i feel pretty excited that all the hard work has come to the moment of truth... can i, will i and did i do was what right! then i burn up the phone lines calling all my buddies!!!!!!!
Yes we could outsmart without the kill. In learning how to track I have taken up tracks on deer that I knew I wouldn't kill if I caught up to them. I still hunted to within 20yds. of a spike buck once and decided not to shoot. He was bedded and I just watched him for a long time and enjoyed the moment. I knew this question would be asked and it's a tough one for sure. I kill for the "trophy" and I kill for meat. If I do'nt pull the trigger I can't have eithor. That is part of the reason for closing the deal. There is a need to close the deal too. Otherwise, like it has been said before, why not just take a picture? Maybe it has something to do with proving it to yourself? Without pulling the trigger there is always a doubt however slight it may be.(there have been some long drags through rough country that have made me question my need to pull the trigger LOL) Another part has something to do with the fact that I practice hard to be good with a weapon and I would be unfulfilled without using those skills. Answer this for me. How come you can give a bb gun to a kid and he will lose interest in shooting targets and will have an urge to kill a bird or a squirrell? Preditory instinct? From a personal standpoint, My "need" to kill has become less as I get older. This is too deep for me. lol. Next people will be asking the meaning of life. lol.
Wonderfully put Magic Man! This is a hard topic because its not the same for everyone. In our society, we can "afford" to make hobbies out of what was once a necessity of life. It was once a nearly impossible task for man to kill a wild beast. If he did, there was a celebration and he ate. If he didn't, he learned and didn't eat. As he became more proficient, he would take larger and more formidable game, both in part I think to provide more for himself and his family, and prove to other's his prowess. Today we hunt for food, yes, but generally, if we aren't successful we will still survive. If we are successful, we will eat, but we've also proved our own prowess. There are (at least) two lines that tie us to human nature, both old and new. One ties us to the ancient man, that understood the way of nature, was grateful for the harvest because it it would mean his survival and he respected the sacrifice that the game gave for his sake. The other line is connected to the part of humanity (some call pride, whether positive or negative) that is happy for our accomplishment because it "validates" or proves our worth. We get excited the same way someone does when they hit a home run or score a touchdown. "I did it, and by the way, do you see how awesome I am?" Another way to see it is this: Man used to make a spoon to be a spoon. There was no need for it to be anything different. Once man got comfortable or successful enough that he had "spare" time, he made a fancy spoon. Not only did it do its gob, but we turned it into a piece of art. You look today, and there are many types of spoons. Some do specific job better. But they are all spoons. There's the wooden cave man spoon, there's the stainless steal Mass produced spoon, and there's the $300 gold decorative spoon from Italy (that shows not only that I have the means to travel to Italy, but I'm successful enough to have a gold spoon) that isn't even used for it's original purpose. Me... the older I get, the more I want to make my own spoon. I'm not saying that my spoon is better, or what everyone else's spoon should be. It's what works for me. I'm happy with it. It does it's job and I did it myself. That's my home run... I know, I'm a bit crazy
I'm in it for the whole package, start to finish. As far as respect for the aminal goes there are ways to express this. Many hunters say a prayer of thanks. In Europe, after killing a stag it's customary to place a small piece of green plant into the stags mouth, a symbolic gesture of a last meal. In frozen arctic regions, when a hunter takes a seal he pulls out some fresh water and pours it into the seals mouth,again as a symbolic gesture. Perhaps you have your own symbolic ritual other than the war-whoop and fist pump? Maybe something a little more respectful? Maybe both!
