Years ago hunters gave what I call sportsmen a bad name. The majority in here, are true sportsmen, and not the direction of this post. The kill anything which moves types. The problem is a century old, even longer in Europe. I�ve met, and guided these folks. Can�t say they were my favorites. Some memories sicken me to this day. No, I�m not a plant for PETA, in fact am going out later to put down a stray cattle chasing dog the county won�t deal with. With luck, I will put it down with a Ruger Number One in 06�. 150 gr. Consider me weird, but I love nature. I don�t do Indian rituals after killing, and vote strict Republican ticket. Ducks Unlimited, private land donations, youth hunt programs, catch and release, and yes hunters who give time to help solve creature problems have built back the honor of hunters and fishermen. I completely understand Pdogs hunts. Gopher�s are a horrible varmint to folks like me who own horses. I still say naughty words when I don�t hit where I aim, watching an animal suffer. Stray cats, dogs, or whatever you name it, are big problems. Varmint hunters do a great service.

What I can�t understand is the lack of what used to be called a clean kill. My hunting buddies all talk of this. "Splatting" animals and other terms do not help our struggle becoming mainstream in the sporting world. Strange and odd ways of killing don�t help either. Well, I�m off my "soapbox" for now. Thanks for reading this.

couldn't agree more. When someone brags about how his biggenshootenbanger makes a "red mist" of a critter, he has some serious problems. Don't get me wrong. I'm not one to pussyfoot around. When I go hunting, I go hunting. I don't go "harvesting". I go for primal reasons I don't fully understand myself but I don't go because I feel obligated to help the DNR balance nature. When I kill a ----- (fill in the blank), I kill a -----. But I don't think the folks around the supper table will feel my penis is bigger if I go into graphic details of the wound or how the animal fled spraying blood from its wound. There are some sick folks out there and we have our share. More than our share it seems sometimes.

As I have said before: when we lose our hunting privileges, we will have done it to ourselves.

Pogo said it much better when he said, "we have met the enemy and it is us."

You have made some good points. We don't do our cause any good when we give the anti hunting crowd ammunition to shoot at us. It's always a good idea to know your audience before you open your mouth and tailor your message in a way that the audience will understand you.

Vaya con Dios, Danbro

B...

My wiser and older hunting buddies never say shot a ........, but I killed a ........ They do this on purpose, thanks for your post. Have to laugh, for my wife just hated the term, finally asked a good old U.P. fellow why he would say killed. He said, that's what I did, you want to see the buck hanging in the garage, it's killed. For a long time I didn't understand why they would say killed, instead of shot. The lighter my hair gets, the more I understand why.

Great quote, for yes it will be us. We are the future of hunting. My 15 year old was given a sporterized Krag Jorg with the intent it kills what he shoots at. He thought the heavy old bugger was much outdated, but after shooting it realized what the rifle was intended for. He backs me up often when varmint hunting with it.

I think a lot of the language and hype is merely bravado. There are some forums I frequent that contain members who make me ill to read their comments. They act like the term "redneck" is a badge of honor instead of a derogatory term. There aren't many of us who are brain dead yahoos, but sometimes we act like it on the internet. If some people would think their comments through before pressing the enter key it would be far better. Hunters are like anything else, good and bad. Often the ones that seem bad, aren't in reality. For what it's worth we have to accept both, and hope we encounter them on a good day when sufficient oxygen gets through those tiny little brains. Thankfully they are small in number.
Best wishes to all.

Cal - Montreal

Hey Cal, depending on where you live, Redneck CAN be a badge of honor, or at least a lifestyle to be proud of. - Dan

I have to agree, I'm a Hunter and not a Harvester and I'm very proud of being in the brotherhood of Hunters. I do however watch what I say around groups where a non-hunter my be listening, not because I'm ashamed of being a hunter or because I don't talk about blood trails etc. but because talking about hunting and killing of game offends some people. So I only talk about specifics of a hunt or a kill with fellow hunters. I'm like allot of hunters I hunt because I'm a Hunter I kill because you have to kill it before you can grille it. I find it hard to understand people that do not hunt, shoot rifles, or fish but to each thier own. Myself I get kind of offended when someone want's to talk Golf all the time. Well enough said.

Dan,

I'm about as redneck as they get. My first hunts were watching coon dawgs by the light of the moon. Drive Ford trucks, think Merle is king, still enjoy an outdoor piss, and judge a good hat by the sweatstains. I like to consider myself a sportsman too.

Before my stepfather took all of use hunting for the first time he gave us a ll a copy of an article written years ago, can't remember by who, I still have it though, on hunter ethics. He had us read that so that we would understand what it was. I will keep the article and if I ever have kids and they want to hunt I will have them read it before we go.

Red

Honor above all else

Honor
Integrity
Courage
Strength
Wisdom

These concepts have served me well for 73 years in all that I do

Cal, that remark about rednecks kinda rankled. I had perceived you as an ok fellow but I consider myself a redneck and I am degreed, wear underwear, and shoes. Unknowledgable folks like to bandy the word about but they don't have a real concept of what the real meaning of the word is. Here in West Virginia, they like to use the term "redneck" but these people are hillbillys, certainly not rednecks.
A redneck has a decided sense of values, likes and dislikes. And like good old Harry Truman, you never have to wonder where he stands on an issue. 'Cause he'll tell you. He doesn't talk one way out of one side of his mouth and another out the other. He doesn't suck up. He likes pickup trucks, dawgs, rifles, hunting, fishing, and young'uns. He always has and he always will despite what is politically correct or the latest fad. He doesn't understand folks that don't like these things and trys to avoid them.
Rednecks come in many shapes and sizes. Some wear neckties and others don't wear shoes. Its no longer possible to assign geographical limits to rednecks. Just like Santa Claus, they're everywhere.
Redneck is a charged word. I don't mind for another redneck to call me one but when someone uses it as a term of dirision with a superior curl to their lip, I don't like it.

Jayboid -

I know exactly where you're coming from. Add to the list of people I'd rather not hear from:

1. Those that can't call it a successful season until every tag is filled, and,
2. Those that think that they are the world's greatest hunter, yet every story you hear from this person includes a detailed description of how they 'stretched' the law. (You know - "Well, it was ALMOST sunrise..well, not quite, but there WAS lots of snow on the ground, so I could see the deer's silhouette....").

Dan, Beemanbeme,

Sorry. I stand corrected. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

"...put down a stray cattle chasing dog ..." No offense, but that alone is ammo for the anti's. They'd say you shot somebody's pet. Bringing the dog into your pack(that's how dogs think) would be a better idea. Or finding out who owns the mutt and having them charged.
Mind you, I totally agree with one shot one kill. I find there are too many guys who think a magnum anything will take the place of good shooting. Mind you, up here if you want to shoot anything you must join a shooting club. There are no public ranges. No government sanctioned shooting programs like the CMP. Nothing.

[ 06-15-2003, 09:23: Message edited by: sunray ]