Great thread. For me, the progression was backwards, in that the first deer I ever shot was almost the last. I was 18, and shot a doe at about 10 yards. She took a few seconds to die, and cried and moaned while she was expiring. It took me a long while to get over the pain of reliving that experience, I can tell you. In retrospect, it was probably a good thing, because it taught me to deeply respect other living creatures and to be cautious and discerning about taking a life - a lesson that most 18-year olds take longer to learn.
I get no great pleasure from watching any animal die. I see the killing as a necessary last step in a successful hunt, but the experience is secondary to the both the thrill of being in the outdoors and the challenge of trying to become part the natural world. And ... it almost goes without saying, I'm a meat hunter.
Just had roasted elk tenderloin tonight with mashed potatoes, gravy, and asparagus. Made the killing worthwhile.
There is something deeply satisfying about growing your own food, catching your own fish, and shooting your own meat.
