I have come to the same place as you, bcraig. In fact, I'm probably worse.
I'm not anti hunting and may have to kill in order to survive but that's the only reason I'll kill. I find that I have less and less patience with the "trophy hunter". My ego does not require or demand that I kill something in order to validate my existence.
I was building a rifle for a customer and he said, "If I see a monster deer beside the road I'll shoot him, cut his horns off and leave him there." I didn't even want to finish his rifle and will never do another for him under any circumstances.
A well known barrel maker was in the habit of setting up a Barr & Stroud rangefinder and shooting elk at over 1200 yards. I'll never buy one of his barrels. Anybody who uses a magnificent animal for target practice is beneath contempt. In the time of flight of the bullet at that distance the animal can take one step and turn a heart shot into a gut shot. If the animal is across a canyon you know the "hunter" won't make that trek just to verify a kill.
I generally like your posts and this hasn't disappointed.
