So I've watched, with great interest, a small ceremony take place at the end of some European hunts, consisting of the game being laid out on the ground, generally followed by a tune played on bugles. What is this called? It seems to be essentially a tradition of reviewing the day's harvest.
Your not an ignorant when you ask for something. The ignorant feels he knows everything and don't need to ask!
It's a ceremony that honor the game taken, the hunters for their good hunting and shooting but it's also a ceremony where hunters thanks the beaters and dog leaders who premitted the success of the hunt. That ceremony is winning ground even in countries where it was not very well known or popular like mine, France.
Merci beaucoup, I appreciate the info. Here in the Southern US we just tend to cut their throats, gut them in about 2 minutes flat, then toss them in the back of the pickup trucks. Very efficient and businesslike, but it lacks a certain decorum. I may have to get some of my friends to participate in this on our next outing.
I've seen Ted Nugent do something similar. Granted not so elaborate but a short prayer or giving of thanks after the hunt. I think it is appropriate to do, not forcing religion or others traditions down anyones throat but a little appreciation for what you have killed on a hunt doesn't seem wrong to me.
In Germany where the tradition is Old and strong it is called a "streckelegen".(laying out of the game)
There are several songs played on the horns. A horn blow to call the hunters together, a horn song to start the hunt, a horn song to end the hunt, a horn blow to call the hunters together again.
Then there is a song played for each species of game taken from high to low. The game is also layed out in order of heirarchy. "hochwild"- Red stag up front down through the different big game (fallow deer, sitka, boar) then to the "neiderwild" or low game which can also be descrbed as small game roe deer down through rabbits and fox. If you have a large number of animals in long lines then every 10th animal might be pulled out half a body leingth to make them easier to count.
The game is layed out with a branch in their mouth from one of the 5 primary trees of germany as their "lieser bitzen" or last bite. The fox, as a pest generally doesnt get a last bite. The game is layed on its right side so that it's heart is facing up toward heaven.
The hunters that are successful are given a "schutzen bruchen" (shooters branch) from the jagdpector either over the pector's hat or knife. I was once even given the branch over a horn. This branch is to be placed in the right side of the hunter's hat to be recognised for the evening. I have heard that if you make a bad shot or shoot the wrong animal you will be given a very large branch. If a "schweisshunde"(blood hound) is used to find the shot game then the shooter may break off a section of his branch and hand it to the owner of the dog who in turn places the branch in the dog's collar to be recognised for the night.
All fo these branches are broken, never cut. This goes with a tradition from the early days of hunting in central europe where all fo the hochwild was reserved for royalty while the pesents were limited to small game. So in order to keep their poaching of the large game secret they always broke the branches that they left as signs so that their actions were less noticable in the forest.
These lower class of hunters even came up with their own language, the Jagdspreche "hunting speach" based on the german language so that they could even talk about their hunting within earshot of others without consiquence. Example. Instead of saying "bloud" (blood) they would say "swcheiss" (sweat) so they could remain secretive. A boar's ears were reffered to as plates and so on.
On social hunts like the ones you mention generally the beaters(people pushing game with the dogs) don't usually have to pay for their food as the Jagdpector(hunt owner) will either pay for it or the hunters will pool together money in a hat to pay for it. A good hot meal and a beer is almost garanteed after a hunt like this and is really the prime time of the day when you get to sit around and hear some of the greatest stories.
It really is an amazing culture.
That is nothing short of amazing. I knew of "Waidmanns Heil" and "Waidmannsdank", but nothing of the traditions of the hunt. I'm definitely going to get a few of my hunting partners to give this a try. Hunting is a bit short of tradition here.
It's not the only thing that they do better than the states....
I have to admit that the first time I heard "Waidmanns Heil", it was the title of a Rammstein song.
nice. I live at Ramstein so i hear stuff like that a lot.
Marseille, jagd; thank you a very informative post.
GRF
Thanks,
being of German heritage ( fourth generation American )
I have always enjoyed the pagent but never knew it's meaning, that well.
Your not an ignorant when you ask for something. The ignorant feels he knows everything and don't need to ask!
It's a ceremony that honor the game taken, the hunters for their good hunting and shooting but it's also a ceremony where hunters thanks the beaters and dog leaders who premitted the success of the hunt. That ceremony is winning ground even in countries where it was not very well known or popular like mine, France.
