Kill Thrill?

[Art Eatman]

Sorry, johns7022k, but your ideas are high-percentage wrong. The issue is "thrill", with some amount of connotation of "Lust to kill"--and that's not true for most hunters I've known for over sixty years.

If you want to eat deer or quail, ya gotta hunt. It has nothing to do with "need". Part of it is the "do it yourself" aspect of providing food, just like gardening. I may be a bit overboard on this, since I built my own house my ownself with minimal outside help. (And the garage/workshop and the water and septic systems.)

IMO, the satisfaction of a successful ending to some sort of challenge is a good feeling, sure. A thrill in any positive connotation of the word, I guess.

Back forty years ago when $300 was actual money instead of a night on the town for two, my father commented, "It's worth $300 for the right to trespass on a ranch. But a deer on the ground ain't worth fifty cents--'cause the fun's over and the work begins."

Our bunch seemed to have as much fun sitting around the campfire, BSing, as in actual hunting. One thing of note was that good events were told about other people; goof-stuff was told about the story-teller himself.

[Dust]

- Driving 8 hours, with thousands of dollars worth of gear, walking around all day and coming home that night with 30 lbs worth of meat isn't cost effective to say 'I'm here to feed my family'

2 hours, with maybe $500

- That shooting an animal that walks in front of you with a hunting rifle at 65 yards is about as 'skill full' as taking a dump every morning. but being quiet, and scentless, and still enough for aforementioned animal to feel comfortable coming that close is much more difficult than taking the kids to the pool

fixed

- That living in a competitive world does not require killing animals for fun.

I don't think too many people have mentioned doing it for fun

- That I am here to kill a animal, because I can, because I have the power and time and money in my life, because I like shooting reactive targets better then paper, cans, and water bottles. The hunt is more than killing, it is stalking, and missing, and being away from all the other crap that living a competitive life in the concrete jungles just doesn't fulfill. Knowing that you are eating fruit straight off the vine, prepared by you, and not some person in a factory.

FIXT

There much more noble challenges in life then shooting critters that pose no threat, have no defensive value, for no other purpose then to watch something die.

Most posters said that killing, and the dying was the worst part.

Most posts have stated the the dying part is the worst
In reality, most of you hunters need to have someone chasing you around the woods with the same guns...and oh my god...how you would scream, bloody murder, if this serial killer told you he was there for the 'skill, thrill of the hunt, to get outdoors, feed the family, cull the heard'...and right before he slit your throat he said...'Hey, I'm not killing you...I am 'Harvesting' you...

wasn't there a movie about that?

[TheNatureBoy]

My hunting partner used to kill anything that moved. He once cut the head off of a rabbit with a .40 cal hand gun for no reason other than he wanted to test his new handgun out. Man did I give him down in the country for that one. When he is with me he doesn't randomly kill animals anymore and I appreciate that. What he does when we don't hunt together is his business. I guess its safe to say that the "kill thrill" doesn't exist within me. God only knows how many deer, turkey, ground hogs, squirrels I have let walk past me simply because I didn't plan on eating it. I have a healthy respect for life; humans and animals. I guess thats why I spend most of my time punching holes in paper.

[Art Eatman]

Probably some of the best reading on the subject is Robert Ruark's "The Old Man and the Boy". There's more about ethics built into those stories of the Boy's growing up hunting and fishing with his grandfrather than in any other book I've read.

There is a progression of attitude and behavior that is common throughout homo sapiens, anywhere that there is hunting. In the early years, most anything is a target. Somewhere beyond the teens, the concepts of ethics and fair chase enters the psyche. That leads to a lot of "just hunting" as well as trophy hunting. Then there's a bit of a slowdown in later middle years, and the "school teacher mode" enters--pass along knowledge to the younger folks as they both hunt. Finally, there is just the teaching and commenting around the campfire when the old body is just too worn out to get out and actually hunt.

[DanThaMan1776]

For me it's the transformation from being squeamish at age 12 with my pellet rifle shooting birds off of rooftops and feeling bad about it to hunting game and feeling satisfied that I just played man's best sport and won.

