# Hunt or Kill- which do you enjoy most?



## LAHunter1 (Dec 18, 2016)

i went squirrel hunting earlier. killed 2, but the fun was when i was walking out of woods and shot/ winged 2 crows - i waited a few minutes and ended up shooting 3 more- prolly could have shot more but went out and boot stomped their heads and headed home. Don't get me wrong, i don't intentionally wound animals, but i really enjoy the kills. i don't feel guilty and i don't torture .. size 12 hunting boot and 220# is pretty quick. this made me think about things, do i enjoy the hunt as much as the kills? maybe, because i also love hiking and being out in the woods. i can't sit still too long so not patient enough for deer hunting, but i love the stalk and love chasing down cripples and i enjoy the kills. can anyone relate to this?


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## Nicodemus (Dec 18, 2016)

No, can`t say that I do. With any kill I make, I feel a sadness that goes with it.


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## riverbank (Dec 18, 2016)

I'm with Nicodemus on that one. Every time.


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## rhbama3 (Dec 18, 2016)

The hunt. The chess match between me and a turkey. The squirrel hiding in the tree and me trying to find him. Reading deer sign and then figuring out how to meet up with him( or her) at a later time.  
Killing and eating is the end result, but the hunt remains the best part of the game.


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## kmckinnie (Dec 18, 2016)

What was u shooting the crows with. Just asking.


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## kmckinnie (Dec 18, 2016)

Crow breast is a rich red meat.


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## doenightmare (Dec 18, 2016)

I would guess the OP is a younger hunter -  or a troll.


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## Capt Quirk (Dec 18, 2016)

Eating.


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## Havana Dude (Dec 18, 2016)

LAHunter1 said:


> i went squirrel hunting earlier. killed 2, but the fun was when i was walking out of woods and shot/ winged 2 crows - i waited a few minutes and ended up shooting 3 more- prolly could have shot more but went out and boot stomped their heads and headed home. Don't get me wrong, i don't intentionally wound animals, but i really enjoy the kills. i don't feel guilty and i don't torture .. size 12 hunting boot and 220# is pretty quick. this made me think about things, do i enjoy the hunt as much as the kills? maybe, because i also love hiking and being out in the woods. i can't sit still too long so not patient enough for deer hunting, but i love the stalk and love chasing down cripples and i enjoy the kills. can anyone relate to this?



Nope, I sure can't. I'm with Nic on this one. It's not a boo hoo sadness, rather a responsible feeling for taking a life. It's over fairly quick, but I call it having reverence for the animal. I'm not a high fiver, or one to whoop and holler when I kill either. To each his own, but I'd have to say your activities wouldn't be welcome around me. It's your responsibility to dispatch the animal as quickly as possible.


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## pacecars (Dec 18, 2016)

I m excited at every animal I have shot and I shoot to put them down as quickly as possible. As soon as the animal is down the excitement is gone and respect for the animal takes its place. It is my job to kill the animal as quickly and efficiently as possible. If the shot is iffy I will pass.


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## georgia_home (Dec 18, 2016)

Hunting is what I enjoy. Pulling the trigger is ok.

Maybe, because I enjoy time spent with our crew, that's the best part. Even better than the actual hunt in some ways.

We've got several guys from S.fl. Georgia, Penn, and sometimes Alabama when they can make it. Used to have some us/can expats from Bermuda too. I think that  joking, laughing, boozing AFTER and the smack talk was even better than the hunting.


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## groundhawg (Dec 18, 2016)

Havana Dude said:


> Nope, I sure can't. I'm with Nic on this one. It's not a boo hoo sadness, rather a responsible feeling for taking a life. It's over fairly quick, but I call it having reverence for the animal. I'm not a high fiver, or one to whoop and holler when I kill either. To each his own, but I'd have to say your activities wouldn't be welcome around me. It's your responsibility to dispatch the animal as quickly as possible.



Agree with this, very much with the last line.


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## specialk (Dec 19, 2016)

since this is the small game forum i'll say this,  I love to hear dogs run..it's like music to me.....no matter the game.....the chase is over when the animal is shot, but that's part of it too........


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## bulldawgborn (Dec 19, 2016)

Nicodemus said:


> No, can`t say that I do. With any kill I make, I feel a sadness that goes with it.



This right here.  I always take a moment to say a prayer of thanks for the animal's life that I have taken.  I have never shot a buck that I didn't wish I could take some pictures of, slap on the rump, and release like a bass.  If I didn't like to eat tasty small game critters or love the taste of venison, I would do all my hunting with a good quality camera.