Marseille, I see it linked with the honors ceremony frome the v�nerie (horse mounted hunt), so it's some kind of an old French tradition, at least with the true hunting trumps, isn't it ?
On some hunts it is common to play the honors to the hunters and the games taken "fanfares" with the trumps.
It's too interesting not to share.
It's a nice ceremony, especially with good trumps players. The part with twigs granted to the shooters, we call it the cermony of the "bris�e" in French. But informal hunts in small bunches of friends are good too. I like both of those kinds.
It's not the only thing that they do better than the states....
Yeah, we dont have FKK here
WildnothttaihaveeverbeentooneAlaska ��2002-2011
It's not the only thing that they do better than the states....
Yeah, we dont have FKK here
WildnothttaihaveeverbeentooneAlaska ��2002-2011
or a 9 month long deer season.
or a 1:1 buck to doe ratio.
Paying honour to the downed game is actually a rather formal event. Look at the pic and you will notice that the animals are laid out according to a very formal pattern, pertaining to species (hierarchy) and sex (direction of the stem of the twig).
![[Linked Image]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/Othello041990/Tableau1.jpg)
Forming a circle, all participants take off their hat and keep it on their heart, while a blood drenched twig is presented to each shooter in turn. All the while the trumps (trompe d'Orl�ans = 4.9 yds. long in 3.5 turns) are blowing. The ceremony takes place after night fall and the scene is lighted by wood fires. Quite an emotionally laden experience, BTW.
The whole hierarchy explained in a simple picture, Thanks Andr�.
I love this stuff and only wish we had more tradition/ceremony, and respect given our game here in the states. And I'm afraid what I see on hunting shows on television are getting us farther and farther away, rather than closer to the respect the game is due...
I love this stuff and only wish we had more tradition/ceremony, and respect given our game here in the states. And I'm afraid what I see on hunting shows on television are getting us farther and farther away, rather than closer to the respect the game is due...
True dat.
I learned a lot when I came to Sweden from Canada and the USA. Hunting traditions in Sweden go back to 1350 AD.
I have been unable to watch more than a few minutes of most American hunting shows, but I think I know what you mean.
John
Not yet hunted in Germany (although I intend to when i get the chance), but one thing I would add is that this ceremony is performed at the end of what I would term a very formal?organised hunt usually a driven hunt, with lots of hunters, beaters and others doing the organising.
That said, from the European hunters I have met in the UK, even on "informal" hunts, where its just a hunter and a guide stalking deer on foot, once the beast is taken, the Europeans still tend to show the highest respect.
From what I've seen, its usually in the form of placing the "last bite" in the animals mouth, plus sometimes the twig on the side of the carcass.
What I have never seen is any whooping and hollering, or "high fives"..The few Europeans I have guided are usually quite solemn/reserved after the shot, and any celebrations usually consist of a smile, a shake of your hand and a simple "Thank You"..
What I particularly like is that the taking of a doe or cull buck is treated with the same respect, as it should be...
What I have never seen is any whooping and hollering, or "high fives"..The few Europeans I have guided are usually quite solemn/reserved after the shot, and any celebrations usually consist of a smile, a shake of your hand and a simple "Thank You"..
What I particularly like is that the taking of a doe or cull buck is treated with the same respect, as it should be...
Exactly.....
In my mind a true hunter will mourn as much as celebrate at the kill....
Pretty good question, with some pretty interesting answers.
Thanks, all...
OK guys but what is FKK ????
fkk
Freik�rperkultur
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freik%C3%B6rperkultur
OK ... Thanks ... not for me ... too much ticks in stalking season ... too cold in driven game season and the dog tends to bite sausages
.
Also if you look at the twigs over the heart they are actually placed over the bullet strike (at least where I was in Germany). Looking at the stem they are either pointed forward toward the antlers to indicate a male animal or down roughly toward the genitalia to indicate female. Each species has their own song and the trumpeters play the song of each species taken. If you are really lucky there may be a large banquet that night with fun kangaroo courts, much drinking and song singing reminiscent of a WW II movie with traditional hunting songs.
Paying honour to the downed game is actually a rather formal event. Look at the pic and you will notice that the animals are laid out according to a very formal pattern, pertaining to species (hierarchy) and sex (direction of the stem of the twig).
