Do you pity your prey?

Oak, I can relate to how you feel! I have taken my share of animals over the years & have recently been fighting this same thing inside my head. I have been an avid bowhunter for deer for almost 20 years now & here it is almost going into November and I haven't even been out yet! It's hard for me to explain, but I have a 4 year old son that keeps asking me why I shoot the deer that we see in our fields & by the lake. He really enjoys watching the deer we have around our place & so do I! The older I get, the softer I've become towards taking animals in the wild. Thank goodness that I've painted a NASTY picture of the coyotes for my son! He wants me to get them all since they are a PREDATOR! I think for now I will be taking somewhat of a break from pursuing deer so heavily. I'd much rather see a BIG smile on my sons face while we're watching a deer from the house, compared to the little bit of satisfaction I got out of taking one with the bow. Who knows, as he gets older maybe his view or interest will change and I can go back to doing what I always done in the past!
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Ricky, you better get in the woods soon. The rut isnt to far off. Looking at next weekend forecast and I will bet the big boys will be on the move!
 
I guess, a little. I like the animals I kill. They provide the basis for my sport. There are times I'll just sit and watch them and let them go (not if I called it- but if I jumped it). Killing them is just part of the game. I'm not a rancher, so I don't have a deep hatred for them as they aren't costing me any money ( I can't say I blame the ranchers). As it is, I'm just a weekend warrior who likes to hang fur.
 
I only pity the ones I don't kill clean, DRT. I don't like to see spinners or floppers.

But as to ask if I pity the game it's self, for me taking their lives, no. I can't apologize for being at the top of the food chain.


I love animals, I really do...

... right beside my potatoes and gravy.
 
I don't like seeing critters run off wounded.I'd rather miss completely than have that happen.Luckily I haven't had that happen very many times but it has happened.When it does I try my hardest to recover it.....that's about the only thing you can do.
If I shoot a critter and it still requires another shot to put it down for good I just shoot it again as quickly as possible.Just as long as I can put them in the back of the pickup afterwards that's all that matters.I'd rather have to shoot it again than see the critter I'm shootin at run off to die somewhere else.
 
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