[sixgun67]

- Driving 8 hours, with thousands of dollars worth of gear, walking around all day and coming home that night with 30 lbs worth of meat isn't cost effective to say 'I'm here to feed my family'

(driving 30 hours, paying for 3 motels, with thousands of dollars worth of gear, walking around all day and coming home that night with 300 pictures isn't cost effective to say, 'I'm here to entertain my family')

No more cost effective as driving thru six states in a $50,000 RV at 10mpg to see the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore or Cape Canaveral, or where ever.
Or, as cost effective as mowing the lawn. Or washing the car. Value is a relevant term.

The cost effectiveness is from being away from home, enjoying this world that we live in, and all it's wonders. Hell, buying a house is not cost effective when you consider interest on the mortgage, and can rent and let the landlord pay for the repairs and fixes, and taxes. So many things cannot be considered in 'cost effectiveness' or we'd never do them.

[doofus47]

I enjoy the hunt. I appreciate the quality and flavor of the meat that I provide to my family through a job well-done: stalk, kill and recovery. There's no other way to get that meat myself than to kill for it. Still, I feel bad for killing an elk or deer. They are magnificent animals.
If I can't eat it, then it's never going to find its way into my sights.
If I lived on a ranch and had to worry about coyotes attacking my dogs, I might shoot the odd coyote that was wandering through the back 40, but that's not my situation. They keep rodents down and that's fine in my book.

Killing is part of the greater scheme. Do animals enjoy it? I dunno. Some seem to kill more than they need to survive--minks and weasels come to mind. Wolves also, apparently, although they may return to scavenge abandoned kills. I guess I'd rather think of myself as a wolf rather than a weasel.

[Hoskins]

Most posts have stated the the dying part is the worst
In reality, most of you hunters need to have someone chasing you around the woods with the same guns...and oh my god...how you would scream, bloody murder, if this serial killer told you he was there for the 'skill, thrill of the hunt, to get outdoors, feed the family, cull the heard'...and right before he slit your throat he said...'Hey, I'm not killing you...I am 'Harvesting' you...

Been there, in a sense. I've hunted & been hunted by insurgents there buddy. Fact of the matter is...who are you to question & put down the hunters. It is apart of who we are, it links us to our ancestors, & quite frankly...it is fun. I love every aspect of it! The scouting, pattering, stalking, & yes...if it all works out & I did my part...The Killing!

I don't say I harvested an animal & I can't say that there is one person that I know that says harvested & not killed! Yeah, I kill animals, all with in the law. I don't torture them...I don't shoot em in a bad spot and let em die a slow death. Face it, if there wasn't hunters nowdays, then there would be a huge problem with over population & the animals would starve out...but that is a much more humane way for them to die out!

Hunting has been part of my family for many, many generations & I bet is was part of yours way back in the day! I have ancestors that are Cherokee & Blackfoot Indians & my grandmother was 1/2 cherokee & 1/2 Blackfoot (though I am a blonde hair/blue eyed dude). It is part of who I and my family is...& who is anyone to judge me. Are you a vegitarian? If not, I garuntee you that the "meat" & I use that term loosely, came from an animal that didn't have nearly the quality of life that the wildgame we hunt do. Plus, I'd rather eat 100% meat instead of 50% meat & 50% steriod injected mutant meat.

You are intitled to your opinion...that's the freedom we have in this country. Due largely to the "Hunters" of the United States Military! See we hunt & kill the (2) legged quarry that would gladly destroy everything you love. We do this so that we all have the freedoms we enjoy...and even if that means that the freedom leads to iggnorant bashes on some of our traditions & heritage.

[shortwave]

johns 7022,
You must be a vegetarian. Surely you don't believe in the mass slaughter of cows,hogs or chicken's that are stuffed with steroids along with other meds. cause our population's growing faster than we can feed it.

You'd probably rather the deer herd's naturally starve themselves out rather than the hunter slimming the herd down and making use of the deer meat rather than it wasting into the ground.:barf:.