Forming a circle, all participants take off their hat and keep it on their heart, while a blood drenched twig is presented to each shooter in turn. All the while the trumps (trompe d'Orl�ans = 4.9 yds. long in 3.5 turns) are blowing. The ceremony takes place after nighly toward night fall and the scene is lighted by wood fires. Quite an emotionally laden experience, BTW.
When dining and drinking in the company of J�gers, and someone toasts with "Waidmanns Heil", use your left hand. Use of the right hand may cost you a round of drinks for the table. Don't ask me how I know.
and always have a knife and a cartridge in your pockets. If challenged by another who has such items and you cannot produce yours then you are again subject to buying a round.
When dining and drinking in the company of J�gers, and someone toasts with "Waidmanns Heil", use your left hand. Use of the right hand may cost you a round of drinks for the table. Don't ask me how I know.
This is from the tradition of a knighted person. Once you were knighted you did most things with your left hand other than hold the reigns of your horse.
Many ceremonies upon the completion of the hunting class include a knighting ceremony. It was a very emotional experience.
Our Knighting ceremony was conducted In a castle in Kusel Germany. The owner of the property was a hunter and was very happy to accomodate us.
I wouldnt mind retiring to live in germany, but the wife said no. It is a hunter's paradise.
The "v�nerie trump" (trompe de chasse) was a communication instrument among hunters with one particular song for every time and event of the day, from the awakening to the good night, the game seen or just its track, and a song for every kind of game.
When rendering the honors here in South Belgium, and I see it in France too, we don't have music played all the time but when we have music it is that kind of music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klm4AaFVPtchttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuSgLletMeY&feature=relatedIt is not the same kind of instrument and sound, much complicated, but very emotional.
Sometimes you just have one or two players normally dressed, sometimes you have more of them in traditional uniform, but it is not so easy to have such players on a hunt and if you don't have a player among the hunters you have to rent one or more, which is costy. It's good to hear that music besides the taken game some days of the season.
It is a hunter's paradise.
Well, as a German I wouldn�t call it a hunter�s paradise. I prefer BC over Germany every time. Hunting in Germany is just very expensive and as everything in Germany regulated by too many laws and guys who just want to have even more laws.
The grass always seems to be greener away from the homeland
It is a hunter's paradise.
Well, as a German I wouldn�t call a hunter�s paradise. I prefer BC over Germany every time. Hunting in Germany is just very expensive and as everything in Germany regulated by too many laws and guys who just want to have even more laws.
Yes the traditional start up for a German hunter is unfortunately expensive. Having to spend 10-15 thousand euros just to get started coupled with not allowing youth to hunt makes it very hard to get new hunters in the field.
Andr'e, I bet it was a beautiful wedding!!! Jagd, as an American hunter in Germany I had some great hunting in the 1980's and early 90's. Honestly about the best I ever had. However, by the 1990s the program was already dying. My son is there now. As a E6 with three children hunting is just out of his financial reach with the now defunct hunting program gone. It is I am afraid another case of paradise lost.
That is fantastic. I only saw music on larger, formal drive hunts in Germany.
The "v�nerie trump" (trompe de chasse) was a communication instrument among hunters with one particular song for every time and event of the day, from the awakening to the good night, the game seen or just its track, and a song for every kind of game.
When rendering the honors here in South Belgium, and I see it in France too, we don't have music played all the time but when we have music it is that kind of music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klm4AaFVPtchttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuSgLletMeY&feature=relatedIt is not the same kind of instrument and sound, much complicated, but very emotional.
Sometimes you just have one or two players normally dressed, sometimes you have more of them in traditional uniform, but it is not so easy to have such players on a hunt and if you don't have a player among the hunters you have to rent one or more, which is costy. It's good to hear that music besides the taken game some days of the season.
Andr'e, I bet it was a beautiful wedding!!! Jagd, as an American hunter in Germany I had some great hunting in the 1980's and early 90's. Honestly about the best I ever had. However, by the 1990s the program was already dying. My son is there now. As a E6 with three children hunting is just out of his financial reach with the now defunct hunting program gone. It is I am afraid another case of paradise lost.
