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| | From:  Gunrockets (Original Message) | Sent: 11/3/2007 11:04 AM |
David E. Petzal
The Gun Nut
Something to Think About
I was talking with a fellow gun writer last week, and in the middle of the conversation he gave me an odd look and paused.
"Do you like big-game hunting as much as you used to?" he asked.
"No," I said, "I don't like watching animals die."
"I feel the same way," said my colleague, "I didn't know if anyone else felt the same."
Now this is a guy who is maybe ten years younger than I am, but who has done a ton of big-game hunting, and I mean a ton. I think that unless you are some kind of blood-crazed creepazoid, you get enough of it, and you decide to hunt birds or shoot targets, or do something that doesn't involve killing something that wants to live as badly as you do.
In 1978, when I went to Africa for the first time, I had the privilege of hunting with Grits Gresham, who is as great a gentleman and sportsman as anyone who has shouldered a gun. Grits was about 55 at the time, and killed only one animal the whole trip while I smoked up everything we saw. At the time I didn't understand it, but now I do.
The last two times I've been to Africa I've taken a total of three head of game, and the next time, if I'm lucky enough to go, I probably won't take any. I will just dodder around with a rifle on my shoulder and a smile on my face, and that will be perfectly fine.
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The hunt still gives me a thrill, adrenalin rush,
whatever we do it for. The primary reason is to put food on the table and for me
predator control as well. ( I'm heading out to a neighbours this morning to get
some coyotes that are harassing her cattle). I do not like to see my quarry
suffer. I go for a spinal shot just in front of the shoulder blades or if
possible, at the base of the head. Two years ago, I hit a buck below the spine
and it ran about 50 yards before it piled up (30-30 win @125 yards). Even though
it was a kill, I still felt bad because I know it suffered and that I could have
done better. That was my worst kill in recent memory and it still haunts
me.
Maybe I worry too much, but to each, his
own.
Trooper |
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| | | From: Rodster | Sent: 11/10/2007 11:54 AM |
Armour You've got it right. As a kid , I've seen my grandfather take many deer with 22short ,well placed behind the ear.No suffering. |
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| | | From: Steve | Sent: 11/22/2007 4:48 AM |
Well, I only shoot what I can eat and what I have to as I keep my gun control skills current. I have a huge problem with wanton killing, and the examples of the passenger pigeon and bison underscore such stupidity. I turned down a safari that boasted that I would be able to kill x number of animals in just five days as I knew what I wanted to shoot and eat...and found an outfitter with a similar mindset who helped round out my visit with a photo shoot of species not often seen by the Texan windbags so busy killing as many animals as they could find. Why shoot a not so edible leopard for $600 if the taxidermy costs exceed what I would be willing to pay to have the dead cat mounted ? We are stewards of this planet, and need to leave this planet in better shape than we found it while enjoying God's bounty here. Shoot vermin and pests as needed, but let's not get giddy about killing animals just for fun. |
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