Hunting?

[go2]

There's some other workshops in October as well, but if I want to get it done quickly I could try for this weekend. But I think there was a minimum of 10 people and if they don't show then it will be canceled. So I don't know if I really want to do this, I'd certainly learn something and wouldn't have to actually go hunting, but just have the license under my belt if I needed to. I'm wondering if I should stop putting energy into providing food for myself and maybe help others or work on myself instead.

There is a disconnection in your posts on this thread, 3D. Hunting is NOT about guns. It is my impression you are talking about weapons for self defense, not guns for hunting game. I can bring in game with traps and snares, which are a silent and efficient way of taking game for meat. There was a time in my younger days when I became fearful and this fear led to a fascination with guns as weapons to self calm my fears. I even slept with a gun for a while. Whew…I can’t even believe that was me. Are your fears motivating an interest in weapons?

Unless you have an interest in the lives of game animals and the outdoors, I recommend you abandon the hunting fantasy. If you have a food anxiety; store buckwheat, millet, and mung beans for survival. If you wish to provide food for yourself and your friends, go to the organic farm and volunteer in exchange for learning to grow vegetables and how to raise chickens. It would be a more productive use of your time.

If you wish weapons training, by all means do this. You don’t need an excuse to buy and learn to use a weapon. I don’t know your skills, your personality, your fears; but Mrs. Peel’s post is one you might ponder as you look at your underlying motives for your query on this thread. Weapons are a serious responsibility and *not in keeping with the perspective of this forum. Knowledge protects, not the illusion of firepower.

Edit:*to be accurate..this is my perspective of the forum's perspective. My apologies for presuming to speak for the forum in the noted phrase.

 

[Keit]

I'm wondering if this is a distraction for me and an "A" influence. I've been doing research and looking at hunting gear and guns a lot. Like I mentioned in my original post, I'm identified with guns because of my former shooter videogame days. Over the weekend I was asked to put something in the oven and forgot about it because I was looking at guns online .

With available options of organic or natural farms, where animals are treated well before they are slaughtered using humane or painless methods, there is no real need to hunt, unless you find yourself stranded in the forest with no way out for several long days, imo. Learning how to hunt can be a very valuable skill for the future, so perhaps you could take archery courses or something similar like shooting courses, survival courses, where you can train your aim and increase your knowledge of the wilderness.

edit. oops, clicked the button before finishing.

Added: Looking into ways of purchasing a gun in order to go hunting now seem like a not good enough reason to me if you hold lives of other creatures as precious. But perhaps I am not seeing it correctly. Perhaps your identification with guns covers something else (need to be in control, etc.) Also, as was mentioned by Mrs. Peel, taking care of hunted animal (meet, skin, etc.) requires skill and hanging out in appropriate circles. Perhaps in the future, if necessity will arise again, entire communities will be reshaped to accommodate hunting and gathering life style, where each person will have specific role in it. But for now, in my opinion, if you see hunting as something you would like to participate in at some point, it would be probably more beneficial if you would concentrate on a non lethal sport and fun aspect of it, where the only thing you shoot at is a round aim. These are my thoughts on the topic anyway.

 

[3DStudent]

Thank you for the replies all.

Do you feel pressured to make a decision before you change your mind?

No, I just felt pressured to take a course soon in case I wanted to do it in the future. I'm kind of busy at the moment too so that is coming into play too.

It sounds to me like you could be bored with the video game thing and want to kick it up to real life playing with guns, maybe using the excuse of "providing food" to rationalize it? Are you going to lug an animal out of the woods or be able to hack it up into bits if not? You'll have to have the meat processed, and that costs money also. Do your folks have a freezer big enough to store a lot of meat in? Are you a person who can eat a lot of red meat without digestive problems?

I'm basing the above on your post wondering if this is just a distraction or not and your identification with guns from video games.

I think you're right Mrs. Peel. It is kind of like a replacement for videogames. And I've only thought about it, not done anything, so it is just as fantasy in my head. My parents know how to process and cook deer, but I actually don't know how I'd do with red meat. I haven't tested for it yet.

Are your fears motivating an interest in weapons?

Yeah, I think it could be a little of this too. I was primarily interested in hunting rifles, shotguns, or bows. But I think fear might have played a part too.

Unless you have an interest in the lives of game animals and the outdoors, I recommend you abandon the hunting fantasy. If you have a food anxiety; store buckwheat, millet, and mung beans for survival. If you wish to provide food for yourself and your friends, go to the organic farm and volunteer in exchange for learning to grow vegetables and how to raise chickens. It would be a more productive use of your time.