It is definately not what it was 20 years ago when the government would pay for your trophy fees. I feel that there are a lot of misconceptions about how expensive it is now though. Once you have your license which is a few hundred bucks in the end you really only put as much money into it as you want to for 3 years. For the first year I hunted after i got my license I didnt pay a dime. I did put in a little bit of labor time though. There was always someone willing to loan a rifle for use and there was always an invite in the community.
Where is your son at? I want to hook him into the community if he is willing. The more the merrier.
Where there is a wil there is a way. My E7 buddy got a license this last year, he's got 9 kids. I wish i was joking. lol. He's borrowing one of my rifles right now.
A bit off tangent, but hoping one of you can shed some light on this. . .
I did a year-long exchange program in Germany as a high school senior in the early 90s (Parlamentarisches Patenschafts-Programm) and met an uncle of one of my friends, who had a distinctive vertical scar on his face. Was told that he was in a "dueling society" and it sounded like it was received in an initiation rite as opposed to accidental mishap. I asked a few other Germans about it later on and got some disapproving vibes. This friend was from a very good family near Tuebingen, where I started my year and I know they were all hunters (sadly I did not get to experience that during my time there).
Thanks for any insight-always been a bit curious about this,
Bill
Probably he was a member of a traditional conservative student association at university. Their traditions go back to the mid-19th century. Some of them still practice duelling with sabers. Those student associations are called "schlagende Verbindung". The duel is called "Mensur": http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mensur_(Studentenverbindung). Some parts of the head and the face are not protected in those duels. That�s the reason why some of the participants have scars.
Gebuesch1, thank you very much for the reply-that is most certainly the explanation. I have let my German slip, but can still read it pretty well and enjoyed the link.
I was extremely fortunate to have spent my year split between the two halves of the then newly re-unified Germany ('92: Magdeburg; Braunschweig). It was a fascinating time to be there. The Germans are largely wonderful people and there is so much to admire about their culture. My guest family invited me on a 3 week tour of the country during a school break and I was able to see many places. Muenchen and Hamburg are perhaps my favorite large cities and I look forward to visiting again.
Bill
I love this stuff and only wish we had more tradition/ceremony, and respect given our game here in the states. And I'm afraid what I see on hunting shows on television are getting us farther and farther away, rather than closer to the respect the game is due...
What I have never seen is any whooping and hollering, or "high fives"..The few Europeans I have guided are usually quite solemn/reserved after the shot, and any celebrations usually consist of a smile, a shake of your hand and a simple "Thank You"..
What I particularly like is that the taking of a doe or cull buck is treated with the same respect, as it should be...
Exactly.....
In my mind a true hunter will mourn as much as celebrate at the kill....
Another "Exactly" from me.
This has been a great thread. I was aware of the tradition of placing a twig in an animal's mouth but I never heard of the ceremony involving horns and the laying out of game.
I sincerely wish that my hunting buddies had even an inkling of the tradition, ceremony and respect shown by european hunters. Sadly though, they don't have a clue and if I brought the subject up they laugh and ridicule the idea.
I have very mixed emotions when downing a game animal. Celebration, a sense of accomplishment, admiration, respect and mourning for taking an animal's life. I give the animal it's due respect by considering it food and not just a dead carcass that has to dealt with. I give my food "tender loving care" from the time I first take a knife to it till it hits the dinner plate.
And another "exactly" from me. I'm quite tired of seeing fist pumps and high fives. I have also seen drinking of blood and taking a bite out of a raw heart. Rather disrespectful and stupid in my opinion. When I down game, be it birds with my pooch or big game on my own I offer up a little prayer of thanks over the game I collected. Nothing too elaborate but respectful none-the-less. I also make damn sure I don't waste any of the animal by poor butchering practices. I use everything but the bones and the hooves. All the tough meat gets made into sausage or canned. Even the fat gets used as a base for making suet balls to feed the birds in the winter.
Thanks Jagd. He is stationed at Spangdahlem, but in the middle east right no. When he returns he will have less than a year left before DEROS after 4 years so it is a bit late now. I know he was greatlt disappointed have watched me in the 90s and seen the results of my hunting in the 80s.
Pete, I do not see the high fives and such either except on television. I do see big grins, excitement and hand shakes in the real world and would not tolerate it otherwise.
Ingwe, there is nothing to prevent you from practicing your own forms of respect. I still practice the "last bite". here.
