer was as playful as a beagle pup; and after I fed him, he licked my fingers, and suckled some more on them. Just so full of energy and life.

Rejoining my family, there were some others who were there admiring the deer and I was commenting on a very large buck that was kind of hiding in a gulley. I mean HUGE deer!
I remarked how I'd love to come upon him in the woods, taking his life, putting him in the freezer for feeding my family, and getting him mounted to remember the experience, and as a reminder for a legacy.

I was scorned and rebuked and cursed by some of these people. They said "how could you do that after fondling that tiny little helpless creature". I asked them if they ate meat... "YES", they almost screamed at me, "but we get our meat in the market!" I said, "Beef?", "Pork?", "Chicken?". They answered, "YES!" and very loudly again.

I then pointed out the fact that ALL of the meat sources started out as those "cute little baby animals" and that no one animal is "worth" any more than another with regard to using it's flesh as meat. I also gave them the Biblical references regarding Man's Dominance. They angrily shouted another obscenity regarding copulation, while making the associated gesture toward me as well, then stormed off! (I'll say nothing further on that, but you can probably figure it out.)

Anwyay, I give thanks for ALL the food that God has seen fit to bless me and my family with. Whether it was as a result of my own hand or that of another person, whether animal or vegetable--but giving more honour to the animals.

I dearly love animals of all kinds, more so than PETA, or Green Peace , or any of those organizations' members, ('cept I'm no radical!) It is a very special thing to me and a bond that I am teaching my sons about. But no one can really understand unless they are open to receiving it.

'nuff said.
WV_Hillbilly

 

[Finnwolf]

I'm sure I've garbled it over the years. The loose translation is Thanks to God for a bountiful hunt. Any fluent German speakers out there? Bet Chris Immel will know.
Finnwolf

 

[brushbuster]

my german s...s at the very least but after i posted that question i studied on it a little and what you just said was just about what i figured out .
mebbe my granpa was looking down on me that moment and helped me out a little :shocking: :shocking:

 

[flaming canvas]

That's what it says. I asked my German neighbor.

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

You guys would enjoy these books:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1...9960651-8489712

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1...9960651-8489712

 

[Keith]

I read the book by Ted Kerasote. If I recall right he used to write for Sports Afield when it was a good hunting magazine and maybe for RMEF. Good book.

I have to say I am not surprised by the responses to Noah's question. I am surprised the depth of the passion, not sure if that is the right way to say it, of the responses. My hat's off to you gentleman. :master:

The guy that started this, not Noah but the guy that made him wonder about his feelings, I don't think I want him in the woods. If he has so little regard for the game he hunts I wonder what his ethics are like? Does he take any shoot even if it might be a poor one? Does he follow up on a wounded deer as hard as can? I don't know the man, but I can't help but think he doesn't care enough to do the right thing.

 

[mglampson]

I always try to give thanks. Sharing that with others is another story.
I feel certain things are deeply personal. This would be one of them. To whom you pray and why are for you and you alone. Sharing such information is reserved for only special individuals.

Britches

 

[Finnwolf]

Keith,
You probably know the answers to those questions already. If you take your deer to a processor like I do, then you see the deer with their skins off. You see 3,4 & more wounds. If you walk in the woods after the season is over like I do, you find the deer that were not followed up on. If you talk to some of the folks you run into in the woods, they're happy to tell you they had a good time with their flintlock and got a couple of shots but missed. A lot of those shots don't miss.
I love my trips to the woods but sometimes it tears your heart out. Then you know how the Indians felt as they watched their game slaughted and wasted. It's this dark side of our sport that fuels the anti-hunting culture.
Finnwolf

 

[Stumpkiller]

"Danken Sie Gott f

 

[dchawken]

First, I'd like thank eveyone for their posts. This addresses something I've been thinking about a lot for the last couple of years.

I grew up in the suburbs, and my Dad died when I was 2. Still, I spent many afternoons for years chasing squirrels with an old Bear target bow. The squirrels were always faster, and I think we both had a blast. Until I actually hit one. It was an ugly hit that did nothing but cause the animal pain. For the first time, I wondered why the hell I was doing this anyway. I didn't need the meat. I was just sort of drawn to it. I never hunted again.

Flash forward 30 years. I live in the city, so hunting isn't an option. A few years ago, if you mentioned hunting, I would have made some smart*** remark about "not wanting to kill things for fun" Then I bought some land in WV to build a cabin on.

I got to know my neighbors. I got to know the guys who trucked in my gravel and drilled my well. They all hunted. They weren't cruel yahoos. They enjoyed hunting for the sake of it, but they ate what they shot. I met some farmers, who hunted just to protect their orchards.

I also started shooting black powder and modern guns. I love the precision and gadgety balance of equipment and technique. I've wondered whether I should think about hunting the many deer that cross my property.

I've decided not to, for now. The main reason is that I don't need the meat. I'm single, food isn't my biggest cost.

But the subject keeps popping into my mind. I plan to plant a few hundred pine seedlings this year, and I know they'll be like salad to the deer.

Mostly, I'm thinking that this might be something I just should do once. I can donate the meat to a foodbank, or find others who might need it.

Thoughts?

 

I think you should try it. And then get yourself a piece of back strap in the fry pan sumthered in onion and mushrooms and then see if you don't have the venison in the freezer from then on.
You may like it :thumbsup:

Woody

 

DC, one of the main reasons that I hunt is that it is much cheaper to harvest my own venison than it is to buy it. My family loves venison, rabbit and squirrel, and they encourage me to bring in as much as possible. Our thanksgiving table in the last few years has been a bounty of the Land--wild game and my wife's garden.

There are no more satisfying meals than those you provide yourself.

You also might think about braintanning your hides, use as much of the deer as possible. Instead of mounting a head on the wall, use the antlers for more useful items like knife handles, flint billets, measures, wisk and picks, whatever. You'll find that hunting becomes not some tasteless, cruel, killing event, but a natural part of life.

Also, when people tell me that I could just go to the store and buy beef instead of going out and "murdering some poor deer", I tell them, "yes, but I do my own dirty work..."

Well, sometimes I get goofy and tell them "don't be fooled, deer are vicious and would kill you and your whole family, given the chance. You hear about deer/car "accidents"? Fooey! Those are militant-venison-extremist suicide jumpers. Since deer lack the opposable thumbs required for bomb making, they use the next best thing..."

:blah: