Pretty simple. If it's not going to be eaten by "someone", don't kill it. When you give a gift to someone, it may or may not be put to good use. Who cares? You did your part by being a good soul. Overpopulation needs to be controlled. Who has the answer?
Preach i don't, does it bother you? One of my favorite stories about my gramps is the neighbors complaing about shooting game "in front" if the cabin. It was all public land, but they felt the game around that area were pets. From what I was told a rabbit popped out in the road, gramps shot and it died in the neighbors yard, he went over picked it up and skinned right in front of them. Then he uttered "Pets, that's bull ****"
And some hunted for the entire village. I see two sides to the debate, actually several. If there is a family in need and we're well aware of that fact, I find it very admirable to share the bounty, donate venison. If we just want to kill another animal and then just donate the meat, perhaps that can be perceived as selfish even though the meat will be put to good use. If the land/herd needs more animals taken out and you have the tags to do it, by all means have at it. We need to do it before someone else is hired to do it, thanks Bruce for that post.
I try to kill 2 per year. My first deer always goes to the cutter and made into venison jerky, hot dogs and ground sausage. My second deer if lucky enough goes and gets cut up into burgers, steaks, stew meat and chops. I eat both my deer each year and none goes to waste. I say as long as it gets eaten then no problem but at the same time don't be a glutton.
I try to take a lot of deer(does) every year - I do it because I enjoy it, to help with the population, and everything is used. I have several families that benefit, a preacher in the local community, folks at work that love it - I give away prime cuts, my processor loves me as most everything I give away is already processed and wrapped - Todays times are stressful, amazing the thank you you recieve when you reach out to folks. My wife is a generous soul as well and never met a stranger - last year I took several bags meat to the cashier at the local store simply because my wife found out she was going through a divorce and has three small boys - the genorosity brought tears to her eyes So If anything that drives me more, knowing a certain person will benefit only increases my desire to hunt and be sucuessful. Do i feel like less of a hunter and more of killer nope - but do I shoot knowing they will be donated - yep so call it what you will but I am doing my part
I've seen more than one person reference "meat going to waste". I'm not sure why that is being brought up. This about meat NOT going to waste and helping others. I have not donated venison and I am one of the first guys a friend will call if they aren't going to use a deer. My family eats a lot of venison in many different forms. We can go though 6 adult deer without a problem. But we have a very high population of deer that needs to be reduced. Many guys were unwilling to shoot more does because they personally didn't need them. Through our co-op, I have set up way for those with "extra" venison to donate to other hunters who want more, as well as Hunters Against Hunger.
What I find interesting is some of us hunters seem so upset by what another hunter does with his time and meat. So.. I don't donate.. and clearly there are a few others who feel the same way.. and yet others here still try to convince those few how what they are doing is somehow better and clearly not biased. Let's not confuse gluttony for giving. I mean.. I LOVE to kill.. and I understand this about myself.. so I don't justify it with giving after killing.. cause I know.. it would only be a lie to myself. I know me. It would be killing.. then giving. If you can honestly go out and kill because your first thought is giving.. well then you my friend.. ARE A FAR BETTER MAN THAN I. FAR better. I commend you. But I know.. for me.. it's too much only because of my lust to kill. I understand too.. that their are no perfect men.. only perfect intentions. But please.. if you donate fine.. but don't blow smoke up my arse telling me how much a saint you are. Again.. I DON'T CARE if you donate 100 deer this year.. in fact I think it's awesome you did.. but be honest with yourself.. you did it for the kill first. And that.. that ain't giving my friends.
guess you overlooked this part of my post I try to take a lot of deer(does) every year - I do it because I enjoy it
Jeff.. I didn't attack you.. or anyone. But lets not confuse giving money to the needy with killing a deer.. then giving it to the needy. Taking a life is not the same.. unless your a hit-man.. then their would be certain similarities. I'm just saying it like it is.. for 99% of man. We got out of bed this morning with our first intention being to kill. Nothing wrong with that. But when any person says its to give.. and thats what their motive was.. C'mon.. you don't expect anyone to believe that do you? I think its great you and others donate.. its commendable. Really.. I do. But your intention was to kill.. don't admire this fact to much by saying you did it for a good cause.
While I give a good number of deer away each year, I agree with what you say 100%. My motives are exactly as you describe. The giving is secondary. My ETHICS STANDARDS is that anything I kill be properly utilized as far as meat consumption is concerned. The land I have access to NEEDS lots of deer killed off of it to maintain a healthy herd. So I kill more than my family needs because I enjoy it. Maybe its gluttony, I don't consider it so, but some of you do. It is certainly selfish. I could shoot my 2-3 deer and then open my lands up to even more people than I already do and give them an opportunity to hunt and take out some of these excess deer, but I CHOOSE to do otherwise. I take quite a few people hunting during the season that otherwise would have no place to hunt as there is basically no public land in Texas. But just as I said in the earlier thread that I have a waiting list of people wanting a deer for their family to eat, I have an even BIGGER list of people that would love to come and hunt. But I am comfortable with the balance I CHOSEN, and will continue to kill a high number of deer myself and take only a select number of people hunting each year. It is a conscious decision that I have thought out. I sleep well at night. If someone wants to manage their land/deer herd different, more power to them.
Beautiful Mr. Flap. This is probably the most unselfish post I've ever read. You are choosing to do it your way.. and not paint some pretty picture to why you are so great... to why what you do is so much better. A perfect example of not in admiration of oneself. Knows what he is doing.. and accepts it. Takes responsibility. I feel the same way.