I actually don't really like the outdoors. I've already started preparing for food shortages. The vegetables and chickens idea sounds better IMO too.

With available options of organic or natural farms, where animals are treated well before they are slaughtered using humane or painless methods, there is no real need to hunt, unless you find yourself stranded in the forest with no way out for several long days, imo.

I think this puts it into perspective.

Added: Looking into ways of purchasing a gun in order to go hunting now seem like a not good enough reason to me if you hold lives of other creatures as precious.

Yeah I think so too. When I shot that bird when I was young it was really traumatic for me. And I was reading about some hunters who don't take the shot because the deer will play and things like that and the hunter is in awe of it. This was making me emotional and thinking whether I would want to go through with shooting an animal.

Perhaps your identification with guns covers something else (need to be in control, etc.)

I don't know what my identification with guns is. It could be control, as I try to control a lot of my life and am very rigid and routine.

But for now, in my opinion, if you see hunting as something you would like to participate in at some point, it would be probably more beneficial if you would concentrate on a non lethal sport and fun aspect of it, where the only thing you shoot at is a round aim. These are my thoughts on the topic anyway.

I think it wouldn't hurt to just do some target shooting. If it came down to needing to do it, maybe I would actually hunt, but for now it's probably not a practical idea and not necessary.

 

[Voyageur]

Hi 3D, FWIW here is some thinking on this subject.

There has been offered some good suggestions by others here and on your part at looking at your motivations.

Hunting seems so different depending on one’s geographical location. Personally, all my hunting has been done with a camera, but because of the environment where I’ve worked, been around many hunters and of course many are not hunters.

It is the season now in the north and hunters are starting to come out in droves. Here there are a few categories of people who hunt.

There are the old families, farmers for whom hunting was always a way of life and not thought much about; when the leaves turn colour, it is their time for this. For many of this type, they seem to hunt with care of the habitat and other conservation values and would not shot for the sake of the hunt if they knew it was detrimental, which is strange because of course it is to that animal, however, what is meant by this is that they would not shot for instance an old elk cow genetic, knowing that she rears and steers the herd along their historic corridors and habitat. Without her guidance, the herd would flounder; she gives the herd purpose and longevity. For genetic reasons, experienced hunters know that selection is part of hunting and sustaining herds or species generally. Have often noted that the best Stewart's of conservation are often hunters of this type, even to the point of openly chastising governments and their paid for biologists whom devise unrealistic allowable tag allotments to hunters in some places. Governments look to this as tourism and income with herd sustainability second.

There are the hunter/guild outfitters who may have the same initial thoughts and skills as above, but sell the Right of the hunt commercially to whomever is willing to pay for the experience. I’ve seen hunters from all over the world pay handsomely for being guided, some come outfitted in tens of thousands of dollars in apparel and the latest lethal devices, which their egos demand. Most pay to own the bragging rights to the biggest and best. Some, too, will not even leave the safety of the road and as was suggested earlier, have no idea how to shoot. This is especially true when it comes to grizzlies and bears, which have no sustenance value and are only hunted as sport.

There are the weekend locals who think all week, or so it seems, about the coming weekend. For some it is the same as the seasoned old farmers, a time to get out, see the country, challenge their skills and if they find nothing, it was still a good day. Others are more zealous, without respect in many ways.

There are those from the city who either have a prior life passion for this and are respectful of the conservation values or want to learn, or they are the type that are turned on by the Hunting Channel and see themselves in that fantasy as hunters, who are not really Hunters, just wishful.

c.a. talked about CWD, which is a good point, animal forage and the toxic environments they live in needs to be well considered. Different grasses and forge affect the meat in both good ways and bad, parasites, river fluke’s and other diseases are all factors worthy of study. Shooting is the one factor that most focus on, however, dressing and caring for what you shoot is a skill not easily learned and would suggest, if it is your intention, to accompany someone well versed in animal conservation who has these other skills.

Earlier, said I hunt with a camera, which is just my choice, which does not mean that I don’t enjoy game meat, quite the contrary. Some I know offer this once in awhile, which is accepted gratefully. If it came to it, out of pure necessity and sustenance purposes, learning the skills correctly and learning most importantly about animal natures and all that implies should not be overlooked and would add to your experience in a positive manner.