Thanks Jagd. He is stationed at Spangdahlem, but in the middle east right no. When he returns he will have less than a year left before DEROS after 4 years so it is a bit late now. I know he was greatlt disappointed have watched me in the 90s and seen the results of my hunting in the 80s.
what a coinkeedink. Maybe I'll see him down here in the heat. I'm on the down hill side of my time down here.
The only drawback of starting hunting out of spangdalem is that there is no rod and gun club to take the course. I do know a few guys out there that took the class in baumholder though. Not too far with the autobahn. There is some really good hunting around Spang though. I wouldnt mind taking a tour there.
Andre, that looks like it was a beautiful wedding!
Brinky, I agree totally with using every part of the game. I tie my own flies, so I use the hair and feathers too (and save quite a few bucks in the deal). I have a buddy who makes gelatin from the hooves for his dogs, but I haven't gone that far yet.
That is a snazzy wedding. Congratulations to your daughter and the lucky Groom.
A very interesting read. I too am tired of the televised yelling, hopping about, and high fives. I suspect or hope that a good deal of it is scripted, and I'd probably not be invited back if I was the sport on one of their shows.
A tradition of mine on our steelhead steams is that every fly is retired as soon as it lands a fish. Those fish escaped a host of predators, left home, traveled thousands of miles, and a lucky few made it back to their home stream or river. It's a real honor to share a moment or two in their lives. The only frustration is those that break off during the landing process.
On some trips, that can add up to a box or two of flys. Last year, not so many though. With the exception of the last day on an extended trip, the fish get released too. A couple hatchery fish might be retained on the final day, but lately, I've not been too strict with that practice.
This year, the joy is going to be introducing a youngster to the sport. I'd pay big money to see him land 20 fish.
I will be there a week in December before heading to Neurenberg to visit a week with my inlaws.
I was in various times Hanau where I had the best hunting in the triangle from their to Geissen to Aschaffeberg through the Spessart Mountain, Frankfurt A.M. and Heidelberg.
I love this stuff and only wish we had more tradition/ceremony, and respect given our game here in the states. And I'm afraid what I see on hunting shows on television are getting us farther and farther away, rather than closer to the respect the game is due...
True dat.
I learned a lot when I came to Sweden from Canada and the USA. Hunting traditions in Sweden go back to 1350 AD.
I have been unable to watch more than a few minutes of most American hunting shows, but I think I know what you mean.
John
I have not read the whole thread but stopped here,... in complete agreement. I get the Outdoor channel in the Midwest-- Iowa-- and much of the programming is indelicate at best and embarrassing at worst. I can't imagine it even gets aired. I always think of ant-gun folk in Manhatten or any large suburban, metropolis, PETA-oriented, thinking all hunters are knuckle-dragging hominids from the Pleosticene.
As a visitor, I love the tradition and history of Europe.
ddj
They are taking names for the German American Friendship hunt in hohenfells.
Hi everibody there,
As a french must not say that but i feel better in Germany than in my own country for some time now. Go there often for my job, but also for hunting, touring, visit museums, meet old friends from all Europe. Was there in july, had the chance to take a spike in velvet, then in august were we hiked and toured. Will be back in Suhl from the 8 to 12 of september to hunt, shoot and test rifles. Hope to have some ceremony pictures to share or even some pictures of hunt.
Regards
Dom
There is no such thing as a dumb question, by asking a question you get to learn all kinds of interesting stuff. Great Wedding Photos Andre. We Americans are a rougher bunch, after all we were thrown out of Europe at the beginning. Sure our hunting traditions are how should I say, interesting. After all a High Five is sort of tradition when you succeed be it on a hunt or a Basketball Game!
Hope this isn't considered a hijack, but I have always greatly admired the traditions of the Native American Hunters. I found them to be absolutely beautiful.
The European particularly the Germanic traditions are way cool. I think I should point out that American hunting tradition was quite different. When a kill was made in OUR early days, you shook hands, grabbed your game and ran like Hell so the Indians wouldn't come and nail you. I would imagine that our early Germanic settlers would have LIKED to continue the tradition, but hostile Indians had a way of putting a damper on such festivities.
The European particularly the Germanic traditions are way cool. I think I should point out that American hunting tradition was quite different. When a kill was made in OUR early days, you shook hands, grabbed your game and ran like Hell so the Indians wouldn't come and nail you. I would imagine that our early Germanic settlers would have LIKED to continue the tradition, but hostile Indians had a way of putting a damper on such festivities.
