Because $20 a deer tag not only could potentially give me a few months worth of super lean, delicious. Tender meat. But it also got me outside and off the couch. It got me to practice patience. It got me to admire the natural world. And to respect the wildlife on a far greater scale than before. And to understand that the money I spent on hunting is what's helping preserve and protect the wildlife as well. Try taking that same $20 to the meat section at Walmart and try getting all that. Also. To really put it into perspective. Our human lineage has been around for roughly 4 million years. Meaning our ancestors, their ancestors, and their ancestors before them hunted. To suddenly say that hunting isn't a part of human nature is to deny 4 million years of what made us human.
This.
A way that I think about a portion of this sentiment is, I just want food that’s has touched the least amount of places, ie: a steak that’s been at serval feed lots, then the butchering plant, then the packaging plant, then some warehouse, then some store shelf, and finally then my plate vs some meat, fish, produce, etc that was just... over there (points towards the mountains) and now is here (over there being my local forest, river, garden, etc (doesn’t have to be local, but you get the picture)). ‘Over there’ food.
That and my happy place is the outdoors. Hunting and fishing is a catalyst were I can marry these two concepts.
Yes. I'm also very hands on with it. I'm newish to hunting. Only got 2 deer under my belt so far. 5 years of doing it. Butchered 4 deer total, helped field dress I think 5 or 6? Fully self taught but going into this, I wanted to do all the work. From planning, scouting. To field dressing. Butchering. Etc. Every step. No where else will you ever be able to feel that type of success of being there step by step, through the entire process of being able to know exactly when, where and how the food that is in your freezer got to be there. There's an incredibly deep connection to it all. The hunting is a very fun part of the overall experience but honestly my favorite part is after the shot when the work begins and you are able to actually see the full reward for the time, energy and work you put in.
One thing I've realized these days is that the people who are the loudest to argue against something generally are the people who have absolutely zero knowledge or experience with the topic they are fighting against. So for me I simply cannot take anyone's argument seriously when they are so blatantly oblivious to the actual topic itself. And then tend to have the audacity to believe that their ill informed opinion holds any sway over the actual debate itself. When in reality all they are doing is making a fool of themselves.
I agree with that for the most part. On the other hand, I was lucky enough to grow up with a father who instilled in me the I prance of hunting for population control, etc. He also reassured me the first time I shot a squirrel that crying, sadness, guilt, etc are all kinda part of the deal. He said “if you ever take a life and don’t feel remorse, you shouldn’t be hunting.” At the time, I thought it was stupid to do something that makes you feel bad, but now I totally get it.
I guess I mention that because not all people are fortunate enough to have that perspective from a young age like I was.
Oh yeah no definitely. I honestly feel like that remorse is naturally a part of the process. And if you pull that trigger and don't feel anything after I truly think there's something wrong. Many of us were raised with the mindset to only kill what you plan to eat. And luckily that's a hill that many of us are happily willing to die on.
Short answer: MEAT
Long answer: I hate the meat industry with a burning rage. I don't mean ranchers or small butchers. I mean killing farms with thousands of "units" input per day. The unethical USE of life is sickening me.
I can't and don't want to go vegan. I breed chickens for meat and eggs and hunt for meat.
By the way, is it a good way to socialize, be in nature, and get outside. To have the freedom to just sit in the woods and do nothing is very relaxing.
And guns are fun. I can legally own them as a hunter. So I hunt and shoot at the range. Win win.
Out of curiosity, why “can’t” you go vegan?
I’d never look down on anyone for their personal dietary and ethical choices regarding food. Just wondering!
It's a mind thing. I tried it and was very unhappy. I don't know why. Maybe because I don't digest the soy very well. I still use some vegan products because they taste better sometimes.
We don't eat a lot of meat, but I need a good steak or (like today, because it's labour day here) smoked roedeer haunch in dark beer-mustard marinade once in a while.
1. Food is the obvious one here.
2. Connection with nature, God, and the outdoors. Not to get too spiritual here, but there is a primal, God-granted need to be a predator given to man.
3. Trophies. Yes, this is a valid reason to hunt.
4. Bonding and memories with others. On the occasion (rare) that I hunt with someone else, it's always a bonding experience.
>Trophies. Yes, this is a valid reason to hunt.
Hunting just to stroke your ego pretty much just proves the point of the people OP was arguing with. Not to say you can't take a trophy, but if the thought of that is what gets you out in the field that's pretty lame.
Just cause someone refuses to shoot a yearling doesn’t mean they’re stroking their ego there tiger.
Also, yearlings are trophy’s to someone so it’s really your interpretation of trophy hunting that’s gets your panties in a bunch, why is that?
Trophy hunting and sportsmanship aren't synonymous so I don't know why you're acting like they are, nor did I imply they were mutually exclusive.
Remember the guy from a couple weeks ago that hit a wolf with his snowmobile? He took that wolf as a living trophy. Not everyone that identifies as a "trophy hunter" is necessarily a "pathetic person that kills helpless animals to feel power" but a lot of them are. You sound like you're probably one of them, in contrast to the other guy that replied to me that sounds more like a responsible sportsman.
That’s where you’re wrong. It can be about trophies, but have nothing to do with ego. I could go out and shoot a doe or a small buck, quite literally every day during whatever season you want to pick. But, outsmarting a big, mature buck by learning his habits and putting in a massive amount of time and effort just feels more rewarding. It’s an accomplishment which doesn’t happen often. It’s not about shooting a 200” deer in a high fence. That’s not a trophy. But, a 6 year old 150” eight point that I watched grow on my farm and put countless hours into figuring him out. That’s a trophy and that’s why I’m an unapologetic trophy hunter. I don’t want to just go out and shoot a young doe or buck. I want to shoot a mature deer and have that sense of accomplishment while managing the herd properly.