When I was a youngin I used to somewhat equate my hunting success by whether or not I shot something.  But it didn't take long to figure out that one can witness some amazing animal behaviors just by sitting still and obeserving.  My 3 most memorable hunts have yielded zero kills but some awesome stories that I couldn't make up if I tried.


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## oldfella1962 (Dec 19, 2016)

That's what I love about bow hunting deer - you pretty much have to sit still and let them come to you. Of course when you do you see a lot of other wildlife which is the best part! Sunday morning I wish I had a video camera with a telephoto lens. There were six or seven (at least) squirrels chasing each for over two hours - like they never ran out of energy! There were two or three giant tall old trees pretty much touching each other at the furthest edge of their crowns near me, and it was like recess at elementary school. Sometimes all of them would be right behind the other going as far out on the tallest limbs then jumping to another tree. Sometimes half would be in one tree, half in another, and they would forms lines jumping into the other tree while their buddies did the same thing jumping into their tree on parallel branches. Sometimes one or two would take a break and eat acorns off the ground, then back to it again. 

Even if I were allowed to hunt squirrel & deer at the same time (I'm not allowed on Fort Gordon) I sure wouldn't shoot my free entertainment! 

Near there (along the same creek further downstream) the week before that while doing recon I came across a whole family of young raccoons. I was up on a tall steep bank so I had a great view of them down in the sandy creek bottom for quite a while. 

I've had turtles crawl past me, coyotes and foxes trot past me, house cats come and keep me company, etc. etc.

In Wisconsin I have had chicadees land on my arrows in the winter! Also in Wisconsin once a weasel spotted me from about 20 yards out, came right up to me (hunting on the ground) and sat there between my boots staring me down.  Yeah they are tiny but the thought of one of these killing machines ready to pounce on your crotch is no joke!


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## RJR (Dec 19, 2016)

oldfella1962 said:


> That's what I love about bow hunting deer - you pretty much have to sit still and let them come to you. Of course when you do you see a lot of other wildlife which is the best part! Sunday morning I wish I had a video camera with a telephoto lens. There were six or seven (at least) squirrels chasing each for over two hours - like they never ran out of energy! There were two or three giant tall old trees pretty much touching each other at the furthest edge of their crowns near me, and it was like recess at elementary school. Sometimes all of them would be right behind the other going as far out on the tallest limbs then jumping to another tree. Sometimes half would be in one tree, half in another, and they would forms lines jumping into the other tree while their buddies did the same thing jumping into their tree on parallel branches. Sometimes one or two would take a break and eat acorns off the ground, then back to it again.
> 
> Even if I were allowed to hunt squirrel & deer at the same time (I'm not allowed on Fort Gordon) I sure wouldn't shoot my free entertainment!
> 
> ...


Great story!


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## Beaudeane (Dec 20, 2016)

Be glad he didn't go up ur pants leg to get warm. Lol.... it's all about the hunt. Being there & most often who u are hunting with. After the shot, the work begins. I didn't get a deer this year but did put my 74 year old dad in a climber at piedmont & he got a Veterans Day spike at piedmont this year. Was better than me pulling the trigger, & I did help cut it up but got half the meat & got to spend that time with him too. It's not about the kill, it's all about the hunt.


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## 1eyefishing (Dec 20, 2016)

I think maybe the OP has missed the point of hunting( if not for him, then probably most of us). Certainly hunters from ancient times up to pre-modern times who hunted for food because that was the only way would disagree with him. Most of today's hunters who hunt for internal reasons (because there's always food at the grocery store) would disagree with him. 
Certainly his attitude gives the left is a lot of ammo. 
Given that this is his first post and he already has 3 friends, I wonder what those three friends think?
First post. My first thought was maybe trolling.
I've never entered the woods for the main purpose of leaving a trail of dead animals behind me.


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## riverbank (Dec 20, 2016)

Size 12 head stomp was a little alarming to me. OP I'm not trying to insult you or anything, but maybe you should slow down a little and take in what the outdoors has to offer. Just sit still, let the critters come out of hiding and get back to there normal routine all around you , don't worry about how many you can kill and just enjoy it. You might see something you have never seen before.


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## Georgia Hard Hunter (Dec 20, 2016)

Some people never understand whats its really about, the OP would not be welcome in any group I've ever hunted with, success is never about the pile of dead animals you leave behind. I too have felt reverence for the animals I've killed. The OP behavior is a kin to me at 12 years old piling up dead song birds with my new pellet gun, killing for the sake of killing, since I've learned the lessons of life and the outdoors.* Shame on you*   This is his first post probably a troll


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## Beaudeane (Dec 20, 2016)

its called hunting, not shooting or not killing either.


