Someting to mull over

I would like to hear the thoughts of my brothers and sisters on an issue I’ve been debating with myself…

Tonight I am starting the first of five required classes in order to renew my Canadian firearms P.A.L. (Possession and Acquisition License) and the Handling Safety Course based on hunter safety. This is not really a big deal,a few years back the rules changed requiring the new classes…just another way for government to grab another $260 from us, but that is another issue. I have to do this in order to legally own my guns and I’ve put it off for way too long. Like I said it’s no big deal and the safety refresher is never a waste of time, but another issue has come out of this.

I’ll give you a little history first…I was raised in a rural farming community and in my youth I was an avid hunter (don’t judge me yet folks) I loved to hunt small game, mostly pheasant and grouse (never liked the taste of those waskly wabbits). I followed every rule in the book eg; never fired on a bird that wasn’t on the wing, and I used (ate) everything I ever killed. There were more times that I came home empty handed because I wouldn’t bend these rules and allowed every creature the chance to flee. I did hunt deer with a group of friends from time to time but stopped after awhile, I didn’t enjoy the sitting and waiting in a blind and never much cared for the taste anyway.

In time I became a Game Warden for our local fish and game club and eventually became an Aux. Conservation Officer for the Province of Quebec. In that role I got to see the many sides of the “sport”. While the majority of the people who participate in this activity are good and law abiding, there is a small percentage who are
complete boneheads. When I went back to college, gave up the warden job and stopped hunting…this was in the late nineties. I kept up the target and trap shooting, I love to shoot, and just couldn’t let the skill to slip away.

My youngest son will soon be big enough to handle my trusty ol’ .410 shotgun that I my dad bought for me when I was 14. I’m planning to bring him along while shooting skeet this summer.

Now, to the dilemma at hand…my oldest son (26) is back living in my area once again and he has posed the issue that I’m debating.

He (like his Dad {Me}) likes to hunt pheasant. He has expressed the desire for me to accompany him on some of his outings and hunt together like we did when he first got his license.

I have to admit, I am thinking about it.

Should I dust off my field clothes and ammo belt and go?

Or am I wrong to want to do this again?

My thoughts... if you like it, and your son likes it, and you plan on eating the bird, then it would be a good opportunity for male bonding, no?

Hell, if my dad asked me to go golfing at some point, I'd say \"Sure!\" and go dust off my clubs.

(Though that doesn't have much to do with shooting anything...)

Well, this wont help but I feel only you can make this decision, its your heart and cionscience so you must decide what is right for you.

I live in UK where 'hunting' is not a big as it is in US & Canada, I used to do alot of fishing (something the animal rights loons here want to see banned also)

I always found the idea of chasing an animal to death with dogs distasteful, I have no issues with a quick kill using a gun though, especially in the farming situation (I live in a rural area, Devon).

I am UTTERLY AGAINST bowhunting, even though I do archery myself, simply because most 'bowhunters' are not skilled enough to achieve an instant painless kill with a bow, there are plenty of sites and youtube videos to prove this point.

In my book/view, hunting/shooting is a part of who you are, you were raised with it, so why deny it? Follow your heart, you seem to have the right mentality ie respect for the game, so if nothing else, teach this to your kids.

MTFBWY - A and guide you with this dilema

My personal opinion: Why not? Since you're a good sport, consume what you take (not killing just to have something to stuff and hang on the wall) and enjoy the sport; I cannot find anyway that it's against our Doctrine and Creed.

I'm not saying big game hunters are un-Jedi like. I'd have to think about that. But given what you do and how you do it, I personally feel it's a fine way to spend time with your son.

Personally, i am against killing anything. Heck, i even feel bad about killing spiders and bugs, lol. But, i know that my beliefs can not be forced on anyone and i have no idea what i could be capable of were i to be lost in the wilderness. Aside from that, even if you have put everything up, this wouldn't be a bad thing. Also, unless you put up hunting for a specific important reason i see no problem with it. Do what is important to you.

If you dont like hunting anymore, but your son wants you to go with him, then show him the ropes, all the safety and honorable ways to hunt, while not directly shooting anything yourself.


MTFBWY

I thank everyone for their input and comments, I think that if my son should ask me along I will go. I realized last night that it is pointless to sweat the moral issues that surround hunting, I am after all, already guily due to past participation in the activity. If I go it doesn’t mean that I’m duty bound to pull the trigger, I’ll leave that decision until faced with the opportinity.

On a side note, during last nights class, our instructor had on hand for demo purposes, his great grandfathers rifle. A vintage Winchester Model 1873 circa 1890 lever-action repeating rifle in .44-40 caliber. While now de-activated for the classroom, and not as smooth in the action as my modern 3030 clone, I still enjoyed the experience of holding this piece of history in my hands.

For those out there who are wondering what the heck I’m talking about – Many a young boy (me included) stared wide eyed at the black & white TV screen while the inmortal John Wayne brandished a Model 1873 .44-40 through many a western. To this day, Wayne enterprises markets this caliber cartridge complete with JW’s face on the box and in true hero style, the cartridges are silver tone instead of the common brass.

This rifle type is commonly known as the “Rifle that won the West”.

I think I’ll daydream a little, I can almost smell the dust and other items (Moo) of the cattledrive already…

Who can say whether it is wrong or not? I couldn`t do it because I never have hunted. So basically I have no idea. If it is for food you hunt, then really we can get evrything we need from the stores. I couldn`t see the necessity in it. The only issue I see is the hunt itself and the time you spend with your children. Follow your heart Brother and the Force will show you!

Thats were the whole thing gets muddy, I can rationalize that I do eat everything I harvest so I can say it's for food. But that's only a half-truth. I have nevered been hungry when I didn't hunt...the store has so much good stuff...I've tried to hunt wild Oreo's but I can't find the where the little buggers hang out. :laugh:

I have been in the conservation game and understand the concept of thinning out stock so there is enough food for survivial... I've never quite bought into that, wouldn't nature self regulate this on it's own?

I feel that half of this principal is designed to justify the sport and supporting industry. I have sat in meetings and listened to the conversations of other hunters, its about how to track (the mechanics of the hunt) or its recipes on how to get the most flavor out your game -(fair enough), or its about the need to thin the herds in order to control population, saving animals from suffering in time of lean food supplies. Ok. thats the official government line.

But there is on subject that is missing...

and maybe I'm breaking an un written rule...I just find it funny that hunters do not even talk with other hunters about \"Killing\" it's like no one wants to admit this exists.

I understand and accept that deep down we are a primial species and the act of killing is a buried part of our make-up. I won't deny that this emotion exists, I have felt it myself.

inner reflection time...

Trouble is, as a modern, educated person of conscience it is a source of internal conflict. I feel bad about being happy that I 'Bagged'(read 'killed') some woodland creature, that will eventually make to my table, but despite knowing this, I'm more than willing to go out and do it again.

Any why? simply because I enjoy the activity even though my 21 century brain says \"Why?\"

I guess deep down there is still a part me that is the Neanderthal living in a cave...

*in Elmer Fudds voice* \"Come heah wou waskly Oweo's...Hehehehehe\"