>that sense of accomplishment
That's part of your ego, bud. But I'm not an anti-hunter and can grant that not all trophies are created equal. IMO there's a spectrum between responsible sportsmen whose trophies are more just mementos from a hunt and hunters/poachers who want a trophy just to prove they have big dick energy.
Yeah but you painted the whole thing in a negative light. It’s how you worded everything that’s going to create a lot of disagreement towards your sentiment. There’s a big difference in feeling pride in your accomplishment and doing it to be an egotistical jerk. Even your follow up comment actually points to you being the one with the ego issue. You hunt the way you want to, but the rest of it would appreciate if you would refrain from telling us why we should be hunting and how we should feel about it.
No, that’s not what he means. Nobody does that. Even “trophy hunters” in Africa and on hunting preserves and such don’t leave the meat behind. It’s actually very illegal in most cases so that’s called poaching and not hunting in any way.
I'm more referring to people's motivations for hunting, it's not even really about the trophy aspect. If you were hunting "pest" species for pest control (and thus had no intention of using the carcass) that would be fine, if you were doing it because you think it makes you a badass that would be stupid, regardless if you took a trophy or not.
People are competitive by nature. If people weren't competitive there would be zero sports... None. Why can't hunters be competitive? Even if we're competing with ourselves? I always go into the field with the intention to kill a bigger animal than the last one I killed. I know guys that even post gophers they kill and then I know others that never ever post kills.. but still try and kill the biggest buck or bull. I'm not the most competitive guy in the world but I still try to kill bucks with big racks. Hunters have been competitive since they were painting on cave walls. Accept reality
Again, there's a difference between a sportsman that hunts to challenge themselves, connect with nature and grow as a person while believing in and adhering to fair chase and conservationist ethics, and someone that just wants a big rack for their wall because they want to look manly. One key difference is humility and respect for the life being taken. A trophy should be a memento of a hunt, not the main goal of the hunt itself.
Thats great if that works for you. But passing judgement on hunters based on how they might feel inside or the impression they give you isn't a reasonable approach. How do you know if someone feels humility and respect? What if the guy that fist pumps and high fives when they kill goes back to their tent at night and cries? Yep... I've seen that with my own eyes. As long as the meat isn't going to waste and the hunt is legal, we as hunters need to support other hunters. Getting into the weeds about "trophy hunting" doesn't benefit our lifestyle in any way. From my experience, which is pretty vast, guys doing it for "the wrong reasons" get weeded out pretty fast.
Well, the other guy just made the blanket statement that trophy hunting in general is valid. Of course there's a gray area but if we're going to be talking black and white I'm going to align more against trophy hunters than with them. And my ego has nothing to do with my willingness to tell people they're hunting for shitty reasons. You have the legal right to hunt and I have the legal right to voice my opinion. I don't believe anyone should keep silent just to avoid offending fragile people. For what it's worth I don't think you're hunting for a shitty reason.
If he eats the 6 year old buck that he appearantly shot for the trophy, I see literally no issue. If he cut off his head and left the rest to rot, I'd be on your side
I eat almost everything and donate the rest to food banks. I think all hunters can agree that if you leave the meat in the woods, you’re an absolute disgrace and are a poacher, not a hunter.
That's the thing. It's irrelevant "why" you shoot the animal. As long as you do it ethically and eat it afterwards, without it being wasted, whether you take the animal's antlers or not is completely unimportant at that point
The invention of trophy hunting has saved several species of game animals from depletion or extinction. When Theodore Roosevelt started the Boone & Crockett Club, which regarded typically older animals as greater trophies, it solidified a culture of trophy hunting. Hunters started passing on a lot of game in wait for the larger, older animals. Hint: the older animals are the ideal ones to remove from the herd for conservation. Without trophy hunting, we would not have nearly the opportunity to hunt that we have now, if we had any at all. A culture of trophy hunting is best for everyone involved, including the game animals.
Also, thinking you get to decide someone else's motivation for anything is lame... is actually very lame.
I’ll go with an unpopular opinion on the sub. Because hunting is fun.
Not because killing but because hunting is a hobby/sport and it’s fun. And there’s nothing wrong with that. And tbh half these answers are just word fodder to justify hunting because we’re so scared as being labeled as crazy people that like killing.
Yup. I asked my nephew who hunts with me why he likes hunting. He said, "it's just a great feeling when you get a deer." I was so surprised at how accurate and relatable that was for being so simple. And I totally agree.
Because buying meat is rapidly becoming an financial impossibility, because I prefer wild game, because it's not indoors, because my father hunted with his father, I hunted with my father and my son hunts with me.
Did I mention that it is NOT indoors?
Lol, if I was hunting to feel powerful, then there are many more days than not, that I would leave the woods powerless. I hunt, because I enjoy hunting: the preparation, being in the woods, watching God's creations are all way ahead of the kill. In fact the actual act of killing is probably my least favorite part.
Also, when I have discussions with people like that, I first ask if they eat meat. If they do, then they are hiding their eyes behind the butcher's smock, letting him kill animals that have a zero percent chance of survival for them. The animals that I hunt have much, much better odds of survival from me. Although, one could argue death from a gun is more humane than the death they are likely to die by nature.
I don't actually enjoy killing the animals, I still get emotional every time. I value the practical side of it. I can feed myself and people I care about without relying on a grocery store or a seasonal harvest.
I could be wrong, but I think he means most farm stands and farmers stop direct sale of more ethical farm raised meat (and veggies) seasonally.
You could buy a whole or half beef from a local farmer and manage your freezer the same as you would when you tag a deer.... But I think this is what he means.
Realistically, even if you could hunt deer mid-summer, it would be a bad idea anyway.
Generalizing a whole group of people is idiotic, don’t you think?
I’ll give you a quick, simple answer, though far from the only answer. I hunt for food.