LOL.
I have a vision of the Lone Ranger and Tonto: Whadda' mean, we got a deer, white man? John
I suspect that the tradition of the lands belonging to the titled and wealthy, in Europe, also had something to do with the creation these traditions.
Here in the colonies we had lots of unclaimed land, aside from the few hundreds of thousand native Americans. We got in the habit of shooting what ever, when ever and where ever dinner presented itself.
I've got some friends in Western Augusta, Highland and Bath counties of Virginia that pretty do the same now. Allah provides.
Jim
I think that we who live in the "New World" can benefit and learn from the deportment and class shown by the hunters with traditions such as those in many parts of Europe.
The manner in which we conduct ourselves reflects on our chosen hobby.
I think that - in everything we do afield, we should be trying to portray hunting in the best light possible. If we don't - we all, eventually, be the losers.
Thanks for this post - it is a very valuable one - and one we can all learn from - I know I have learned from it.
Hi Guys,
Everithing must be taken with a grain of salt. In Europe too, not only in the southern countries, we have some bad habits and disrespectful attitudes. I think most of the ameican hunters who hunt their deer every year for meat (that's important) and then the trophy, are as respectful as the best tradition minded euro hunters. Taking care of meat, using it to feed or complement the feeding of his relatives is game respect. "First Nations" before the end of the frontier, reserves, alcohol, lost of their identity, were among the most game and wild life respectful peoples.
Our modern societies are based on mercantilism, media flashes, one must be the first, money at all price (no pun intended),show up, artefacts and fake reality and that reflects in our hunting small world: having the biggest trophy (no matter how i get it) shooting the more game i can (no matter i succeed in) be seen on the TV and so on. We need to piss the farthest like school boys of old times.
May be in the New World it's more visible than in our, cause of your more TV and media powerful society but we have here too.
In the south of France were i live we did'nt had the traditionnal ceremony " honors to the game and hunters" we speak about here, but hunting being most of time collective, driven hunt, we used to share game between each other. No one is forgotten, the ederly people, former hunters or not, from the village always get a peace of meat during the season. Trophy is just the cherry on the pie. For wealthy people who hunt for "sports" or go hunting to relieve stress from their busy week, we are " just meat hunters", in their mouth it resound like an insult. We are not hunters, they are. Because they shoot wild boars by the tenth and have "ceremony" with nice clothes hats and last meal in the mouth of the dead animals. Most of them almost never gut, skin, or cut game. "You know my Dear, we shot 40 boars today, very nice hunt but i can stand the blood and guts". We pay people for that...
Trophy and what i call "social or business contract hunts" are killing hunting spirit. For exemple some guys, generaly with good money in their pockets, come to hunt mountain game, sorry not hunting, they just want to kill one big "chamois, isard or mouflon", because it's trendy, their friend has one, you must do that and so on. Most of time they leave the meat where it fell, just taking horns or antlers, but and that's a big but, after pictures taken, smiling, with " the last meal" in game mouth. Respect!!
I know in Alaska you must take back the meat first, then the trophy. That's a great form of respect.
One must always look farther than the screen. It's why i like to travel, meet other guys, visit other countries. there's always something REAL to learn about.
Except for sure(most of time) on TV programs, reality shows, hunting or not, with peoples too nice, too clean, too much smiling, generaly escorted by almost naked bimbos who explain me how the new product they hold is better than the one they had a week before. And, i must admit, in the US of A you're way better than euros at such game. But, sadly, we try hard to close in!
Dom
Hey Marseille,if ya could find it in your heart to share some of those half naked bimbos with me, I would be truly obliged
Will try to convince two or three come with me to bear hunt ET. But i think it's a sin...
Thinking about that hunt may be will come with ML and BP...
Your obliged.
Dom
Will try to convince two or three come with me to bear hunt ET. But i think it's a sin...
Thinking about that hunt may be will come with ML and BP...
Your obliged.
Dom
We gotta have someone to make coffee and pour our whiskey
very interesting thread, thanks all.
I occasionally say a prayer of thanks, over an animal. A time or two a request for forgiveness, as I'd not taken the game cleanly. Once a prayer to the animal, and to the spirit of ancestors, whose rifle I had used, 115 years after its making.
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