Are you a hunter: yes or no? (explain)

[Dixiespurgirl]

I was wanting to know how everyone stands on hunting. I'm not talking about "trophy" hunting, but merely the large population of the world that quietly pays their fees and hunts their bounty in their own backyard or hunting lease.

I have been a hunter since a very young age. My husband is an avid hunter and my brother owns a hunting reserve. Just recently, my soon to be seven year old went on his first hog hunt (family tradition...honestly, hog hunting is like learning to go without training wheels for other families). I grew up this way, my kids grew up this way, and we tend to eat more venison and pork from the great outdoors than the piggy wiggly!

How does everyone view hunting? Do you or do you not hunt? Do you accept the rights of others to hunt?

[lady cop]

personally the only wildlife i can kill is spiders, fire ants, poisonous snakes, jellyfish, nuisance alligators and the occasional drug dealer.

[Der Wulf]

I grew up in rural Michigan, hunting and fishing were a normal part of life. The "hunting" was a year round process as you constantly learned about the game animals habits, you learned to respect them, and most importantly, to preserve their habitat. Hunters were natural conservationists, totally unlike the phoney bambibrains afflicting us today.

I was recently honored to enjoy a steak from my grandaughter's first Elk.

[Beth]

My dad is, I'm not. I had reconciled with hunting. He eats what he hunts. I accept that now. I honestly see it as more humane to to eat deer you've hunted then to eat a cow that was raised, crammed in a pen, not allowed to graze. At least the dear had a chance to roam and be free.

[valerie]

I don't hunt myself but my father has since my earliest memory, and my
brother-in-law in Idaho hunts and fishes. My family always had 2 freezers
when I was growing up, and the meat was a big part of our diet, and saved
on the grocery bill. Yes, my father enjoyed going out with the guys and
having a good time, but still, it was important to the family. I have eaten
deer, bear, elk, pheasant, duck, sage grouse and probably a couple of
others I have forgotten about... and loads of trout of various types, I
remember some summer meals nothing but trout and corn on the cob.
Sheer heaven.

I would like to see anyone who wants to hunt be able to continue. I
do think maybe they can work with the powers that be to more
closely regulate herd counts, etc., but I believe that it can happen.

And hey, Dixiespurgirl, you can ship me that deer roast whenever
you're ready!!

[BabyRider]

Oh boy, here we go again...
Jives, could you please expand on the term "bloodthirsty"?
I am a hunter. I have been around it and done it my whole life. Mostly bow hunting, but occassionally rifle. There are misconceptions and stereotypes about hunters just like any other group. All the hunters I have known are conservationists. We truly care about preserving wildlife and the wilderness. The arguments for and against hunting can be repeated here yet again, and the anti-hunters will still think they are right, and the hunters will think they're the ones who are right. I am not bloodthirsty, I don't poach, I eat everything I kill, and I follow the laws governing hunting. I respect the wilderness, and the wildlife. Anyone who comes along spouting off about cruel treatment of deer and how hunters are a bunch of red-neck drunk gun-toting maniacs knows nothing of the sport. And yes, it IS a sport.

[Dixiespurgirl]

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

[Dixiespurgirl]

Originally Posted by Jives

I don't.

Jives, you hold a very crucial part to the environment and its future. You are opting to preserve and hold nature in a way unlike many other people. Just because it is different than the way I view nature does not make it wrong, but just part of the puzzle that together makes humanity and its various ways of grasping a concept.

I commend you for your views and for your love of nature. I too like to camp and leave the site as if no one was there. My husband and myself spend MANY vacation days traveling to natural "wonders" or hiking trails to view indian caves. I like to sit down and envision all the things indians might have been doing if I were in their time instead of my own.

If you ever get to Pickett State Park in Tennessee, you should hike to the indian rock house. It is a true sight to behold!


One thing I like about nature is that you must have a wide enough mind to view it in its entirety without picking it apart. The majesty is found in small peices, put together and they form one huge, fascinating thing. This is much like people and their views....the whole picture is wonderful and made up of small things....pick apart the small things though and you forget the whole view. Much like the english language also....in its entirety it is a magical language with endless amounts of ways to express oneself....pick it apart and you lose your freedom within it.....so look at the entirety and don't pick it apart. You lose sight of the bigger picture when you focus on the kodak label


I'm sorry if I made you woozy Jiles. I can only say that my post is made out of relevance to my life and how I have lived it and how my area and my family formed me into who I am today. I would love to hear about your life, other ways you enjoy nature...and I promise not to focus on words, but the message you give me

[Der Wulf]

Originally Posted by Jives

I don't.

Can we assume that you are a vegetarian?

[BabyRider]

Originally Posted by Jives

hardwired

...and bloodthirsty. Still waiting for you to expand...