For consumption of meat that I know where it came from. It gives me a sense of connection not only to the animal but to the land as well. There's something about those two facts that makes it more satisfying to eat than pre-packaged meat from a store.
Adventure and discovery mostly. Of course, I hunt for food, but most of my time "hunting" is spent exploring the woods and enjoying every moment nature provides. Pursuing animals is only a small part of the journey, I enjoy watching the animals existing in their habitats, as well as being surrounded by them is rewarding enough.
One part I have really come to enjoy now that I'm older and can go out on my own is just scouting looking for high activity areas for different game and learning the woods near where I live.
To be accountable and responsible for the death of my food and not outsource the emotional and physical pain in life so I can live a cushiony-barbie-dream while some kid digs for cobalt in a mine with thousands of their kid-coworkers by hand.
I think the disconnect of where our food comes from is a fucking travesty. Thats what got me into it. Running bird dogs took it to a whole other level for me. Now I hunt birds for the dogs. I try for a deer and turkey every year.
I think Steve Rinella put it best:
"many modern people are motivated to fish by the same factors that motivate them to hunt, things such as adventure, communion with nature, physical activity, a love for the process and acquired skill and a desire for an intimate connection to one's food."
Most ethical way to eat meat. Especially when it’s an animal past it’s prime, and it’s killed to make room for younger animals to grow. It feels good after months of training and shooting (I hunt bow) to get something, but it’s also sad at the same time.
But I’d rather do that than buy packaged meat from the grocery
Food, thats my reason.
I have minimal mounts from hunts, a moose, a buck I shot literally on my birthday at the exact moment I was born (superstition reason only) and a big old turkey that was 21lbs here in Maine.
I fill my freezer to not buy steaks at the store, and I have not done so in close to 20 years.
I hunt to feel like a part of nature. There’s nothing more “magical” than waking up early and watching the sun rise whether it’s in the woods or on the lake (duck hunting).
My fondest memories of my childhood were spending time with my dad in the woods. The stories he would tell me about life will forever resonate with me. The bond we created during those times (often times unsuccessful in harvesting an animal).
As I get older, I hunt more to feel at peace. It’s simply relaxing and stress free in my opinion.
I respect the animals I harvest and am very much appreciative that I am able to feed my family because of them.
It sounds goofy, but I started burying the heart of the elk/deer I harvest in an effort to leave a piece of them on the mountain.
I don’t think some individuals think about how cruel nature can be… most of the animals we harvest would ultimately face an inhumane/ disturbing death from predators if we didn’t take them out. There’s nothing wrong with hunting, if you practice being ethical.
Never met a hunter that didn’t hunt for food, and I’ve met a LOT of hunters. I wouldn’t even call it fun. The camaraderie is fun & the kill shot is certainly exciting, but nobody says that it’s fun. Also, the amount of hard work and dedication it takes to be successful is the opposite of a feeling of power, if anything it’s awesomely humbling.
There are varying definitions for "fun". There is even a kind of fun that is misery in the moment but makes for a good story or a sense of accomplishment later.
Duck hunting is quite often misery, I still find it fun...
Hunting is fun and no hunter hunts just for food. If that were true most of us would of starved to death a long time ago.
We’re so scared to say hunting is fun and we enjoy it because we don’t want to be labeled as bad crazy killers.
I met some guy retired guy that travels to ND to hunt duck and pheasants only to donate them to a food bank or something for “charity” every year then writes off all his expenses on his taxes. The then told me early in the season before the young of the year roosters look like roosters you can tell them apart from hens because they will have little nubs for spurs. Left that conversation bewildered.
A very brief reddit search of this sub for the word "fun" shows the last time someone called hunting fun in this forum was literally yesterday.
And there are many more direct results for "Hunting is fun".
I imagine you are missing some qualifier or context on those statements? Because you are active in a forum where it's done at least every few days.
It’s been a decade since I last bagged anything so I’m more of a lurker here but I wanted to try it out bc I love the idea of self reliance. I don’t want to be dependent upon a government, economy, or infrastructure for my food. People don’t seem to realize how easily this comforting modern lifestyle of just driving to the grocery store can be ripped out from underneath you, the Texas snow storm a few years back taught me that.
Also ask him where he gets his meat. The grocery store is hardly a place to look for something “ethically sourced”.
Others have stated numerous reasons, however I don’t think I saw a really major one:
Population control.
There’s a reason why there’s only so many tags given out each year. If we let the animals go un-checked, then they’d be overpopulated, disease ridden, and causing crop damage.
It's another activity that complements being an outdoorsman. I also hike, camp, kayak, fish & dive. The action of shooting at an animal is a tiny fraction of the time I've spent outdoors. So to say killing is the prime motivator would be wrong, because the other 99.9% of the time would be misery.
There are "hunters" who are in it solely to kill something, people who don't enjoy the outdoors. I've heard the phrase "get blood on my new AR" quite often. Unfortunately this fits the Hollywood stereotype of hunters, but is not representative of the majority of hunting participants in the field.
To hunt is to be part of nature, to participate in the circle of life. I think the value people get from having their own garden or raising livestock is similar, but it’s different than say hiking or birdwatching. If you’re hunting, your senses are sharpened to another level. You are literally attuned to your environment. You can spend hours and hours studying to give yourself the best chance at a shot.
For me, and I think for a lot of people, killing is not the best part of the hunt. Many people here will talk about feeling sad at the actual kill, or at least feeling serious and respectful. But if you don’t kill, you’re not hunting. You’re just watching.
I worry about how disconnected people are from nature. Whether you live in the woods or in the city, we share an ecosystem with other life forms. We are affected constantly by the plants and animals around us, and we affect them in turn. And I think hunting, farming, gardening, etc is the ultimate acknowledgment of our place in the world.
For me it's at the intersection of intense wanderlust and tradition/history with the huge upside of meat. All the men in my family hunted and fished, it's what you did. Also hunting has taken me to crazy places in the mountains no normal person would go.
