Harvest, kill, thin out, blast, dropped, red mist... WE all know what these things mean. But let's face it, our great country's majority is no longer made up of the rural hunter-gatherer mindset. We have become, for the most part, an urban society that is far removed from our rural roots. Many couldn't care less if hunting was legal or illegal. However, there are also many who are on a personal crusade to end our sports afield.
If using terms like "harvest" is less likely to send a person home determined to do all they can to take away my right to hunt...I'll use harvest.
Bottom line, I want to keep hunting and I want my children and their children and their children, etc. to enjoy that as well.
If I win a personal battle by exercising my right to use a more graphic word in a non-hunting crowd, I may have simply given my adversary ammunition to win the war. As hunters, our ultimate victory against anti's or lefty's is to be able to keep hunting.
Personally, I sort of cringe at publications that use the very graphic "red mist" type language because I know that just gets the anti's hackles up and they become more determined than ever to take away our God-given right. I would rather they went home complacent or even disarmed. Yes, we may be able to win the fight when they oppose us...But I'd rather have as few opponents as possible.
Considering how backwards many folks' values have become (where a tree or a salamander is more important than a baby or elderly human)...And considering how this has seemingly permeated our government, lawmakers, and the majority of our society, we need to use the intelligence that the good Lord has given us and I believe that means using a wise choice of words.
If we want to perpetuate our sport and pass along to our children that love for nature that perhaps only hunters truly understand, we need to play it smart and understand the times that we live in. It's a hard reality and I don't particularly like it...But it's a reality none-the-less.
I truly mean no offense to anyone and I respect everyone's opinion. This is just mine.