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## rwh (Dec 21, 2016)

either a troll post or a future serial killer.  i can't say that i feel a sadness when i shoot something (when i was young i did).  but i don't take pleasure in the kill particularly.  i have a lot of squirrel dogs and i don't even carry a gun half the time i hunt them.  i've seen deer almost every hunt this year. i took a doe yesterday and a doe on december 2nd.  i took them for the meat.  i have some people that i give a lot of meat to every year and i eat a good bit myself.  i give the same people eggs, chickens and goat meat (if they want) if i butcher a goat.  i think any of us that hunt must have a little blood lust but an awful lot of us probably have had years where we never pulled a trigger too.  i can probably remember stories about animals i saw other than deer when i was deer hunting better than shooting even my biggest deer.


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## 7mmMag (Dec 22, 2016)

I think you need to see a theropist. That is borderline psycho.


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## bfriendly (Dec 22, 2016)

LAHunter1 said:


> i went squirrel hunting earlier. killed 2, but the fun was when i was walking out of woods and shot/ winged 2 crows - i waited a few minutes and ended up shooting 3 more- prolly could have shot more but went out and boot stomped their heads and headed home. Don't get me wrong, i don't intentionally wound animals, but i really enjoy the kills. i don't feel guilty and i don't torture .. size 12 hunting boot and 220# is pretty quick. this made me think about things, do i enjoy the hunt as much as the kills? maybe, because i also love hiking and being out in the woods. i can't sit still too long so not patient enough for deer hunting, but i love the stalk and love chasing down cripples and i enjoy the kills. can anyone relate to this?



I am glad you are thinking about things..........I am not going to judge you nor anyone else. I have different feelings about different animals.........I kind of relate to what you are saying, but the killing is not what gives me enjoyment.......its the being outdoors and the hunting part. Dont get me wrong, I certainly dont mind blowing a tree rat or a crow to pieces now and then. But even then, I'd rather see them fall to the ground DRT. I get no joy watching an animal flopping around................none whatsoever.


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## RJR (Dec 22, 2016)

rwh said:


> either a troll post or a future serial killer.  i can't say that i feel a sadness when i shoot something (when i was young i did).  but i don't take pleasure in the kill particularly.  i have a lot of squirrel dogs and i don't even carry a gun half the time i hunt them.  i've seen deer almost every hunt this year. i took a doe yesterday and a doe on december 2nd.  i took them for the meat.  i have some people that i give a lot of meat to every year and i eat a good bit myself.  i give the same people eggs, chickens and goat meat (if they want) if i butcher a goat.  i think any of us that hunt must have a little blood lust but an awful lot of us probably have had years where we never pulled a trigger too.  i can probably remember stories about animals i saw other than deer when i was deer hunting better than shooting even my biggest deer.


Well said.


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## Josey (Dec 22, 2016)

I never kill anything, just for the sake of killing.  I am troubled by people who do that, and what their core personality is.  For me too, there is a sadness in taking something's life.

Unless it would be to defend myself, I would never intentionally kill anything that I would not eat.  Well, except for ants or roaches in the house.


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## Artfuldodger (Dec 22, 2016)

I enjoyed the hunt more than the kill. The kill is necessary to get the meat. I try to make it quick. I have kicked a squirrel in the head after a bad shot. I can't say that I enjoyed it.

I would say that some kills are necessary to include crows or jays eating up ones pecans or wild dogs killing ones deer on a club.

Sounds a bit sick though to the extreme of enjoying kicking them dead.

I can't say that I would enjoy killing animals without the hunt. I know that farmers kill animals and I've seen people ring a chicken's neck. We hung some on a clothes line and cut off their heads. I've always thought that if one is going to eat meat, he should take part in the kill. That being said I didn't enjoy the kill but realized it had to be done to get fried chicken.

I worked in a chicken processing plant. We killed thousands a day. I never heard anyone say they enjoyed watching their deaths. I wasn't too fond of the smell from scalding either. I wouldn't want to eat chicken after a day of killing, scalding, plucking, and cleaning.


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## Artfuldodger (Dec 22, 2016)

I always want to go to a hog killing at the Agrirama in Tifton but never made it. Not to see the kill although that wouldn't bother me. I wouldn't enjoy that part but mainly to see the process from the kill to whatever else would happen on that day. What the men did, what the women did. What parts they ate that day. Scalding in the syrup kettle. Cleaning the intestines.  Packing the hams and bacon in boxes of salt. Living history or history to stay alive.


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