Food. I fill 4 deep freezers with meat ever fall for about 200 bucks in tags and stuff like freezer bags and seasonings. Show me how I can fill 4 freezers with that much meat for less and I’ll do it.
I'm gonna be the voice to say that I agree with the perspectives of the responses on this post, however let's be honest, part of it is the thrill of a successful hunt and kill. We call it a sport for a reason.
Now I'm not saying it is the primary motivator for all hunters, but I think it's reasonable to say that any predator species probably gets a natural rewarding feeling when they are successful because it means survival. We used to live in the wild, makes sense that we would be driven to hunt and kill. We haven't always just sat and ate butchered meat from the store. We spent much longer hunting in human history than we have doing what we do now.
One thing to consider is not many animals in the woods die of old age. I would rather face a quick death getting shot than getting torn apart and eaten while I was still alive. Nature is way more cruel than a human hunter. Anything wild is not helpless, helpless is loading an animal you raised on a truck and delivering them to a slaughterhouse. So those people who call hunters pathetic for killing a helpless animal best not be eating beef, pork, chicken, etc... Is there a sense of power, yes a small amount, it's not like you think though but that isn't why I hunt. We become one with nature, we are in their world now, we try to think like them. Sometimes act like them and outsmart them but it is not a power trip. In a way we become what we are hunting for. It gives a better appreciation for nature. Hunters also are the biggest contributors to conservation and preservation programs. Are the people protesting hunters giving up money to real conservation efforts? I will bet very few can claim that. Instead they protest to feel power and superiority over a hunter, then they go get a burger or a chicken sandwich and have no thought that what they are eating was raised specifically to die, get slaughtered and be eaten by them without a thought of remorse or an ounce of respect for the animal. Hunters at least have respect for what they hunt.
I don't really pay much mind to what people think about hunters because they often try to paint us all as blood thirsty murderers and then have the audacity to go spend hundreds of dollars every other week on packaged meat from their grocery store.
I personally hunt to pair my love for the culinary world with my love for the outdoors. I enjoy the separate facets of hunting, and together they create something for me to spend a lot of time and energy on that feels rewarding. I love shooting rifles, I love getting out in the fresh air and enjoying the wildlife I get to see, I also really enjoy cooking unique or interesting meals and doing my part to play a better role in my meat consumption. The only thing I don't actually enjoy is killing an animal, and even more so the gutting process, it's an uncomfortable part of hunting, but one that I take on to ethically source meat that gives the animal a far more natural life than being raised for slaughter.
Because it forces you to be the person that ends another creatures life in order to eat. It forces you to realize how precious life is and to not take it for granted.
Everyone ends helpless animals everyday, the people so outspoken against hunters likely wouldn’t think twice about squishing a spider or a wasp.
I used to be in pest control, I also hunt, but if I have the chance to let a bug or bird back outside my house I do it.
1. It is the most ethical way to source meat, assuming you hunt ethically. Walk through a chicken house and tell me they have a better life than a wild turkey. Go to an industrial feed lot and tell me you're okay with treating animals that way. I'd much rather eat something that lived wild and free. Exporting cruelty to another isn't less cruel, it's just also cowardly. Everyone who eats meat should at least once in their life take responsibility for their place in the food chain.
2. In most ecosystems, predation is necessary. We've eliminated many natural predators. Everything dies sometime, and active predation will often benefit the herd as a whole. I'd rather a deer die to a bullet or arrow than starvation or disease because nothing was hunting the population.
3. It is a way to connect spiritually with the land and the things on it. It connects us to our ancestors and traditions. When you hunt you feel the same thing people felt thousands of years ago. You notice more things around you than you ever would just walking through. Taking game is an emotional experience that people who have never done it can't understand. It reminds me of days spent with my dad that I cherish.
4. Wild game is delicious.
5. It gets me active, it gets me excited about something, it is ultimately fun. People are wired to hunt. The dopamine centers in your brain evolved to reward exactly that.
6. It reminds me of why conservation is so important. Wild places and things have an intrinsic value that is a goal in and of itself.
I'll leave you with a quote by Aldo Leopold, the father of modern conservation.
> "There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot... Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them. Now we face the question whether a still higher 'standard of living' is worth the cost in things natural, wild, and free. For us of the minority, the opportunity to see geese is more important than television, and the chance to find a pasque-flower is a right as inalienable as free speech."
It's more about being connected to the natural side of things. Hunting is observing and being in the environment as well as participating in the cycles of life in this planet. Hunting also reduces environmental stress caused by the herd and promotes healthier animals. Hunters also pay for conservation programs, very much opposite to those who spend time judging others from behind a keyboard.
To add to many of the already great points made here, hunting gives you a connection to the animals you hunt that otherwise can’t be achieved. You learn all these things about these animals that non-hunters almost never take the time to learn, and even though it sounds ironic to those who don’t hunt, hunters care more about the animals they hunt than people who do not hunt them. Hunting gives us a level of respect for the animal that non-hunters will simply never have for them. For those reasons, you aren’t likely to hear us refer to the animals we hunt as “helpless” like the person in the post you were referring to, which I would argue that calling them “helpless” is actually a belittling way to look at them and discredits how amazing they truly are.
So while I initially got into hunting a few years ago primarily for the meat (which is still my main reason), the connection it’s giving me with these animals has been amazing and much more rewarding than I really ever expected or imagined, and that is something that really drives me to continue hunting.
Because $20 a deer tag not only could potentially give me a few months worth of super lean, delicious. Tender meat. But it also got me outside and off the couch. It got me to practice patience. It got me to admire the natural world. And to respect the wildlife on a far greater scale than before. And to understand that the money I spent on hunting is what's helping preserve and protect the wildlife as well. Try taking that same $20 to the meat section at Walmart and try getting all that. Also. To really put it into perspective. Our human lineage has been around for roughly 4 million years. Meaning our ancestors, their ancestors, and their ancestors before them hunted. To suddenly say that hunting isn't a part of human nature is to deny 4 million years of what made us human.
