Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Mixed feeling on success

I hunt squirrels with a .22, because it seemed to get too easy with a shotgun. I enjoy nature no matter what I am hunting. When I hunt deer, I am after meat (we do eat it) and will take whatever makable shot I am presented. However, I still have time to watch the squirrels and the birds around me, and enjoy nature.
<br> As far as showing remorse goes, it depends at times. Once, I killed a deer that ashamed me in the manner in which it died. I would rather not go into details, but I cried for it when it was all over, and was ashamed of what I had done. At the same time, I did have a dead deer, so it would be a shame not to make use of it.

Nice post JJ and well put. I referred to this as a maturation process in another thread, and pointed out that for many of us(and I include guides when they are on their own, not working), while the occasional kill is a necessary part of the experience, but, as contradictory as this may seem, the experience, not the kill is the desired result.
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<br>Some people understand this, or develop this viewpoint, sooner than others. Some never develop it. Doesn't make them right, or the others wrong, but most of the time, the ones who don't share the "experience" viewpoint are the ones who just don't understand.. Those who do, almost universally, have been where the nay sayers are, and have moved beyond that point to enjoying the gestalt of the experience and recognize that we are all part of the process, not the result.

For me the whole experience is a "high" or I wouldn't be doing it. The months coming up to the season practicing with my firearm of choice, getting out and scouting my area, camping, getting my gear together, etc. Then when the season arrives getting out there with my friends setting up camp, a few brews by the fire, good food, and good conversation, all add up to the whole. Getting up at O-Dark-Thirty, and getting to my spot, watching the forest come alive, having that doe lay down 15 yards away from me never knowing I'm there. Hearing a squirrel making the same sounds as a whitetail through the woods for the first seconds and getting the adrenaline up. Seeing those piliated(sp) woodpeckers screeching through the canopy. Having that 8 point in the crosshairs, and then having him back at camp with tenderloin for dinner. It's the whole process, of course the biggest rush, not buck fever, is when it all comes together, when what ever I'm hunting shows up in the sights. I don't about everyone else, but that's the way it is for me, my 2 bits.
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I started hunting in Quebec during the early sixties as a young dutch immigrant.
<br>I used to rent a small wooden log cabin from a quebec trapper/occasional outfitter by the name of Henry Charbonneau. Henry took me under his wing, showed me around the area so I would not get lost, taught me to hunt and dropped by every other day to check on me.
<br>He made me buy a red plaid jacket, woolen pants, a cap with earwarmers, warm woolen gloves, and shoe-pacs. His favourite and only moose/deer/bear rifle? a 30-30 Winchester.
<br>I used to move around on foot in the deep snow, trying to stalk whitetail and moose, every turn in the trail would be a revelation to me in scenery and tracks I would encounter, like fisher, wolf and otter and the odd lynx. During his visits, with fire wood crackling in the large wood stove, we used to discuss what happened and how to do better next time.
<br>A couple of miles away, there was another deer/moose hunters camp, and I used to go visit there, if someone was at home. The rifles were mostly 30/30 Winchesters, some .303, .300 or .250 savages, the odd .303 Lee Enfield, and sometimes a Krag or mauser bolt action. Iron sights were the rule, with the odd scope.
<br>The deer then as they are now were hunted in the hardwood forests, and were then just as spooky as now. People worked hard for those deer and moose.
<br>What is my point? I perceive that there is too much emphasis and concentration of increasing our success not by means of effort and skill, but by means of technology. It makes many of us lazy and not willing or interested anymore to spend a lot of time to learn hunting skills and good ecological knowledge and appreciation.
<br>Do not get me wrong, I am not anti-military in the contrary, but I perceive a shift towards the militarization of hunting by lack of better terminology.
<br>Hunters rely increasingly on ATV's, laser range finders, Thermo-sensors, iluminating reticles in scopes, super performing rifles for long range shooting at game etc. We now wear more and more highly develloped camo clothing doused in cover scents or scent eliminators and use gear that makes us look like as if we are out on a combat mission destroying Taliban whitetails instead of hunting a fine game animal. We see an increased shift towards pen hunting, deer baiting or whatever you call it to satisfy the demand for a big bragging size trophy now!! Signs of the instant gratification philosophy.
<br>I am not a holier then thou purist myself. Yes I too have used camo gear, had a laser range finder and used at one time cover scents.
<br>Now, I tend to questioning myself more often, when I am tempted to purchase a new gadget.
<br>I am asking myself wether this would increase the quality of my hunt, improve my skills and be in the fair chase concept.
<br>We also have to question what we are trying to accomplish when we go afield.
<br>Are we out there for a great experience in taking a trophy or freezer animal using our skills in fair chase, or are we out there to eradicate varmints and just kill at all cost, and test the latest in technology? Big game animals in my mind are not varmint equivalents, but to be cherished and respected.
<br>I am not against technology, and truthfully I am quite intrigued with a lot of its devellopment, but believe that most of it should be used to ferret out and destroy Al- Queda and similar trash, not fine game animals.
<br>I am sympathetic to those of us that are handicapped, cannot get around well or do not have the needed eyesight. Give them what it takes to give them an equal chance to us healthy ones.
<br>I am not condemning you who do not agree with me, I think as hunters we should stand united. I would like to ask you, just take a little time some day, and analyse what you truly believe in your heart is right. Then go out and do what you believe is the right thing.
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