Ok you've downed your buck and are about to get your knife out. Before you do, do you stop and think about anything or do anything to appreciate the life you have just taken?
I'm not getting heavy but would be very interested to hear of various countries/peoples experiences of how they mark the successful end of a stalk/hunt.
I would be especialy interested in hearing of any traditional or religously based ways.
Apologies if this falls out of the 'reloading nature' of the forum, not sure where else to put it.
Posts: 2258 | Location: Bristol, England | Registered: 24 April 2001
After ensuring the beast is dead, I normally pause for a moment or two just to reflect a little and give a quite word of thanks and let my nerves settle:-). I also usually put a few leaves in its mouth as a mark of respect. I think this comes from the German tradition of the "last bite". Once back a the cabin the beast is hung up by it's back legs...I could never hang a buck by the chin or antlers; it just would not seem right!:-)
[This message has been edited by Pete E (edited 05-09-2001).]
Posts: 5684 | Location: North Wales UK | Registered: 22 May 2002
quote:Originally posted by 1894: Ok you've downed your buck and are about to get your knife out. Before you do, do you stop and think about anything or do anything to appreciate the life you have just taken?
Yes, I think about life in general for a while. It feels right, in my head, to do it.
This may sound crazy but I like to think I can talk to the animal's spirit before and after. I would want him to know the respect I have and to thank him for the hunt and the food he'll provide. I recon this comes from my Cherokee half. As far as catch and release goes, a top of the line camera might be a good investment. A good close-up shot of a trophy elk would convince anyone of your skills, I think.
It is my habit to say a prayer, and thank the Lord for giving me a good hunt, and thank the Lord for provideing me with a animal that will help feed my family.
The example of giving a deer a last bite of grass/leaves sounds very much like the Inuit tradition of giving a seal a drink of fresh water after it is harvested. Since the seals live in salt water the Inuit believe that when the animal gives itself up to you it is because it is thirsty and knows that you, as a good hunter, will fulfill this need. This same seal may in return give itself up to you in the future after it has reincarnated.
For myself, there has to be remorse on the side of the hunter. The animal has given itself to you so you can feed your family. People who do not hunt do not understand this. They have distanced themselves from the difficult part of eating other animals - death. There is no remorse when you go to a supermarket.
Mark and X-Ring are both focusing on something very essential, and I have nothing to add the subject, but I say a short prayer to S:t Hubert about a clean shot before the shot.
Fritz K.
Posts: 846 | Location: Sweden | Registered: 19 April 2001
I'll have to agree with the short prayer thing, but not to the deer, spirits, nature, ect. The deer is dead, the trees don't have a voice, and nature is mercyless. I say a prayer to the true God, the living God, the one who entrusted us with the responsibility of being caretakers of the animals & plants.
Also, prayer/communication with God is a BIG part of hunting for me. Many hours in the deer stand or duck blind is speant in communication with Him. Sorry to get OT, but I do care about all of you and wish to spend eternity with fellow hunters and the Almighty. If you haven't done so, salvation is easy to do, and WILL change your life, but in a good way. e-mail me if you have any questions that you need answers to and I'll answer them to the best of my ability.
ps. I once played 'Home on the Range' on my guitar after a successful mule deer hunt in Nebraska.
My first thought is how am I going to get this animal back to my truck. I personally give no thought to the animal itself, it is simply meat to go on the table. I don't think anybody does a respect for the animal ritual when they are buying meat at the supermarket.
Posts: 598 | Location: Missouri | Registered: 16 June 2000
I liketo take a minute and admire the animal. I hate it when you see on the TV shows some guy run up, grab the antler and yank the head upright. I want to take in the whole thing first- how he fell, what his posiition is, what the rest of the body looks like.
No prayers or anyhting for me, I'm not very religious. I just like to admire the beast.
Posts: 3082 | Location: Pemberton BC Canada | Registered: 08 March 2001
quote:Originally posted by Wild Bill: This may sound crazy but I like to think I can talk to the animal's spirit before and after. I would want him to know the respect I have and to thank him for the hunt and the food he'll provide.
I feel a sadness and a little pain in having taken a creature that could have continued to roam freely. I often have to remind myself that hunting does help the overall health of the herd and supplies me with a heathier cut of meat.
The warmth of the game is somewhat a snap back to the realization that I haven't just bought a steak, nor just earned a healthier cut of meat for my family, but also I have taken one of God's creatures. It is a mix of elation and sadness that I can't get at any other level as a sportsmen.
I do not pray over the animal, but I pray often and will include the animal in normal thanks to God in my prayer.
------------------ Live Free! Madison, Jefferson and all the boys paid for it, and so did our very own fathers.
Thank you BMG, I too am a Christian and I too have a concern that my fellow hunters/shooters do not end up in eternal torment but with us where never again will we have to kill in order to eat. With each kill I am reminded that the price for sin is death and in this modern society the supermarket has insulated the general public from having to kill and harvest their own food. God has provided these animals for our food, but with out the example of the shedding of blood we soon become cavalier about the cost of sin. Supermarkets throw out several hundreds of pounds of meat each day, but I bet not many of you throw out any game meat. Personally I pray thanks to the Provider and glorify Him that saved me from the wrath to come by dying in my place and paying for my sin with His blood.