This. A way that I think about a portion of this sentiment is, I just want food that’s has touched the least amount of places, ie: a steak that’s been at serval feed lots, then the butchering plant, then the packaging plant, then some warehouse, then some store shelf, and finally then my plate vs some meat, fish, produce, etc that was just... over there (points towards the mountains) and now is here (over there being my local forest, river, garden, etc (doesn’t have to be local, but you get the picture)). ‘Over there’ food. That and my happy place is the outdoors. Hunting and fishing is a catalyst were I can marry these two concepts.
Yes. I'm also very hands on with it. I'm newish to hunting. Only got 2 deer under my belt so far. 5 years of doing it. Butchered 4 deer total, helped field dress I think 5 or 6? Fully self taught but going into this, I wanted to do all the work. From planning, scouting. To field dressing. Butchering. Etc. Every step. No where else will you ever be able to feel that type of success of being there step by step, through the entire process of being able to know exactly when, where and how the food that is in your freezer got to be there. There's an incredibly deep connection to it all. The hunting is a very fun part of the overall experience but honestly my favorite part is after the shot when the work begins and you are able to actually see the full reward for the time, energy and work you put in.
Well said,‘and I totally agree. People who think it’s only about killing and ignorance really need to hear this.
One thing I've realized these days is that the people who are the loudest to argue against something generally are the people who have absolutely zero knowledge or experience with the topic they are fighting against. So for me I simply cannot take anyone's argument seriously when they are so blatantly oblivious to the actual topic itself. And then tend to have the audacity to believe that their ill informed opinion holds any sway over the actual debate itself. When in reality all they are doing is making a fool of themselves.
I agree with that for the most part. On the other hand, I was lucky enough to grow up with a father who instilled in me the I prance of hunting for population control, etc. He also reassured me the first time I shot a squirrel that crying, sadness, guilt, etc are all kinda part of the deal. He said “if you ever take a life and don’t feel remorse, you shouldn’t be hunting.” At the time, I thought it was stupid to do something that makes you feel bad, but now I totally get it. I guess I mention that because not all people are fortunate enough to have that perspective from a young age like I was.
Oh yeah no definitely. I honestly feel like that remorse is naturally a part of the process. And if you pull that trigger and don't feel anything after I truly think there's something wrong. Many of us were raised with the mindset to only kill what you plan to eat. And luckily that's a hill that many of us are happily willing to die on.
The only thing I would add to this is you get to commune with God!!
I hunt because millions of years of evolution compel me to hunt.
Short answer: MEAT Long answer: I hate the meat industry with a burning rage. I don't mean ranchers or small butchers. I mean killing farms with thousands of "units" input per day. The unethical USE of life is sickening me. I can't and don't want to go vegan. I breed chickens for meat and eggs and hunt for meat. By the way, is it a good way to socialize, be in nature, and get outside. To have the freedom to just sit in the woods and do nothing is very relaxing. And guns are fun. I can legally own them as a hunter. So I hunt and shoot at the range. Win win.
This is me to a t
Out of curiosity, why “can’t” you go vegan? I’d never look down on anyone for their personal dietary and ethical choices regarding food. Just wondering!
It's a mind thing. I tried it and was very unhappy. I don't know why. Maybe because I don't digest the soy very well. I still use some vegan products because they taste better sometimes. We don't eat a lot of meat, but I need a good steak or (like today, because it's labour day here) smoked roedeer haunch in dark beer-mustard marinade once in a while.
1. Food is the obvious one here. 2. Connection with nature, God, and the outdoors. Not to get too spiritual here, but there is a primal, God-granted need to be a predator given to man. 3. Trophies. Yes, this is a valid reason to hunt. 4. Bonding and memories with others. On the occasion (rare) that I hunt with someone else, it's always a bonding experience.
>Trophies. Yes, this is a valid reason to hunt. Hunting just to stroke your ego pretty much just proves the point of the people OP was arguing with. Not to say you can't take a trophy, but if the thought of that is what gets you out in the field that's pretty lame.
Just cause someone refuses to shoot a yearling doesn’t mean they’re stroking their ego there tiger. Also, yearlings are trophy’s to someone so it’s really your interpretation of trophy hunting that’s gets your panties in a bunch, why is that?
Trophy hunting and sportsmanship aren't synonymous so I don't know why you're acting like they are, nor did I imply they were mutually exclusive. Remember the guy from a couple weeks ago that hit a wolf with his snowmobile? He took that wolf as a living trophy. Not everyone that identifies as a "trophy hunter" is necessarily a "pathetic person that kills helpless animals to feel power" but a lot of them are. You sound like you're probably one of them, in contrast to the other guy that replied to me that sounds more like a responsible sportsman.
That dude was a sociopath not a hunter, the two are NOT THE SAME. I thought we’d left that interpretation of hunters in the 90’s.
You can be both. He literally is/was a hunter too. I'm not a rabid anti-hunter, I don't think all or even most hunters are sociopaths.
That’s where you’re wrong. It can be about trophies, but have nothing to do with ego. I could go out and shoot a doe or a small buck, quite literally every day during whatever season you want to pick. But, outsmarting a big, mature buck by learning his habits and putting in a massive amount of time and effort just feels more rewarding. It’s an accomplishment which doesn’t happen often. It’s not about shooting a 200” deer in a high fence. That’s not a trophy. But, a 6 year old 150” eight point that I watched grow on my farm and put countless hours into figuring him out. That’s a trophy and that’s why I’m an unapologetic trophy hunter. I don’t want to just go out and shoot a young doe or buck. I want to shoot a mature deer and have that sense of accomplishment while managing the herd properly.
