Calling all Hunters/Gatherers
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I think I jumped the gun so to speak lol
And I'm quite sure hunting is interesting and you got yourself some clean meat.
Part of the reason I became veggie was cos I can't afford free range meat and I certainly can't hunt where I live. I didn't want to consume the meat from factory farm animals anymore. Their treatment is completely un humane and like you's said, full of chemicals, hunting your own gets rid of all that.1 -
Hunter here!!! A little over a month until opening of duck season!
I mostly bird hunt (duck, grouse, pheasant, woodcock and turkey) but will usually get a couple deer to fill the freezer then I am back out in the duck blind for the rest of the season. I have a 7yr Black Lab that's my hunter partner.
I will be setting up my duck blinds next weekend....get's me pretty excited the season is almost here!!!0 -
I'll be up a deerstand in a few months, but I really like fishing more. I've enjoyed just looking at wildlife from my stand and haven't actually taken a shot the last 2 seasons.
We have a lot of hogs that need mass eradication though, so I'm on the lookout for a semi-auto lower caliber rifle that can put out some rounds and is accurate. Hmm...I think an AR15 would be perfect...2 -
I'll be up a deerstand in a few months, but I really like fishing more. I've enjoyed just looking at wildlife from my stand and haven't actually taken a shot the last 2 seasons.
We have a lot of hogs that need mass eradication though, so I'm on the lookout for a semi-auto lower caliber rifle that can put out some rounds and is accurate. Hmm...I think an AR15 would be perfect...
Better hurry up and purchase one before they are outlawed
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I'll be up a deerstand in a few months, but I really like fishing more. I've enjoyed just looking at wildlife from my stand and haven't actually taken a shot the last 2 seasons.
We have a lot of hogs that need mass eradication though, so I'm on the lookout for a semi-auto lower caliber rifle that can put out some rounds and is accurate. Hmm...I think an AR15 would be perfect...
5.56mm seems a little small for hogs....maybe a .300 Blackout upper on an AR-15 platform.
its what i use for deer, elk...2 -
kate141987 wrote: »I apologise if I came across as being judgemental, the majority of hunting stories iv read about have been trophy hunting and it absolutely disgusts me plus the fact I love animals and am passionate about animal welfare. Also iv just started becoming vegetarian lol
So anything about animals can get my blood boiling, plus I don't know anything about hunting my reply was genuine I don't understand how anyone can kill and gut an animal, but I do realise now it's perhaps part of tradition and you can enjoy completely free range meat, instead of meat from caged animals which is obviously better.
I still feel kinda bad for the animals...but I'm not judging you, il leave you's to enjoy your hunting
I appreciate your honesty in discussing this topic. That said, most hunters feel some compassion and sadness when killing an animal for food. It's human nature. I don't hunt as much as I used to but we still manage to put an elk in the freezer every year to go along with all of our produce we grow. We've always done it and will continue until we can't. Unfortunately, there is growing pressure to change our attitudes about it because a lot of people just don't understand.4 -
ScottyNoHotty wrote: »Been a subsistence hunter for 30 years. Also raise hogs, and cattle, butcher them myself. and I have a 1 acre garden.
Sweet!0 -
camoballerina91 wrote: »I love my Matthew's Mission, and I have my .243 tuned to shoot at almost 300 yards. I will admit I do have quite a few horns on my walls (most are my husbands though), but my husband and I only shoot older/mature bucks, and of course we still keep the meat. We had a bad tornado come through our hunting land a few years ago so we've been taking it easy just trying to get our population back up. This past season we saw more deer in our fields than we had before the tornado hit. We're seeing a lot more younger deer on our cameras, so we're excited about this coming season.
I also turkey hunt but I have yet to actually kill one, but I've gotten close. Squirrel are a bit easier, especially if you've got a good dog. My husband and I are thinking about going hog hunting this year, that way we can bring our own pork to the processor for sausage, we're still doing our research though and looking for the right areas.
Plus my husband and I also grow most our veggies during the spring and summer. We can and freeze (including meat of course) what we don't eat and continue to enjoy it until the next year.
Hope your land is back in full swing in no time! I'm still enjoying venison from 6 months ago lol I can say I haven't tried squirrel. Hope you get a turkey soon 0 -
I'll be up a deerstand in a few months, but I really like fishing more. I've enjoyed just looking at wildlife from my stand and haven't actually taken a shot the last 2 seasons.
We have a lot of hogs that need mass eradication though, so I'm on the lookout for a semi-auto lower caliber rifle that can put out some rounds and is accurate. Hmm...I think an AR15 would be perfect...
