It's that time of year again . . .

[tinytim]

Yes. That would be called photography. I have hundreds of wildlife pictures I've taken from the same treestand I use to hunt. My camera is a Canon but the scope on my Savage 7mm-08 is a Nikon.

Maybe I'm hanging around with the wrong guys but I really don't know anyone who hunts to satiate a blood lust.

There's a hundred emotions running through your mind when you aim your bow or gun at a deer. They are majestic creatures and the taking of their life is not something done haphazardly. You just don't start blasting away at it hoping you punch enough holes in it so it will die. I wounded and lost a deer several years ago. I spent over a day and a half looking for it. You cannot begin to imagine the sick, hollow feeling that puts in your gut. I'm sure there are so-called hunters who wouldn't even bother to look for a blood trail. I'm not one of those and neither is my hunting partner.

We do derive great pleasure from our marksmanship, woodsmanship and the whole deer camp experience. We hunt in the deer's natural environment. They live in the woods in all weather conditions. The advantage is to the deer. It takes a collection of various skills to put yourself in the place where you have a chance to harvest a deer. The enjoyment of hunting takes all those factors into consideration. I cannot divorce one facet of hunting and call it immoral.

I have the rack from 9-pointer mounted and hanging on the wall at camp. Nothing was wasted. The meat went in the freezer. The hide was donated to a local veteran's group. The feet were made into a gun rack. The antlers hang on the wall as a reminder of days well spent with my best friend in a 12x15 cabin in the woods.

Good post Padre, some people will never understand until they experience it. I miss the days I used to hunt.. but can you believe it, I went and got married during the first week of deer season!.. and I have only been deer hunting one time since...

Actually I used to like squirrel hunting more.. a lot of times just getting out into the woods.. sitting down at the base of a big Beech or Oak tree, and being as quiet as I could be in hopes of seeing a big ole red squirrel... But even those didn't go to waste.. .My aunts and uncles loved to eat the squirrel and so I got pretty good a skinning them out.. and then my aunt in Canton, Ohio wanted the heads because she loved to eat the brains. So we would ship them to her, or they would go into the freezer until she came home.

I still miss those early October days on Grandpa's farm.. going back in the hollar behind the barn... sitting there with my great grandpa's 16 guage Winchester listening to the squirrels bark at me, just waiting to see one run out a limb so I could shoot it. I still remember the first time dad took me hunting.. I was around 10... and he taught me the week before how to handle a 410 shotgun.. we got up early got into the woods on the side of the mountain behind my Aunt Maes and I remember watching the sunrise...
Then listening to nature... then the squirrels, turkeys, pheasants... ground squirrels, and even a coon that day...

I never got anything that day, but I think dad got 2 squirrels. But I still have a souvenir from that day ~ a scar!.. That's right.. .while on our way back from the hunt, we were crossing a barbed wire fence, and I ripped the back of my pants leg behind my knee, and cut myself... not bad.. just a scratch, but it scarred.. and every time I see that scar, it reminds me of my first hunt with my dad...

Another time Dad put me on a rock clifff just below an old haul road while we were deer hunting.. and he told me to stay there, and he would run a deer over me... he went out around the hill... trying to spook a deer my way.. and lo and behold, there came a 4 point buck out the haul road just trotting along... It got to the place where I could shoot it, and BANG.. I shot.. and it started charging at me!.. .It jumped over the cliff beside me just 5 feet away!.. I had to track that thing.. all day!.. never got it.. but met another hunter a 1/2 mile down the hollar that was dragging a 4 point out!.. .I still think he got my deer... but OH well...

See those are memories I will always have.. .That is the joy of hunting.

 

[TC]

I see no purpose in hunting in this age. Meat and food are available every mile in the US. To claim it is done for the meat alone is an excuse, IMO to cover up the thrill of killing an animal unnecessarily.

I'm not arguing for hunting for food. I watch Man vs. Wild on Discovery I'm talking about a group of men who after a large breakfast go out to hunt for fun (who are not hungry, don't need the food).

