gcs wrote:While the goal is a quick kill, (I won't use the term "humane") , and most hunters do their best, things can, and do, go awry . Stuff happens and you deal with it as you can. That is the nature of hunting, anyone that tells you they make every shot, and never lose an animal, is either a Saint...or a liar.
I hunt deer for the meat, I don't look for a "trophy", I will kill any coyote, chicken stealing coon, or anything that "needs" killing, and I'll do my best to be as efficient and quick about it as I can. Same with killing domestic stock, get it done with as little trauma as possible.
I'm on the fence with archery hunting. While it can be quick, I've known too many people who won't wait for the "right" shot, won't practice enough, and shoot out of their limitations. Most archers I know think they are endowed with supernatural powers and have an elitest attitude, (sort of like dry fly fisherman) but they have the same failings all humans have.
Killing is what it is, it ain't pretty, you do your best and hope the knuckle draggers see the light.
This roughly mimics my thoughts and experiences
Mikld, what you brought up is the reason i dont do much hunting anymore --- I'll never condemn anyone for hunting though , unless they do it in an unethical fashion, ---- but i have become what some may call "soft" ----
I started hunting by bowhunting --- but the mechanics of bowhunting that you described well enough are what caused me to steer away from it and ultimately hunting altogether . Make your shot , the frightened deer runs - then lays down trying to catch its breath as the world slowly fades to black. We wait in our stand 30 minutes or so to make sure this process is complete
Bad things happen in rifle season too though, make no mistake
I recall a landowner having to put down a buck because an overzealous hunter took a shot that was far too long for his abilities with a 7mm Remington and blew the deers forefoot off ---- he was limping around for a week on 3 legs because of this numbskull - and at that point i felt a profound sadness for the animal, and rage at my fellow hunter at the same time
A couple days later, my brother lost a small buck that we tracked for hours in the dark until it started to snow in earnest , and then my sadness got a bit worse at not having retrieved the animal and i prayed he died quick, , and driving home from the lease, i decided i was done for a while -
-- granted , i had already filled all the tags i needed to fill that season, and had a spectacular day afield a few days previously
I encourage new shooters and young people to try it out for themselves though, lest this country's young people completely "loses their balls" - and i offer advice when i can , plus target shooting with my bow is relaxing
If somebody comes along with a dream buffalo hunt for me , or a couple of plane tickets to Africa, --- i'll likely go - these are things i've wanted to do since i was young , but the last couple of years i havent wanted to participate