Those hogs are trouble. I hear ya! And yea, there's times I just sit back and enjoy the scenery. Minus the gang of boar. One ran a tusk through my miniature bull (zebu). I'll gladly take them out one by one0 -
ScottyNoHotty wrote: »
We have a lot of hogs that need mass eradication though, so I'm on the lookout for a semi-auto lower caliber rifle that can put out some rounds and is accurate. Hmm...I think an AR15 would be perfect...
5.56mm seems a little small for hogs....maybe a .300 Blackout upper on an AR-15 platform.
its what i use for deer, elk...[/quote]
Hogs/boar seem to get pissed off with anything less.0 -
Long time hunter/trapper/fisherman going through a de-evolution and getting into primitive bowhunting. My kids are getting old enough to start and so excited to bring in another generation of hunters.2
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nojuicejustjin wrote: »camoballerina91 wrote: »I love my Matthew's Mission, and I have my .243 tuned to shoot at almost 300 yards. I will admit I do have quite a few horns on my walls (most are my husbands though), but my husband and I only shoot older/mature bucks, and of course we still keep the meat. We had a bad tornado come through our hunting land a few years ago so we've been taking it easy just trying to get our population back up. This past season we saw more deer in our fields than we had before the tornado hit. We're seeing a lot more younger deer on our cameras, so we're excited about this coming season.
I also turkey hunt but I have yet to actually kill one, but I've gotten close. Squirrel are a bit easier, especially if you've got a good dog. My husband and I are thinking about going hog hunting this year, that way we can bring our own pork to the processor for sausage, we're still doing our research though and looking for the right areas.
Plus my husband and I also grow most our veggies during the spring and summer. We can and freeze (including meat of course) what we don't eat and continue to enjoy it until the next year.
Hope your land is back in full swing in no time! I'm still enjoying venison from 6 months ago lol I can say I haven't tried squirrel. Hope you get a turkey soon
It's slow, but it's getting back on track. We've planted two of our fields (both on separate sides of the property) year round to help give the wildlife a constant food source, we don't hunt these fields as hard either. It'll probably be few years before our oaks get big enough to help feed them year round.
Turkey's are hard to get, and they're smart but I guess that's just what makes it so exciting. Squirrel is best fried, of course that's the only way I've eaten it lol so I don't really know what it tastes like otherwise. Most of our meat and produce last us well into the next season each year.1 -
I don't hunt, but I fish. I don't see anything wrong with hunting if it's done respectfully. I've seen a lot of deer carved up and thrown into the ditch in front of my house. That irks me.1
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Kate14987,
Sadly, you're not in the minority when it comes to misunderstanding hunting. Unfortunately it's poorly represented to the majority of folks that aren't involved in it. Most people simply don't know the truth about it, simple misinformation leads to wrong judgement.
The vast majority of hunters are not "trophy hunters", no one I know wastes the meat and I've known a LOT of hunters. It all goes to good use. Sometimes it feeds homeless or hungry, sometimes it feeds us and our families. No matter what, it's some of the healthiest meat we can consume and we don't let it go to waste, even if we also mount the animal it came from.
As for feeling bad, I've been hunting for 26 years now and I have killed a lot of animals. If you don't feel a little remorse, there's probably something wrong with you. It's not something you should ever take lightly, you are taking a life. Personally, for me it's a huge mix of emotions.
First it's not nearly as easy as most people believe. I mostly hunt whitetail deer, and mature deer avoid hunting pressure incredibly well. So there is always a sense of accomplishment and excitement when you get the deer you're after in range and make a clean, ethical shot. Followed by a great feeling of relief.
When I lay my hands on the animal for the first time I feel great sadness that I've taken the life of a beautiful animal, but at the same time, you can't help but be completely overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude or thankfulness that you are able to use this animal to sustain your own life.
It's the most natural thing humans do right there with breathing.
I often wish there was a way to eat them and breathe life back into them and do it all over again, but it's simply not the case, so we simply respect them and utilize them to the best of our abilities.
I truly love animals, probably more than most "anti-hunters". I study them, I enjoy photographing them, viewing them, learning everything about them, donating to help them thrive. I've adopted abused dogs, rescued and raised orphaned raccoons, helped abandoned cats, etc. I have a great respect for all animals, but at the same time, I understand that I need them as food to survive. So I have to kill some of them.
Far better for us to utilize them than have them going to waste being hit by cars or starving to death from exceeding the carrying capacity of the habitat. We are meant to eat them, but meant to respect them.
Until you kill something for your own food, it's hard to understand all that though. I always suggest people at least be a part of butchering at least one animal to get a sense of appreciation for where their cheeseburgers come from.
Anyway, good luck to all my fellow hunters and huntresses this season. Be safe and shoot straight.