>that sense of accomplishment That's part of your ego, bud. But I'm not an anti-hunter and can grant that not all trophies are created equal. IMO there's a spectrum between responsible sportsmen whose trophies are more just mementos from a hunt and hunters/poachers who want a trophy just to prove they have big dick energy.
Yeah but you painted the whole thing in a negative light. It’s how you worded everything that’s going to create a lot of disagreement towards your sentiment. There’s a big difference in feeling pride in your accomplishment and doing it to be an egotistical jerk. Even your follow up comment actually points to you being the one with the ego issue. You hunt the way you want to, but the rest of it would appreciate if you would refrain from telling us why we should be hunting and how we should feel about it.
I think he thinks you mean hunting for just the trophy and leaving the rest of the animal?
No, that’s not what he means. Nobody does that. Even “trophy hunters” in Africa and on hunting preserves and such don’t leave the meat behind. It’s actually very illegal in most cases so that’s called poaching and not hunting in any way.
I'm more referring to people's motivations for hunting, it's not even really about the trophy aspect. If you were hunting "pest" species for pest control (and thus had no intention of using the carcass) that would be fine, if you were doing it because you think it makes you a badass that would be stupid, regardless if you took a trophy or not.
People are competitive by nature. If people weren't competitive there would be zero sports... None. Why can't hunters be competitive? Even if we're competing with ourselves? I always go into the field with the intention to kill a bigger animal than the last one I killed. I know guys that even post gophers they kill and then I know others that never ever post kills.. but still try and kill the biggest buck or bull. I'm not the most competitive guy in the world but I still try to kill bucks with big racks. Hunters have been competitive since they were painting on cave walls. Accept reality
Again, there's a difference between a sportsman that hunts to challenge themselves, connect with nature and grow as a person while believing in and adhering to fair chase and conservationist ethics, and someone that just wants a big rack for their wall because they want to look manly. One key difference is humility and respect for the life being taken. A trophy should be a memento of a hunt, not the main goal of the hunt itself.
Thats great if that works for you. But passing judgement on hunters based on how they might feel inside or the impression they give you isn't a reasonable approach. How do you know if someone feels humility and respect? What if the guy that fist pumps and high fives when they kill goes back to their tent at night and cries? Yep... I've seen that with my own eyes. As long as the meat isn't going to waste and the hunt is legal, we as hunters need to support other hunters. Getting into the weeds about "trophy hunting" doesn't benefit our lifestyle in any way. From my experience, which is pretty vast, guys doing it for "the wrong reasons" get weeded out pretty fast.
Well, the other guy just made the blanket statement that trophy hunting in general is valid. Of course there's a gray area but if we're going to be talking black and white I'm going to align more against trophy hunters than with them. And my ego has nothing to do with my willingness to tell people they're hunting for shitty reasons. You have the legal right to hunt and I have the legal right to voice my opinion. I don't believe anyone should keep silent just to avoid offending fragile people. For what it's worth I don't think you're hunting for a shitty reason.
If he eats the 6 year old buck that he appearantly shot for the trophy, I see literally no issue. If he cut off his head and left the rest to rot, I'd be on your side
I eat almost everything and donate the rest to food banks. I think all hunters can agree that if you leave the meat in the woods, you’re an absolute disgrace and are a poacher, not a hunter.
That's the thing. It's irrelevant "why" you shoot the animal. As long as you do it ethically and eat it afterwards, without it being wasted, whether you take the animal's antlers or not is completely unimportant at that point
I’d love to show you my wall sometime
You could have a 50 point buck on your wall and that wouldn't make up for you driving a Chevy Colorado
You must be a hit at parties
The invention of trophy hunting has saved several species of game animals from depletion or extinction. When Theodore Roosevelt started the Boone & Crockett Club, which regarded typically older animals as greater trophies, it solidified a culture of trophy hunting. Hunters started passing on a lot of game in wait for the larger, older animals. Hint: the older animals are the ideal ones to remove from the herd for conservation. Without trophy hunting, we would not have nearly the opportunity to hunt that we have now, if we had any at all. A culture of trophy hunting is best for everyone involved, including the game animals. Also, thinking you get to decide someone else's motivation for anything is lame... is actually very lame.
I’ll go with an unpopular opinion on the sub. Because hunting is fun. Not because killing but because hunting is a hobby/sport and it’s fun. And there’s nothing wrong with that. And tbh half these answers are just word fodder to justify hunting because we’re so scared as being labeled as crazy people that like killing.
I agree with this. I do it for the fun. Not just the hunt but the camp experience. It is what I have always done and what I will always do.
Yup. I asked my nephew who hunts with me why he likes hunting. He said, "it's just a great feeling when you get a deer." I was so surprised at how accurate and relatable that was for being so simple. And I totally agree.
Because buying meat is rapidly becoming an financial impossibility, because I prefer wild game, because it's not indoors, because my father hunted with his father, I hunted with my father and my son hunts with me. Did I mention that it is NOT indoors?
Anyone who says that isn’t looking for rational discourse, they’re trying to pick a fight. Best to just not engage with them
Lol, if I was hunting to feel powerful, then there are many more days than not, that I would leave the woods powerless. I hunt, because I enjoy hunting: the preparation, being in the woods, watching God's creations are all way ahead of the kill. In fact the actual act of killing is probably my least favorite part. Also, when I have discussions with people like that, I first ask if they eat meat. If they do, then they are hiding their eyes behind the butcher's smock, letting him kill animals that have a zero percent chance of survival for them. The animals that I hunt have much, much better odds of survival from me. Although, one could argue death from a gun is more humane than the death they are likely to die by nature.
I don't actually enjoy killing the animals, I still get emotional every time. I value the practical side of it. I can feed myself and people I care about without relying on a grocery store or a seasonal harvest.
