I have really enjoyed everyone's replies. I am glad that this community can openly talk about and yes...even disagree...in a nice tone.
I have hunted ever since I was TINY. Before that I helped on sheep farms and chicken houses (they are NASTY, but good money for a poor, rural family). Anyway, we had a ewe in labor that was obviously in too much pain and was not going to make it. Unfortunately, the lamb died while in the birthing canal and she would not make it through the procedure to get the lamb out of her. The inevitable had to happen. It was left up to me to use the only weapon I had (large pocket knife...very sharp, don't worry...I'm a tomboy and keep my knives in good condition) to dispatch this poor creature that was obviously dying as I watched. I raised her front leg and administered a heart jab...a quick death and I felt that was the friendliest thing I could do for her under the circumstances. Of course, since she was not ill...merely pregnant and unable to deliver...the meat would be quartered up.
I think that helped me with hunting. (More so than handing me a gun and telling me to sit in a tree stand and shoot the first deer to walk by). It taught me that LIFE is given by this animal and TAKEN by me. I have grown to be very conscious of this fact since that moment and even though I have taken many game in my day, I have neer forgotten the look in that ewe's eyes as she died. I believe it has helped me understand a lot about nature and how we should use the animals for our sustinance and not for a "trophy" or "something to shoot at".
My family eat what we take. Often (more than often actually, my living room is overflowing) we have the animal mounted. It's not to sickly exploit the animal, but to admire its beauty and remember that this creature was part of our lives in some way, shape, or form. So far, we have five deer, one bobcat, one wild russian boar (on the way), one grouse, and one black bear (Given to us by a friend of the family already mounted). In essence, they're part of the family. My son (whom is now hunting age) wanted to take a wild boar. Since his uncle has a hunting preserve, I let his uncle, father, and two seasoned guides take him on his first hunt. My only condition was that it would be a knife hunt...enlisting all the grown men to help catch the hog and let my son do a heart stick. I thought this would help him learn as I had learned. He came back from the hunt successful and uninjured (believe me, I did put safety first) and we enjoyed the first few pork chops from that hog the other night. He was proud to have put dinner on the table like his daddy and I even made him help process and bag the meat (father owns processing place...family affair isn't it? LOL). He told me about the hunt later and he said that when he was big enough to use a rifle he would always shoot for lungs or the heart to make a quick kill....I think he learned what I wanted him to. He is going to make a dandy future hunter and conservationist.
Wow, I have typed a book. I really hope everyone takes time to look at another's situation or viewpoint and truly understand where they come from. Some people have no need to hunt...I understand that. I, on the other hand, have it embedded so far into my blood that I can't NOT hunt. In this rural area with poverty stricken families, taking your limit of deer and quartering them up and sharing them with the community is rather rewarding too.
I hope you guys got something out of my novel