May I suggest you do some research on the value of the hunter to different species before you judge so quickly/harshly.

Thrill of the kill:

I don't look at the does I take during first part of the season as any more of a 'thrill killing' than I do hitting a nice beef cattle between the eyes with a ballpeen hammer, hanging him from the frontloader,cutting his throat and letting him bleed out. Both beefcattle and deer are meat. I love both!

These animals are put here for our harvest. Period! Just like beef,pork etc.

After my doe tags are filled, I'm hunting my buck. The thrill is definately not the kill but the adventures leading up to it. The scouting, learning animals behaviors,patterns and so forth. All without animal detecting my presence.
There's been a few bucks I've hunted, that when given the chance to kill, I let them walk. Why? Cause it seemed right at the time and I formed kind of a respectful relationship with them. Some I've hunted and they must have died of old age cause I sure didn't kill them.

Again, the thrill is the hunt not the kill.

[hooligan1]

kraigwy tooks the words from my heart... quote; It's the thrill of the hunt, not the kill. Now 25 years ago I'd have to say I was out for blood, nothing else would do because I had been hunting from the age of twelve and we all know that a twelve year wants success,,, well I couldn't get enough.. Every trip to the woods for me was (in my mind measured by shells spent = animals killed..All the way up to the first year my oldest son could finally hunt along side me, there was a void... I could not get the adrenilne rush,the exitement, had all but completely left me. The first deer season my oldest could legally hunt it all came back to me.. all the excitement that had vacated my hunting had somehow returned. And that year he took a little doe the first weekend, then a nice eight-pointer the following weekend.. I was as giddy as a little kid again. Every time since I've had this renewed since of excitement when I take my 3 son's and one daughter hunting..They love to take game. I can't wait til season. I used to hunt turkey's in the spring, but I have stopped killing them for the simple fact is I'd rather call and listen than shoot and pluck!!!

Thanks for coming!

[BillCA]

I wouldn't say there is a "thrill" for the kill itself. It's more a thrill for being able to make the shot when it counts. At least, that's the way it is for me. There is satisfaction that the animal did not suffer, that all the practice and hard work preparing for the hunt paid off. But the thrill is in making a clean shot, not the death of the animal.

When it comes to hunting deer, elk, pigs or other game animals, I prefer the ones I can eat. There is that "thrill" from being able to make a clean kill when it counts. That being able to make the shot and feed yourself if need be.

Killing a deer in the field (ever notice that your kills are halfway up another hill or at least one steep hill from camp?) is not the hard work. Not even the endless hours of hiking and stealth movements are hard. The hard work comes after the kill. Cleaning the animal and taking it back to the campsite or lodge will test your patience and endurance.

Like oldone, each time I've killed a food or animal, I give thanks to God for the animal, for letting me kill it quick without suffering and give thanks that I live in a country where I can still hunt. There is a certain "thrill" and pride in making a clean shot that kills without undue suffering, regardless of the animal.

Killing coyotes, fox, mice, raccoons and other varmints doesn't evoke the same feeling. These are predatory pests that will take "easy game" on farms which if unchecked will litterally nibble you to death. I stayed with a friend whose family has over 870 acres in Texas. Coyotes beyond a certain area were left alone. They hunted other small varmints and kept their populations down. Within about 500 yards of the farm, though, they were fair game. If four or more came around, killing two and letting the others run off tended to keep them at a distance better than killing them all.

There's more to the hunt than just killing an animal. It's being able to get out away from the cities, away from lots of other people. It is listening to the wind rushing through the trees, the tranquility of quiet in the forest on on the plains. It's being able to feel a part of the natural world and enjoy a more basic way of life. It's learning about your prey, the way they move, what they eat, when they are most and least active. It's learning about nature to survive.

[nickE10mm]

BillCA, EXCELLENT post. Well worded, sir.

[kybandit]

I don't hunt in order to kill, but kill in order to have hunted. And say a small prayer of thanks to the spirit of the animal.