Oh, and someone else mentioned it, but yes, if ever you have the chance, you must visit the West even just to see it. But if you can, hunt elk!!! I bowhunted elk a few years ago and lived in the mountains of Idaho for a little over a week. DIY backpacking adventure. Called in three different quality bulls and one cow to 50 yards or less, but never could get a clear shot. Also saw 3 grizzly bears, a mountain lion, tons of mule deer and pronghorn, and a big horn ram silhouetted on an adjacent mountain ridge. Just an absolutely incredible experience that everyone needs to try....I can't wait to do it again when I can. Good exercise out there too, because everything is way further away than you think....I'll just hike over that hill over there...(three hours later) lol It's beautiful out there.
-Matt
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I don't hunt, but I fish. I don't see anything wrong with hunting if it's done respectfully. I've seen a lot of deer carved up and thrown into the ditch in front of my house. That irks me.
Ugh, I hate that. That is terrible, and so disrespectful to you and the animal.Kate14987,
Sadly, you're not in the minority when it comes to misunderstanding hunting. Unfortunately it's poorly represented to the majority of folks that aren't involved in it. Most people simply don't know the truth about it, simple misinformation leads to wrong judgement.
The vast majority of hunters are not "trophy hunters", no one I know wastes the meat and I've known a LOT of hunters. It all goes to good use. Sometimes it feeds homeless or hungry, sometimes it feeds us and our families. No matter what, it's some of the healthiest meat we can consume and we don't let it go to waste, even if we also mount the animal it came from.
As for feeling bad, I've been hunting for 26 years now and I have killed a lot of animals. If you don't feel a little remorse, there's probably something wrong with you. It's not something you should ever take lightly, you are taking a life. Personally, for me it's a huge mix of emotions.
First it's not nearly as easy as most people believe. I mostly hunt whitetail deer, and mature deer avoid hunting pressure incredibly well. So there is always a sense of accomplishment and excitement when you get the deer you're after in range and make a clean, ethical shot. Followed by a great feeling of relief.
When I lay my hands on the animal for the first time I feel great sadness that I've taken the life of a beautiful animal, but at the same time, you can't help but be completely overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude or thankfulness that you are able to use this animal to sustain your own life.
It's the most natural thing humans do right there with breathing.
I often wish there was a way to eat them and breathe life back into them and do it all over again, but it's simply not the case, so we simply respect them and utilize them to the best of our abilities.
I truly love animals, probably more than most "anti-hunters". I study them, I enjoy photographing them, viewing them, learning everything about them, donating to help them thrive. I've adopted abused dogs, rescued and raised orphaned raccoons, helped abandoned cats, etc. I have a great respect for all animals, but at the same time, I understand that I need them as food to survive. So I have to kill some of them.
Far better for us to utilize them than have them going to waste being hit by cars or starving to death from exceeding the carrying capacity of the habitat. We are meant to eat them, but meant to respect them.
Until you kill something for your own food, it's hard to understand all that though. I always suggest people at least be a part of butchering at least one animal to get a sense of appreciation for where their cheeseburgers come from.
Anyway, good luck to all my fellow hunters and huntresses this season. Be safe and shoot straight.
Oh, and someone else mentioned it, but yes, if ever you have the chance, you must visit the West even just to see it. But if you can, hunt elk!!! I bowhunted elk a few years ago and lived in the mountains of Idaho for a little over a week. DIY backpacking adventure. Called in three different quality bulls and one cow to 50 yards or less, but never could get a clear shot. Also saw 3 grizzly bears, a mountain lion, tons of mule deer and pronghorn, and a big horn ram silhouetted on an adjacent mountain ridge. Just an absolutely incredible experience that everyone needs to try....I can't wait to do it again when I can. Good exercise out there too, because everything is way further away than you think....I'll just hike over that hill over there...(three hours later) lol It's beautiful out there.
-Matt
@MattDelR that is the best explanation of a true hunter that I have ever read, I don't think it could be explained any better than that.4 -
Kate14987,
Sadly, you're not in the minority when it comes to misunderstanding hunting. Unfortunately it's poorly represented to the majority of folks that aren't involved in it. Most people simply don't know the truth about it, simple misinformation leads to wrong judgement.
The vast majority of hunters are not "trophy hunters", no one I know wastes the meat and I've known a LOT of hunters. It all goes to good use. Sometimes it feeds homeless or hungry, sometimes it feeds us and our families. No matter what, it's some of the healthiest meat we can consume and we don't let it go to waste, even if we also mount the animal it came from.
As for feeling bad, I've been hunting for 26 years now and I have killed a lot of animals. If you don't feel a little remorse, there's probably something wrong with you. It's not something you should ever take lightly, you are taking a life. Personally, for me it's a huge mix of emotions.
First it's not nearly as easy as most people believe. I mostly hunt whitetail deer, and mature deer avoid hunting pressure incredibly well. So there is always a sense of accomplishment and excitement when you get the deer you're after in range and make a clean, ethical shot. Followed by a great feeling of relief.