Hi It is nice to hear of you, me too I am not in favor of hunting just for killing and i think we have to respect the animals which lord has given us the resposnabillity to ward and harvest.The nicest part of hunting is being in the wilderness and feeling of freedom , fresh air and calm far from the big cities and killing is most difficult part not due to the bad shooting,but the idea of life is dear to every being. me too i pray the lord that the quary do not suffer and for a propper killing. I usually hunt while hiking in wilderness to provid myself with the food and it is areason I never realy become a big game hunter, I can't eat a deer and the meat is rutning very fast in the wilderness. best regards danny
Posts: 1127 | Location: Sweden | Registered: 19 June 2000
Here is something I never do. I never approach the fallen animal until completeley dead. I never approach from the front or within eyesight. I want to avoid him a last horrifying sight of man, of his taker. Montero.
Posts: 874 | Location: Madrid-Spain | Registered: 03 July 2000
I give thanks to the animals spirt and to the great spirt (God) if you wish; and ask him to give the animal have green fields to eat in and forest to roam for eternity. Like Montero I wait until death has claimed the animal befor I approach. I also cover the animals eyes with a cloth before I bring it back to camp or town.
I usually touch every or almost every part of the animals I kill. I look at and feel the horns/antlers, feet/hooves, hide, head, teeth and look for and at the bullet holes. I like to smell the animals and feel the fur/mane/hair and muscles. I like to do my own field dressing when I am permitted on guided hunts so I can see the effects of my shot and how the animal is put toghether inside. I know this sounds wierd and my hunting buddies and guides who have witnessed this behavior probably think I'm nuts, but it is a very important part of my enjoyment of the hunt. Otherwise, I feel like I'm just harvesting food and not taking part in a "hunt".
I do not follow any set custom, but ordinarily take a few minutes to catch my breath and let the adrenaline dissipate. Every hunt is different, rarely the same state of mind from one trip to another. The peace and solitude of the places I hunt is magnified during that time. The solitude can be magnified a great deal if there's just me and it's two miles back to the truck.
Tom
Posts: 14706 | Location: Moreno Valley CA USA | Registered: 20 November 2000
I have always felt a little sadness. I have always taken pride in never having lost a deer, bow or gun. I am not religious but I believe in something. Just keep a good heart. Well several years back I made a terrible, horrible, shot(s). I felt awful. I felt that I hadn't given the buck the respect he deserved. It was my largest whitetail ever, a 21 inch 9 point that dressed 252 pounds. But the achievement was hollow. Anyway I was disgusted enough with myself to not hunt for two years as a punishment for being a dumbass. I felt I owed at least that much. It doesn't have a lot to do with tradition but it shows how strongly I feel about making a clean quick kill. I guess my tradion is respect for the quarry.
Carnivore: I would fel the same way if I made a bad shot. I will not use a Bow yet because I dont feel comphy with it if I were to use it and just wound a Deer or lose one because of me being a bad shot I would prob hange it up for a few years myself.
When I shoot a deer for the table, I immediately cut it's throat and snap the neck to allow it to bleed and to ensure the animal a quick death. Leaving an animal to suffer over some ritualistic bullshit and allowing it to die slowly is just so much crap!! and would seem to be rather cruel. I apologise if I have read some of these posts wrong but unecessary suffering on a wounded animal by allowing it to die slowly would seem to "fly in the face" of sportsmanship
I believe and hope that everyone here is talking about after the animal has expired and they have made every effort to ensure as quick and clean a kill as possible.
Posts: 211 | Location: West of the Big Muddy | Registered: 15 March 2001
quote:Originally posted by Robert D. Lyons: My first thought is how am I going to get this animal back to my truck. I personally give no thought to the animal itself, it is simply meat to go on the table. I don't think anybody does a respect for the animal ritual when they are buying meat at the supermarket.
Which is the whole problem with buying meat at the supermarket.
The only big game animal I've shot was a bull elk. I shot him in the heart and he ran about 75 yards out of sight. From the tracks and blood spray it looked as if he stumbled around in a small circle before dying, no more than a few seconds from the shot.
When I walked up on him my first thought (after my guide threw a small stick at him to make sure he wasn't going to kick our faces in) was, "Wow, I did this." It was an awesome feeling of responsibility that comes back to me each time I eat some of the meat, and especially when I taste the sagebrush --which he was eating while I stalked him.
Posts: 1246 | Location: Northern Virginia, USA | Registered: 02 June 2001
I agree Steve... and by the sounds of it it no small wonder why game animals get herpes by the sounds of some of these posts. I would think and like to believe that we respect and reflect on nature and hunts (a given). If you want to do some stroke'n do it with a sharp skinner.
Posts: 2045 | Location: West most midwestern town. | Registered: 13 June 2001
Well...I enjoy hunting, so gratitude fills my heart whenever I kill, and the least I can do is to thank God and show respect to the animal for taking its life. As some others have said, I approach the animal after it is dead, and use enough gun to put it out of its misery fast, and without having to bleed it. So far I haven't had to track any moose. Only one so far has walked as far as 25 yards from where I shot it.
And yes, I understand and admire the respect some Native Americans show to the animals and everything around them. No, I don't idolize nature nor pray to it, but I do all I can not to destroy it, and enjoy it to the fullest. I am grateful for those birch leaves found where moose roam, since that's what brings them in.
We only show and allow access to our hunting spots to those who feel the same way we do.
Posts: 2448 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 25 May 2002
