The True Meaning Of Hunting

Hello All,
I am not too sure how many responses, if any i will get but it's worth a shot anyway. While sitting here i think about the hunt and what it means to me and my family. I Look forward to the general mule deer hunt every single yr i mean i live an breathe the hunt. I Look at it not only as a hunt but as a tradition and as a way of life which i will live till i die. Its time to get out of the house with my dad and my bro and my uncle and to share old time stories and of course those white lies. Its time for exercising and challenging yourself not only mentally but physically too. Though i love to show my mad skills of long range shooting, i also embarrass myself for missing those close range dead give away shots. Its the time for bonding and friendship to come out and leave the stress and pressure at home where it belongs. Nature is the only way to be with peace not only with yourself but with others as well. The true meaning of the hunt for me is Miracle because it is a miracle to me. Hey there are fueds in the fam and time for arguing when we are at home but while the hunt is on there is none of that and there is never any fighting while talking about hunting neither because we all share the same passion together and there is no argument about that. The animal right activist do not know what hunting is all about not only from the sporting side of it but also the spiritual side of the ball too. Who would of ever thought a Muley would give such meaning an depth to the sport of hunting. I am just a simple man that likes simple things but like everyone of you on this website i share a loving devotion in supporting an helping the wildlife of today so we can have it for tomorrow and i will help in any way i can to preserve this feeling i have and to pass it on to all the others that are missing out on the meaning of hunting and the peacefullness it brings to life. Whenever you are out on the hillside and about to take a big buck just think about a kid in a wheelchair sitting at home not being able to do what your doing right than and there and what a blessing it would be for that kid to go out on a hunt and feel the same thing you feel while hunting. You can't tell me thats not a miracle or a true meaning to life and so there you have it thats what i think the ture meaning of the hunt is. Feel free to share your thoughts and your own experiences also because i would love to hear about them too. Enjoy the offseason and dream about the big buck to come next season.
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Funny thing, the last couple day's I've been re-reading some hunting story's by Warren Page in his book "One Man's Wilderness". And in reading it it is obvious that he is passionate about hunting and the ethic's involved in it. Those of you that don't know him, he was the hunting editor of "Field & Stream" for many year's, author of several book's, a champion benchrest shooter, a member of the Hunting Hall of Fame, a winner of the Weatheryby Big Game Award and president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

One thing that seem's obvious in his writing is he was strictly a trophy hunter. He did not go hunting to put meat in the freezer. I don't think that his reason's for hunting were any less or more noble than most of our's. The reason's we hunt are very personnal to each of us yet I suspect that each of us would love to be able to make the hunt's he did. Make's me think that the instinct to hunt, in those that have it, is very deep rooted and maybe as misunderstood by ourselve's as those that condem us for it. If that is not so, then why do we hunt prairie dog's, gopher's, grey digger's ect.? Why do we find that we even enjoy hunting when we're alone? Sometime's I wish I really knew why I enjoy hunting and shooting but I don't think I do. I also don't think it matter's why as long as we practice ethical method's and clean kill's: as long as we find some respect for the life we take. It's humorious that the anti's are agast when we shoot something for what ever reason but have no problem with the bear that maul's then eat's an unarmed hiker! The mountain lion that take's the hiker off the hiking path, for a meal. Pretty distorted huh?

So, I don't think it really matter's why we hunt, only that we do it in a humane way. Anyone who does not love a game animal should not be allowed to disgrace it by killing it!

Don[/quote]
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ABert
I agree completely with everything you said. To me, a successful hunt is not a huge buck, or even getting meat in the freezer. A successful hunt is spending time in the mountains with my brother and my dad. I have tried to get my kids involved in hunting but to no avail. I brought my son hunting a couple of times when he was younger but it just didn't stick. Although both my son and daughter have expressed a desire to go now that I've started hunting with my family. Hunting was always a family outing. My parents brought me and my three brothers out from the time we could walk, two kids out with each parent. They never shot a thing with us, no wonder, but it got into the blood of two of us. I now have a 4 year old grandson who I may bring out next season. He may be to young to hunt but he is already eager to go hunting with his PaPa. I can't tell you how many times we rehash old hunts. It drives my wife crazy every time I talk with my dad or brother. We all live in different states and this is the one time of the year we all get together. My cousins try to hunt a few days of the season but don't always make it. They have been bringing their kids as have my brothers. I was raised with guns from the time I was a child and taught they are tools, not weapons. I never thought of bringing a gun to school to even the score with those I didn't like. The anti-gun/hunting nuts have no idea what they are talking about. You teach a child to respect the game they are hunting, teach them how to shoot, the child is not curious about guns nor will they use them in a harmful way. My grandson, nieces and nephews and cousin all think we are the greatest hunters who ever lived. Not because we take the biggest bucks or bulls, but because we are successful most years and we have a blast just being together. Hunting has become our annual family reunion and that is something I hope we can pass on to the next generation. We have to because I am the youngest hunter in camp and I need some new blood to help drag those critters out of the woods!
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