Animal cruelty?

[Backfromthedead]

This was also decades ago, on my first hunt my "gear" consisted of a used Marlin 30-30, open sights, no scope, that as I recall I paid $150 CAD for, a box of ammo that cost probably $10 or $15, the permit was under $20, and $20 or so in gas. I slept in the back of my truck. I didn't own or wear any fancy gear, a red hat and vest I believe. I shot a bull moose opening day, and came home the same day and filled the freezer. The rifle and whatever else I had invested paid for itself & then some, on that first trip. Hunting doesn't have to be expensive, but it certainly can be depending on numerous factors. My next rifle was a Kleinguenther K-15 rifled to a Weatherby 270 Mag. It cost about 10 times what the first one did, and the scope was another $450. A lot of money to a young fella, but over the years I filled a lot of freezers with that rifle.

For some reason i figured you for a bowhunter.

Its funny the way that works. My two brownings, which cost me thousands and are set up specifically for sniping big game, have only knocked down 4 deer between them. But my old mossberg shotgun has dropped too many to remember. Ive abandoned both for my crossbow these last few years though.

I wanted to touch on the "bloodlust" theory discussed earlier. When i was younger i did indeed enjoy the thrill of stalking and killing big game, often taking more than i needed just for the sake of competition with my peers or bragging rights. There is a lot of skill and work (and yes money too) involved in hunting with precision and efficiency, so i can understand the pride associated with it without labelling it as "bloodlust".

Not so much anymore though. I take one deer per year these days, and i let many small bucks walk on by, hoping the big one is following up his trail.

 

[Ulu]

It's possible that I associated with a much higher class of Hunter than you might normally find but I kind of doubt it.

I started hunting as a child and I would just take my bicycle and go out in the desert. I had a high powered air rifle and a replica 1911 that shot pellets.

There was no one out there and there was no license and no rules. At least in my 11 year old mind.

When I found as an adult I would have to pay money and buy a license and do all kinds of other things that were nonsensical to me, I just lost interest.

 

[RD.]

For some reason i figured you for a bowhunter.

My first bow was a Fred Bear recurve (1970's), after mastering that I moved up to a Jennings 65# compound bow, I think that would have been early 80's. No sights, no pins, that old compound was nothing like the bows of today. It rolled over and held at 45#'s, not something that the average person could hold for an indefinite period. I shot bull elk, bull moose, etc with that bow. The season here was early, pre-gun season and when I started out with a bow I seldom saw another hunter for hundreds of miles. So you figured right.

 

[skjl47]

I wanted to touch on the "bloodlust" theory discussed earlier. When i was younger i did indeed enjoy the thrill of stalking and killing big game, often taking more than i needed just for the sake of competition with my peers or bragging rights. There is a lot of skill and work (and yes money too) involved in hunting with precision and efficiency, so i can understand the pride associated with it without labelling it as "bloodlust".

Hello; I may be beginning to understand a bit more. let me try again. First point being I do not have a problem with folks who like to hunt and kill. I indeed do favor the practice. I personally have not hunted myself but it was more due to not having a background as a child and later as an adult not having the extra money. At one point I had to choose where to spend my limited money so I chose other than hunting.
I have by the luck of where I have lived been around a few avid hunters and have heard them talk after a hunt. I have helped dress out their deer. I have gone with them when sighting in the rifles and shotguns as I do like to shoot.

I guess it is the term I used that is not appreciated. So exchange the term "blood lust" for some other that suits. A few of the mostly men I have been aware of do spend big money for their hunts. They do have expensive guns and several of them. They will drive over a thousand miles and spend over a week out on a hunt in Colorado. Whatever the preferred term may be this is not subsistence hunting and by my thinking costs much more than buying meat at a store. I have always thought it takes skill and effort to be a successful hunter as well.

 

[Backfromthedead]

Hello; I may be beginning to understand a bit more. let me try again. First point being I do not have a problem with folks who like to hunt and kill. I indeed do favor the practice. I personally have not hunted myself but it was more due to not having a background as a child and later as an adult not having the extra money. At one point I had to choose where to spend my limited money so I chose other than hunting.
I have by the luck of where I have lived been around a few avid hunters and have heard them talk after a hunt. I have helped dress out their deer. I have gone with them when sighting in the rifles and shotguns as I do like to shoot.

