Do you feel a little (or alot) of remorse for killing a deer?

Same here...a wide range of emotions and a TON of respect for that animals life!

 

This is my first year hunting, so I cant say for sure what I'll feel when I get my first deer. I hunt because it connects me to what I believe our species is meant to be- it has only been a few generations in our million-year history where we spend the majority of our time indoors, under artificial light, eating processed foods and staring at the idiot box. Our ancestors hunted, and we are here as the product of that lifestyle. I think hunting a wild animal as a means of obtaining food is as natural an activity as a deer walking through the woods and eating acorns. So I wont feel any regret in taking a deer that will be feeding my family.

All that said though, I am certain I will extremely humble and thankful when I actually take one. No fist pumping. I just hope all my practice will result in a good shot that wont inflict any excessive suffering.

 

I am a predator, its why i still have pointy teeth and not a mouth full of molars, i try to remind myself of that constantly. That being said I always thank the animal for its life, and make sure that I respect it by utilizing it to the best of my ability. I dont feel regret or remorse so much as reverance. But its funny, ive been bowhunting deer esclusively for the past 15 years. Before that when i was growing up with my shotgun or rifle, I dont remember feeling the same reverance. Maybe these emotions are more prevelant to the bowhunter because we kill with the animal basically in our lap and the kill has more to do with our skill then our equipment? The kill is quiet and we have time to hear and see it go down? Just a thought.

 

No remorse or regret here.

Tim

 

I will tell you that there was a time when I first started hunting that I didn't fell much when I killed a deer except for adrenaline. When I got back from my deployment to Iraq I started to feel remorse and started to think about how beautiful the animal are and would just enjoy being in the stand and watching them but still enjoy sticking one with an arrow. Its more personal to me now.