I'm seeing two things on this thread.

Those who were born and raised hunting on this thread who look at it un-objectively.

Those who haven't who can look at it objectively.

I hate to break it to ya Web, but you are not the picture of objectivity in this thread. You start out calling anyone who says that they hunt for food a liar. Nothing anyone says will change your mind. You can try and act morally superior because you let someone else do your killing for you, but it just isn't true. :type:

 

[Aaron]

Originally Posted by webdog
Question for the hunters...would the entire experience be different if you traded your bow or rifle for a Nikon. . . ?

Yes. That would be called photography.

What more needs to be said? You're in it for the kill. Case closed.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

Question for the hunters...would the entire experience be different if you traded your bow or rifle for a Nikon, why or why not?

Last time I checked, you can't eat a photograph.

 

[webdog]

I hate to break it to ya Web, but you are not the picture of objectivity in this thread. You start out calling anyone who says that they hunt for food a liar. Nothing anyone says will change your mind. You can try and act morally superior because you let someone else do your killing for you, but it just isn't true. :type:

Supply where I alluded to what you accuse me of or retract it.

 

[padredurand]

What more needs to be said? You're in it for the kill. Case closed.

Believe what you wish. I'm leaving Friday for four days at deer camp. I plan on fully enjoying the companionship of my best friend and fellow hunter. I have permits for one buck, one doe and another doe if I fill my landowner's permit. I fully anticipate filling all three tags. But that's not the point.

I will enjoy four days of being outside in 20 degree weather watching the world wake up. I will have four days without the interruption of telephones, cell phones, emails, the web, radio, television or even a newspaper. I will have four days of watching numerous deer without shooting, turkey as they forage, coyotes scampering through the underbrush, fisher, mink and beaver around the pond. I will have four days of hearing the geese honk and the cawing of crows. I will have four days of watching flocks of starlings swoop through their aerobatics. I will have four days of late night campfire talk with the best friend a man could ask for on this earth.

Of those four days there will be a moment of about 15 seconds when I pull the trigger, a projectile flies through the air at 2600 foot per second and an animal dies. You have taken that brief moment in time and declared that to be the sole reason I hunt as well as proclaiming that moment to be immoral in the midst of an otherwise moral activity. You, sir, are mistaken.

The meat I will eat and share with my family the next few months will come as a product of my own hand. I will have toiled for days and reaped the benefit of 30+ years of failure and success during hunting season. You will buy your meat at Kroegers. An animal still died but you can ease your conscience because you let someone else do the killing. As you said earlier: Case Closed!

 

[Johnv]

I just want to ask if you have EVER been hunting?..

Does laser tag and paintballing count? I'll tell you without any hesitation, pelting my best friends is not only rewarding, it's gratifying!!

I have permits for one buck, one doe and another doe

So, it begs the question. If I see a deer, does it have a little doe? Yeah, it might have a buck or two.

 

[tinytim]

Does laser tag and paintballing count? I'll tell you without any hesitation, pelting my best friends is not only rewarding, it's gratifying!!

I love laser tag.. and paintballing... I have only practiced, never gone...

But I would love too....

 

[Mexdeaf]

Does laser tag and paintballing count? I'll tell you without any hesitation, pelting my best friends is not only rewarding, it's gratifying!!

So you take pleasure in causing pain in your fellow human beings?















SINNER!!


:laugh:

 

[Johnv]

So you take pleasure in causing pain in your fellow human beings?

That's nothing. You should visit my chiropracter.

 

[JMSR]

I'm going to buy a box of bullets this afternoon.

 

[Mexdeaf]

That's nothing. You should visit my chiropracter.

LOL!!:thumbsup::laugh:

 

[Aaron]

Believe what you wish.

I believe what is.

I'm leaving Friday for four days at deer camp. I plan on fully enjoying the companionship of my best friend and fellow hunter. I have permits for one buck, one doe and another doe if I fill my landowner's permit. I fully anticipate filling all three tags. But that's not the point.