When I lay my hands on the animal for the first time I feel great sadness that I've taken the life of a beautiful animal, but at the same time, you can't help but be completely overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude or thankfulness that you are able to use this animal to sustain your own life.
It's the most natural thing humans do right there with breathing.
I often wish there was a way to eat them and breathe life back into them and do it all over again, but it's simply not the case, so we simply respect them and utilize them to the best of our abilities.
I truly love animals, probably more than most "anti-hunters". I study them, I enjoy photographing them, viewing them, learning everything about them, donating to help them thrive. I've adopted abused dogs, rescued and raised orphaned raccoons, helped abandoned cats, etc. I have a great respect for all animals, but at the same time, I understand that I need them as food to survive. So I have to kill some of them.
Far better for us to utilize them than have them going to waste being hit by cars or starving to death from exceeding the carrying capacity of the habitat. We are meant to eat them, but meant to respect them.
Until you kill something for your own food, it's hard to understand all that though. I always suggest people at least be a part of butchering at least one animal to get a sense of appreciation for where their cheeseburgers come from.
Anyway, good luck to all my fellow hunters and huntresses this season. Be safe and shoot straight.
Oh, and someone else mentioned it, but yes, if ever you have the chance, you must visit the West even just to see it. But if you can, hunt elk!!! I bowhunted elk a few years ago and lived in the mountains of Idaho for a little over a week. DIY backpacking adventure. Called in three different quality bulls and one cow to 50 yards or less, but never could get a clear shot. Also saw 3 grizzly bears, a mountain lion, tons of mule deer and pronghorn, and a big horn ram silhouetted on an adjacent mountain ridge. Just an absolutely incredible experience that everyone needs to try....I can't wait to do it again when I can. Good exercise out there too, because everything is way further away than you think....I'll just hike over that hill over there...(three hours later) lol It's beautiful out there.
-Matt
Nailed it! Bravo Zulu brother.1 -
Long time hunter/trapper/fisherman going through a de-evolution and getting into primitive bowhunting. My kids are getting old enough to start and so excited to bring in another generation of hunters.
I swear when my nephew started out (he was 5) it was the proudest moment of my life. Bows are awesome! Let us know what you buy0 -
kate141987 wrote: »I apologise if I came across as being judgemental, the majority of hunting stories iv read about have been trophy hunting and it absolutely disgusts me plus the fact I love animals and am passionate about animal welfare. Also iv just started becoming vegetarian lol
So anything about animals can get my blood boiling, plus I don't know anything about hunting my reply was genuine I don't understand how anyone can kill and gut an animal, but I do realise now it's perhaps part of tradition and you can enjoy completely free range meat, instead of meat from caged animals which is obviously better.
I still feel kinda bad for the animals...but I'm not judging you, il leave you's to enjoy your hunting
I understand your hesitation as I never pulled a trigger until I was in my 20's. But that changed quickly.
I own a 120 acre hobby farm (0.42 miles square). We manage it strictly for hardwood timber production and hunting deer, turkey, dove, wood duck, and fishing on our 10 acres of ponds and lakes. I have fields in alfalfa and in ladino clover. We also do food plots. My oldest son and I spend days and days managing the place each month, brush-hogging, putting out and retrieving 5 trail cams, eradicating multiflora rose - autum olive - and any other nuisance plants, girdling undesirable trees, and maintaining miles of trails. We love it!
We know the deer on our property and actually plan which deer we will let grow another year, which ones we will harvest, and which ones we will try to get as a trophy. The biggest buck we have harvested had a total score of 182 inches. We will not shoot any buck unless it scores at least 150-inches. We generally use does for venison and give the bucks to a local animal sanctuary - DD Farm Animal Sanctuary (https://ddfarmanimalsanctuary.wordpress.com/). BTW - they need a deer a day to feed the lions, Siberian tigers, mountain lions, etc. We also hunt geese and give them to the DD Farm...cool place!
Lastly, I know several what you would call "trophy hunters" that went on African, New Zealand, and South American hunting trips. Nothing - and I mean nothing - goes to waste. All meat is the property of the villages that host the hunters and it is all consumed. The press reports partial truth's and are lying by omission. That being said, there are a few "kittens" out there that I could drown in a mud puddle given the chance.4 -
Hey, Matt... THAT WAS SPOT ON, BROTHER!
It's so difficult for people to wrap their heads around true traditional hunters having both compassion for wildlife and hunting. To them it's an oxymoron. I am very happy you wrote what you did.
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I don't hunt but I own 3 labradors who're fully trained hunting assistance dogs.. Love the work involving in the training... But I could never pull a tricker to kill anything, hell I can't even kill a fish.. So I just enjoy eating game my friends bring me for lending them my dogs.. And yes I know how this sounds lol5
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