I guess it is the term I used that is not appreciated. So exchange the term "blood lust" for some other that suits. A few of the mostly men I have been aware of do spend big money for their hunts. They do have expensive guns and several of them. They will drive over a thousand miles and spend over a week out on a hunt in Colorado. Whatever the preferred term may be this is not subsistence hunting and by my thinking costs much more than buying meat at a store. I have always thought it takes skill and effort to be a successful hunter as well.

No im not offended in the least, didnt mean to come off like that. In fact i didnt concede enough to you in that there certainly are bloodthirsty hunters. Ive hunted with guys who shot anything that moved, be it a faun or possum or cat, just to do it. Ive seen guys laugh when animals suffered from a careless shot or even purposely place a tortuous shot. But ive always tried to treat the sport with a certain level of dignity and the animals with respect.

 

[Backfromthedead]

My first bow was a Fred Bear recurve (1970's), after mastering that I moved up to a Jennings 65# compound bow, I think that would have been early 80's. No sights, no pins, that old compound was nothing like the bows of today. It rolled over and held at 45#'s, not something that the average person could hold for an indefinite period. I shot bull elk, bull moose, etc with that bow. The season here was early, pre-gun season and when I started out with a bow I seldom saw another hunter for hundreds of miles. So you figured right.

I fiddled with an old compound for a couple years. Its definitely a more skillful pursuit than rifle hunting or the like. I really enjoy the crossbow now though. I dont know if I'll ever go back to firearms as long as i can use one.

 

[RD.]

Close to 35 yrs ago I shot my first bull moose with a bow, a young bull, 1.5 yrs old and still with the cow. It was hanging in the garage the next morning waiting to be butchered when our 3 yr old daughter walked in and exclaimed - "Mmmmmm, a young one, he'll be tender". lol

Speaking of moose I passed one in the ditch on my way to work this morning, about 10 minutes out of the city. It was tits up, dead to the world from a truck/car hitting it in the night. I rather doubt that was a humane way to check out, either.

 

[twentyleagues]

The adrenaline rush that some hunters get is at it most base is in fact a bloodlust. Its nothing to be ashamed of or to hate on its in our DNA we are hunters, killers, predators. It's the "hunters" that glorify the kills and cause pain and suffering and waste the kill that are the issue.

I spent a few years while younger learning from my grandfather how to shoot, when to shoot, where to shoot and what happens after. I went with him on hunts. When I turned 12 we went out to hunt. I got a doe shot her with a 12g pump slug. She didnt go 5 steps and was dead. My grandfather congratulated me on the shot and the quick kill. He hunted for sustenance he didnt buy meat he hunted and fished. So he knew the value of not allowing the animal to suffer. I cried. I felt awful, it didnt feel good it felt terrible. It wasnt for me. I hold no ill will for hunters taking animals for food. I am glad of the time I spent with my grandfather and went "hunting" with him often helping clean and dress and carry the animal back. I just didnt want to kill it. Can I kill an animal yes if I need to, do I need to? not likely.

 

[spotfin]

The concept of humane way to kill is absurd. You are killing it. Now a quick death versus a tortious death is really what we are asking about. Taking a life is taking a life. For lobsters the quickest way to do it is to insert a knife behind the head and cut the head in half length wise. You have to be careful as a toxin is released shortly after death into the meat of a lobster and not cooking it or freezing it asap will result in illness.

As has been done for a long time, boil up the water and throw the lobsters in whole. Refrain from eating the hepatopancreas (tomalley) as this is where toxins can originate from.

 

[RD.]

Lust, to crave or have a strong desire for - blood? Personally that never entered into the equation for me. Certainly there was an adrenaline rush from the thrill of the hunt, but the kill itself, and the blood that followed, was always anti-climatic for me. The rush came in the chase, the hunt, outsmarting & out maneuvering a wild animal that lives every waking moment in survival mode, and knows every branch of the river, every meadow, every game trail, and every rock along the way. I'd be lying if I said that calling in a 6 point elk using my own voice to mimic a cow in heat, so close that I could shoot it with a bow & arrow, wasn't a rush. It most certainly was.