your first kill: how difficult was it for you?

When I was around 12, my dad bought a Crossman .22 pellet rifle for me. I shot just about any wild critter that moved, but never got up close and personal with the aftermath.

One day I shot what turned out to be a rare songbird (a Scarlet Tanager, I think?) and walked up to look at it because of the brilliant color.

What I saw made me sick inside, not so much in sympathy for the bird, but in the utter waste of such a beautiful thing, for no other purpose than to serve my own meanness.

It was worse because my dad just looked and was silent for awhile. It would've been easier if he'd just chewed my backside.

I hunted for years after that, but the kill was a much more somber thing.
 
I can't say I've ever felt remorse about taking the life of an animal. Maybe because that's how we put food on the table for most of my childhood.

I've always felt kind of excited after taking game animals. Why? Probably because I know that Mrs. Coastie will be turning it into some delicious grub later to feed our family.

I have no quarrel with those who feel remorse over the taking of game animals.

I do take issue with those who say that that hunting is immoral or wrong because other animals shouldn't have to die to feed us. Generally, they're the first to order a rib-eye when we go out to dinner.

Every human on earth is responsible for "innocent" living beings dying in order for our stomachs to be filled. Yes, even vegetarians... Whether it's deer, squirrels, rabbits, ducks, dove, cows, chickens, turkeys, corn, tomatoes or soybeans... Those are all living organisms and are killed every day for the purpose of putting food on someone's table... Think about it.
 
Rats at the dump,,,

My grandfather used to take me with him,,,
His recreational shooting were rats at the dump outside of town.

So when I finally shot and killed one,,,
It was just a rat and no big deal,,,
I was probably around 7-8.

But when I got a .22 Crossman pellet gun for my 10th birthday,,,
That was another story all together.

Sparrows and such were always fair game,,,
But then I shot a robin red-breast,,,
I felt like a total ****.

I hunted frequently in my first 25 years of life,,,
Mainly because all my relatives hunted,,,
We ate what we shot so it was okay,,,
I never had a problem with the kill.

But I finally decided I had killed everything I wanted to,,,
Now I don't hunt anything but tin cans, paper, and reactive targets.

Except for those damnable black grackle birds,,,
They crap on everything in my yard,,,
I have no mercy for them.

I have a friend who keeps asking me to go prairie dog hunting with him,,,
To tell the truth I don't think I would enjoy the slaughter,,,
I've mellowed out in my approaching old age.

.
 
hey jmp, check out some shelters in your area.

many of them will take wild game. its greatly needed, and you can still enjoy the hunt without worrying about wastage.
 
+1 jgcoastie.

As a kid, helping in the butchering of what we ate, you learn at a young age what animals are put on this earth for.

You also learn not to waste game animals you kill ;).
 
gaseousclay said:
I even watched a youtube video on how to field dress a deer. I initially thought this would gross me out, but surprisingly it didn't
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The experience changes exponentially, when actually gutting an animal. The videos can give an idea of what to expect, but are often almost comical. Actually cutting an animal open for the first time can be much more difficult than some people imagine.

Once the blast of moisture, smell of the blood, smell of the body cavity, and texture of the organs comes into play.... its a whole different ball game. Small game animals aren't too bad, but spilled stomach contents in a big game animal can be quite nasty (even if it wasn't a gut shot, but just a bone chip that puncture the intestines or stomach). Between the smell, texture, and appearance, I have seen dozens of hunters that can't handle it.

In my family, everyone cleans their first big game animal without gloves.
 
hey jmp, check out some shelters in your area. many of them will take wild game. its greatly needed, and you can still enjoy the hunt without worrying about wastage
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Great idea! This has never even crossed my mind
 
I let my buddy use my pellet rifle one afternoon and while I was inside I heard him yelling about something. He popped a bluebird right in the back of the head and was pretty pumped, as it was the first thing he had ever killed.

After explaining that that wasn't the nicest thing to do and that his karma was shot, a big storm blew in and lightning struck about a quarter-mile from where we were standing. I call it a warning.

If you ever really want to be turned off to hunting, just watch The Deer Hunter.