I will enjoy four days of being outside in 20 degree weather watching the world wake up. I will have four days without the interruption of telephones, cell phones, emails, the web, radio, television or even a newspaper. I will have four days of watching numerous deer without shooting, turkey as they forage, coyotes scampering through the underbrush, fisher, mink and beaver around the pond. I will have four days of hearing the geese honk and the cawing of crows. I will have four days of watching flocks of starlings swoop through their aerobatics. I will have four days of late night campfire talk with the best friend a man could ask for on this earth.

Of those four days there will be a moment of about 15 seconds when I pull the trigger, a projectile flies through the air at 2600 foot per second and an animal dies. You have taken that brief moment in time and declared that to be the sole reason I hunt as well as proclaiming that moment to be immoral in the midst of an otherwise moral activity. You, sir, are mistaken.

There is nothing mentioned here that you could not enjoy were your weapon a camera, except the kill. In fact, without the kill, you probably feel it was a rather anticlimactic outing, like going to a bad movie or making love without getting to the top of the hill—more frustrating than fulfilling despite all the camaraderie with your buddies.

The meat I will eat and share with my family the next few months will come as a product of my own hand. I will have toiled for days and reaped the benefit of 30+ years of failure and success during hunting season.

I know a man who is a true forager. He really likes venison, and that's why he "hunts." Out of the 25 avid sportsmen I am forever affiliated with by blood and by covenant, there is only one who truly "hunts" for the food, and I found that he doesn't spend a lot of money on umpteen rifles, scopes, blinds, stands, scenting solutions, camouflage, etc., and HATES the outdoors.

You will buy your meat at Kroegers. An animal still died but you can ease your conscience because you let someone else do the killing. As you said earlier: Case Closed!

There you go again making assumptions. I've killed my own food many times. You seem unable to discern the distinction between sport and foraging.

The question was, is hunting for sport a moral activity. You said you believe it is, but now you're trying to say hunting is all about everything except the kill. Like I said before, you can't snow me, so don't try.

 

[Revmitchell]

I will hunt, fish, sport, forage, and buy my 5 rifles 5 scopes, three bows, two black powder guns, and three hand guns. May my hand be steady, my bullets be swift, and my wife be patient.

 

[Mexdeaf]

Like I said before, you can't snow me, so don't try.

This is going to come across as harsh, but who cares what you think? No one on here is going to answer to you on Judgment Day, and quite frankly you're beginning to sound like a KJVO- no matter how much truth you are presented with to the contrary, you're not going to change your mind about your unfounded "truth" that if anyone ENJOYS hunting it must be sin.

P.S. You ever tried to eat a photograph? YUCK!!

 

[JMSR]

I believe what is.I know a man who is a true forager. He really likes venison, and that's why he "hunts." Out of the 25 avid sportsmen I am forever affiliated with by blood and by covenant, there is only one who truly "hunts" for the food, and I found that he doesn't spend a lot of money on umpteen rifles, scopes, blinds, stands, scenting solutions, camouflage, etc., and HATES the outdoors.

Do you condemn him for hating the outdoors?

 

[padredurand]

There you go again making assumptions. I've killed my own food many times. You seem unable to discern the distinction between sport and foraging.

I'll add another assumption. I assume you loathed the killing part.

The question was, is hunting for sport a moral activity. You said you believe it is, but now you're trying to say hunting is all about everything except the kill.

I'm saying that hunting is much more than the kill. I've been skunked numerous times and still enjoyed the company of my friend and being out in the woods. Killing is part of hunting. Without the killing part the activity is called sightseeing. I do that for 11 1/2 months at the same place I hunt.

Like I said before, you can't snow me, so don't try.

Not trying to snow anyone. You're playing semantics with your undefined use of foraging and sport. That's fine. You think the legal taking of a wild animal during its due season is immoral. That, too, is fine. Hunting has existed on this earth since the descendants of Noah....