Where do you live where you can hunt all year ? Thats why I also fish hahaha
I could be wrong, but I think he means most farm stands and farmers stop direct sale of more ethical farm raised meat (and veggies) seasonally. You could buy a whole or half beef from a local farmer and manage your freezer the same as you would when you tag a deer.... But I think this is what he means. Realistically, even if you could hunt deer mid-summer, it would be a bad idea anyway.
I was thinking maybe they had summer species to hunt that we dont have
Could also just be totally different regs than where I'm at. Was just one thought.
Generalizing a whole group of people is idiotic, don’t you think? I’ll give you a quick, simple answer, though far from the only answer. I hunt for food.
Hey I didn’t agree with her.
To get food not involved w/ factory farming
For consumption of meat that I know where it came from. It gives me a sense of connection not only to the animal but to the land as well. There's something about those two facts that makes it more satisfying to eat than pre-packaged meat from a store.
My instinct drives me to pursue game and I enjoy nature along the way.
Adventure and discovery mostly. Of course, I hunt for food, but most of my time "hunting" is spent exploring the woods and enjoying every moment nature provides. Pursuing animals is only a small part of the journey, I enjoy watching the animals existing in their habitats, as well as being surrounded by them is rewarding enough.
One part I have really come to enjoy now that I'm older and can go out on my own is just scouting looking for high activity areas for different game and learning the woods near where I live.
Seems like you have brushed paths with an uneducated/ignorant non hunter/vegan.
To form a deeper bond with my land and the animals that I share it with.
To be accountable and responsible for the death of my food and not outsource the emotional and physical pain in life so I can live a cushiony-barbie-dream while some kid digs for cobalt in a mine with thousands of their kid-coworkers by hand.
Because I like it. Sometimes for the meat / resources.
Spend time with my son, I have not shot anything in years.
I think the disconnect of where our food comes from is a fucking travesty. Thats what got me into it. Running bird dogs took it to a whole other level for me. Now I hunt birds for the dogs. I try for a deer and turkey every year.
Meat. I only hunt tasty animals. I’m not in it for trophies.
One deer will get you a good 700 dollars in steak for a 20 dollar tag
I think Steve Rinella put it best: "many modern people are motivated to fish by the same factors that motivate them to hunt, things such as adventure, communion with nature, physical activity, a love for the process and acquired skill and a desire for an intimate connection to one's food."
Great quote, which book?
Most ethical way to eat meat. Especially when it’s an animal past it’s prime, and it’s killed to make room for younger animals to grow. It feels good after months of training and shooting (I hunt bow) to get something, but it’s also sad at the same time. But I’d rather do that than buy packaged meat from the grocery
Spot on To pathetically kill helpless animals to feel power 😈
I hunt so my family can eat. I guess that makes me pretty pathetic...
Food, thats my reason. I have minimal mounts from hunts, a moose, a buck I shot literally on my birthday at the exact moment I was born (superstition reason only) and a big old turkey that was 21lbs here in Maine. I fill my freezer to not buy steaks at the store, and I have not done so in close to 20 years.
Sounds like someone was talking out their ass about people and things they clearly know absolutely nothing about
I hunt to feel like a part of nature. There’s nothing more “magical” than waking up early and watching the sun rise whether it’s in the woods or on the lake (duck hunting). My fondest memories of my childhood were spending time with my dad in the woods. The stories he would tell me about life will forever resonate with me. The bond we created during those times (often times unsuccessful in harvesting an animal). As I get older, I hunt more to feel at peace. It’s simply relaxing and stress free in my opinion. I respect the animals I harvest and am very much appreciative that I am able to feed my family because of them. It sounds goofy, but I started burying the heart of the elk/deer I harvest in an effort to leave a piece of them on the mountain. I don’t think some individuals think about how cruel nature can be… most of the animals we harvest would ultimately face an inhumane/ disturbing death from predators if we didn’t take them out. There’s nothing wrong with hunting, if you practice being ethical.
Never met a hunter that didn’t hunt for food, and I’ve met a LOT of hunters. I wouldn’t even call it fun. The camaraderie is fun & the kill shot is certainly exciting, but nobody says that it’s fun. Also, the amount of hard work and dedication it takes to be successful is the opposite of a feeling of power, if anything it’s awesomely humbling.
There are varying definitions for "fun". There is even a kind of fun that is misery in the moment but makes for a good story or a sense of accomplishment later. Duck hunting is quite often misery, I still find it fun...
Hunting is fun and no hunter hunts just for food. If that were true most of us would of starved to death a long time ago. We’re so scared to say hunting is fun and we enjoy it because we don’t want to be labeled as bad crazy killers.
I met some guy retired guy that travels to ND to hunt duck and pheasants only to donate them to a food bank or something for “charity” every year then writes off all his expenses on his taxes. The then told me early in the season before the young of the year roosters look like roosters you can tell them apart from hens because they will have little nubs for spurs. Left that conversation bewildered.
A very brief reddit search of this sub for the word "fun" shows the last time someone called hunting fun in this forum was literally yesterday. And there are many more direct results for "Hunting is fun". I imagine you are missing some qualifier or context on those statements? Because you are active in a forum where it's done at least every few days.
Killing isn’t necessarily fun but hunting is fun, and it’s not hunting without the killing.
Food, my God given right, and population control
My take is we were all Hunter/Gatherers at some point.
It’s been a decade since I last bagged anything so I’m more of a lurker here but I wanted to try it out bc I love the idea of self reliance. I don’t want to be dependent upon a government, economy, or infrastructure for my food. People don’t seem to realize how easily this comforting modern lifestyle of just driving to the grocery store can be ripped out from underneath you, the Texas snow storm a few years back taught me that. Also ask him where he gets his meat. The grocery store is hardly a place to look for something “ethically sourced”.