HH
 
You have been programmed by society to be apalled by killing,
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Bingo.

Hopefully you get over it.

Too many "meat comes from the frozen aisle" and "eating meat is cruel" types out there.
 
I have no quarrel with those who feel remorse over the taking of game animals.

I do take issue with those who say that that hunting is immoral or wrong because other animals shouldn't have to die to feed us. Generally, they're the first to order a rib-eye when we go out to dinner.
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you won't get any argument from me there. all it took for me to change my mind about the subject was hearing stories from my father in-law. not only has he been a hunter his whole life but he also runs a farm where putting cows & steer out of their misery is the norm. not to mention the fact that i've been a meat-eater my whole life and it would be hypocritical of me to say anything otherwise. I'll admit that I was willfully ignorant in my younger days but now I have no problem with it.
 
typetees-t-shirt-meat-is-murder-tasty-tasty-murder-clip.jpg


yes, I own this t-shirt
 
BMP, it's not at all uncommon to sorta ease off of wanting to actually shoot something. My problem noadays is that I can't eat a whole deer. :D So, I'd rather set up hunting opportunities for friends, and mostly hunt the campfire. Sorta pass along what I've learned over nearly seventy years of messing around outdoors.

But there's always somebody who'd be happy to have a chunk of deer meat...

And horns nailed up on a garage joist are memories. As long as I'm alive, those bucks are sorta immortal, at least long beyond what nature would have given them.
 
A predator's regret

Hunters:

I too "feel" that moment when I take a deer's life, but I also think it connects me to the real world. I don't feel for the cow, or chicken, or tuna I eat. Maybe i should. On the other hand cougars, sharks, and preying mantis don't feel a thing when they take down their prey.

Live well, be safe
Prof Young
 
I grew up with it. Grand Dad had a farm and I spent 2 to 3 months a year on the farm.
In those days “the country life” meant that you raised, killed, and butchered most of your meat and you raised, picked, and canned your vegetables and most fruits. Hunting and fishing was also part of it.
I guess was 3 when I saw my first animal killed and butchered.
The only time I felt bad was when I didn’t make a clean kill.
 
I really can't remember my 1st kill. It was either "gigging" frogs or killing a nest of baby "robins" with a brick when I was six. (The mother was either killed or had abandoned them.)

Today-
I don't hunt much anymore due to health reasons. But, my uncle is a "world" renown hunter. I also know a whole bunch of hunters. (blue collar to pro)

The experience of the hunters I know, as well as myself, has always been one of mixed feelings:

I've always experienced: comtemplation (of life & death), anticipation (of the harvest), admiration (of the quarry), satisfaction (of a "clean" kill) and sadness (nature has lost some of it's beauty and majesty).

Some feelings present themselves again later: contemplation (blessing from God), anticpation (of how it will be utilized) and again admiration (of it's sacrifice).

There is also a satisfaction you get from making provision for your family.

ALL of these feelings have been happening to me every time I've hunted since I was nine years old. They also happen irregardless of the species harvested.

ETA:
The one thing that NEEDS to be understood by all anti-hunters is: "Without hunting, MORE animals tha hunters take would die a MUCH, MUCH more horrible and slow death.

(We are beginning to see a LOT more cases "wildlife" starvation and disease taking place; especially in places that frown on hunting due to developement or animal rights activists influence.)
 
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I have been killing small game my whole life and did go big game hunting for years before connecting. I forget my first small game kill, no big deal. My first big game kill was in 08 and was the easy classic standing broadside shot at ~ 80 yds at a mule deer. I hit her high left of the shoulder and took out her spine and she collapsed and rolled right there but did not die right away. SHe had her front legs goin and was flailing her head all over making a finishing shot from that distance unlikely so I began making my way toward her and she started crying and wailing with the most pitiful sound you have ever heard and it did make me feel bad for the moment. I quickly dispatched her with a followup but I wont forget that sound. It did not turn me off to hunting at all it was just sad to hear for the moment.
 
MIne was pretty tough i had to shoot a rabbit off my dads shoulder. Waving all over the place. I was 6 years old...............:D
 
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