He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said,
Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
Genesis 10:9 KJV
​

You are entitled to your opinion. I need to move on. I am not conceding anything. I just have to get my equipment together for my time at camp and don't have the extra time to spend here.

 

[Benjamin]

It seems a lot of the argument is over want and need of killing an animal. For instance, if I could hunt cows I might enjoy the adventure although the whole process would involve some work, I would have need for the meat and rather or not I could buy it is insignificant, the animal is there for my taking and my God given right to do so.

Now what if I want (have a need for) a bear skin rug in front of the fire place? The animal is still there for me to take and I still have a right to do so, rather or not I’m going to eat it the meat. No guilt or conflict if that is what I choose to have rather or not one wants to call the “adventure” a “blood sport” and feel pity for the animal. Their problem of judging me, not mine.

God had the OT people sacrifice animals to Him which did not even pay for sin; it was faith that saved them. It was a symbolic action which involved killing an animal that wasn’t even really for His pleasure and the only real need was to for man to be obedient in faith. Was God immoral to have men kill animals just to teach them something while not taking pity on the animals?

So what if a man feels the need to have trophy heads and stuffed animals all over his home to display his machoism and love of the hunt? Well, to me that is a bit overboard and raises the question of “What if everyone did it?” Personally, it wouldn’t have the effect to make me feel macho and would maybe question that need but more so I would have to weigh the waste in doing so in that regard. OTOH, if I had killed a grizzly that attacked me in the woods with a Bowie knife I would feel that I earned that trophy, and display it while giving the glory to God.

The point is the animals were given to us to fulfill our wants and needs and we were given dominion over them. The only time I see a problem or shame with taking them if is it is done irresponsibly or selfishly in that it deprived others. I would be careful in judging another man for taking pleasure in the God-given right to kill and use the animals whatever their need. I would be more concerned about judging my brother to be immoral in the matter than I would over the welfare and having pity over the animal.

 

[Mexdeaf]

It seems a lot of the argument is over want and need of killing an animal. For instance, if I could hunt cows I might enjoy the adventure although the whole process would involve some work, I would have need for the meat and rather or not I could buy it is insignificant, the animal is there for my taking and my God given right to do so.

Now what if I want (have a need for) a bear skin rug in front of the fire place? The animal is still there for me to take and I still have a right to do so, rather or not I’m going to eat it the meat. No guilt or conflict if that is what I choose to have rather or not one wants to call the “adventure” a “blood sport” and feel pity for the animal. Their problem of judging me, not mine.

God had the OT people sacrifice animals to Him which did not even pay for sin; it was faith that saved them. It was a symbolic action which involved killing an animal that wasn’t even really for His pleasure and the only real need was to for man to be obedient in faith. Was God immoral to have men kill animals just to teach them something while not taking pity on the animals?

So what if a man feels the need to have trophy heads and stuffed animals all over his home to display his machoism and love of the hunt? Well, to me that is a bit overboard and raises the question of “What if everyone did it?” Personally, it wouldn’t have the effect to make me feel macho and would maybe question that need but more so I would have to weigh the waste in doing so in that regard. OTOH, if I had killed a grizzly that attacked me in the woods with a Bowie knife I would feel that I earned that trophy, and display it while giving the glory to God.

The point is the animals were given to us to fulfill our wants and needs and we were given dominion over them. The only time I see a problem or shame with taking them if is it is done irresponsibly or selfishly in that it deprived others. I would be careful in judging another man for taking pleasure in the God-given right to kill and use the animals whatever their need. I would be more concerned about judging my brother to be immoral in the matter than I would over the welfare and having pity over the animal.

An excellent, sensible and well-thought out post.:applause:

 

[webdog]

I would be careful in judging another man for taking pleasure in the God-given right to kill and use the animals whatever their need.

Need...yes. Recreation, you will have to provide Scripture that animals are ours to use and abuse at whim since we were given dominion over them, particularly for something like just wanting a rug in front of your fireplace.