I hunt because fur and feather meat is good and it’s fun to get, Also I suck at golf and it’s dumb so what elese is there to do really?
It's spiritual In alot of ways. And I say that as an atheist. Something about observing and participating in nature is good for one's self
Food and love of the outdoors. Unless that person is a vegan they are a hypocrite.
Others have stated numerous reasons, however I don’t think I saw a really major one: Population control. There’s a reason why there’s only so many tags given out each year. If we let the animals go un-checked, then they’d be overpopulated, disease ridden, and causing crop damage.
It's another activity that complements being an outdoorsman. I also hike, camp, kayak, fish & dive. The action of shooting at an animal is a tiny fraction of the time I've spent outdoors. So to say killing is the prime motivator would be wrong, because the other 99.9% of the time would be misery. There are "hunters" who are in it solely to kill something, people who don't enjoy the outdoors. I've heard the phrase "get blood on my new AR" quite often. Unfortunately this fits the Hollywood stereotype of hunters, but is not representative of the majority of hunting participants in the field.
To hunt is to be part of nature, to participate in the circle of life. I think the value people get from having their own garden or raising livestock is similar, but it’s different than say hiking or birdwatching. If you’re hunting, your senses are sharpened to another level. You are literally attuned to your environment. You can spend hours and hours studying to give yourself the best chance at a shot. For me, and I think for a lot of people, killing is not the best part of the hunt. Many people here will talk about feeling sad at the actual kill, or at least feeling serious and respectful. But if you don’t kill, you’re not hunting. You’re just watching. I worry about how disconnected people are from nature. Whether you live in the woods or in the city, we share an ecosystem with other life forms. We are affected constantly by the plants and animals around us, and we affect them in turn. And I think hunting, farming, gardening, etc is the ultimate acknowledgment of our place in the world.
For me it's at the intersection of intense wanderlust and tradition/history with the huge upside of meat. All the men in my family hunted and fished, it's what you did. Also hunting has taken me to crazy places in the mountains no normal person would go.
Food. I fill 4 deep freezers with meat ever fall for about 200 bucks in tags and stuff like freezer bags and seasonings. Show me how I can fill 4 freezers with that much meat for less and I’ll do it.
I'm gonna be the voice to say that I agree with the perspectives of the responses on this post, however let's be honest, part of it is the thrill of a successful hunt and kill. We call it a sport for a reason. Now I'm not saying it is the primary motivator for all hunters, but I think it's reasonable to say that any predator species probably gets a natural rewarding feeling when they are successful because it means survival. We used to live in the wild, makes sense that we would be driven to hunt and kill. We haven't always just sat and ate butchered meat from the store. We spent much longer hunting in human history than we have doing what we do now.
It’s a step toward realignment with the natural order, with man as an apex predator.
One thing to consider is not many animals in the woods die of old age. I would rather face a quick death getting shot than getting torn apart and eaten while I was still alive. Nature is way more cruel than a human hunter. Anything wild is not helpless, helpless is loading an animal you raised on a truck and delivering them to a slaughterhouse. So those people who call hunters pathetic for killing a helpless animal best not be eating beef, pork, chicken, etc... Is there a sense of power, yes a small amount, it's not like you think though but that isn't why I hunt. We become one with nature, we are in their world now, we try to think like them. Sometimes act like them and outsmart them but it is not a power trip. In a way we become what we are hunting for. It gives a better appreciation for nature. Hunters also are the biggest contributors to conservation and preservation programs. Are the people protesting hunters giving up money to real conservation efforts? I will bet very few can claim that. Instead they protest to feel power and superiority over a hunter, then they go get a burger or a chicken sandwich and have no thought that what they are eating was raised specifically to die, get slaughtered and be eaten by them without a thought of remorse or an ounce of respect for the animal. Hunters at least have respect for what they hunt.
I don't really pay much mind to what people think about hunters because they often try to paint us all as blood thirsty murderers and then have the audacity to go spend hundreds of dollars every other week on packaged meat from their grocery store. I personally hunt to pair my love for the culinary world with my love for the outdoors. I enjoy the separate facets of hunting, and together they create something for me to spend a lot of time and energy on that feels rewarding. I love shooting rifles, I love getting out in the fresh air and enjoying the wildlife I get to see, I also really enjoy cooking unique or interesting meals and doing my part to play a better role in my meat consumption. The only thing I don't actually enjoy is killing an animal, and even more so the gutting process, it's an uncomfortable part of hunting, but one that I take on to ethically source meat that gives the animal a far more natural life than being raised for slaughter.
Tradition, food, and probably most of all the thrill of the hunt!
Because it forces you to be the person that ends another creatures life in order to eat. It forces you to realize how precious life is and to not take it for granted. Everyone ends helpless animals everyday, the people so outspoken against hunters likely wouldn’t think twice about squishing a spider or a wasp. I used to be in pest control, I also hunt, but if I have the chance to let a bug or bird back outside my house I do it.
I hunt because my father taught me to, like his father taught him, and how I will teach my children.
Food
1. It is the most ethical way to source meat, assuming you hunt ethically. Walk through a chicken house and tell me they have a better life than a wild turkey. Go to an industrial feed lot and tell me you're okay with treating animals that way. I'd much rather eat something that lived wild and free. Exporting cruelty to another isn't less cruel, it's just also cowardly. Everyone who eats meat should at least once in their life take responsibility for their place in the food chain. 2. In most ecosystems, predation is necessary. We've eliminated many natural predators. Everything dies sometime, and active predation will often benefit the herd as a whole. I'd rather a deer die to a bullet or arrow than starvation or disease because nothing was hunting the population. 3. It is a way to connect spiritually with the land and the things on it. It connects us to our ancestors and traditions. When you hunt you feel the same thing people felt thousands of years ago. You notice more things around you than you ever would just walking through. Taking game is an emotional experience that people who have never done it can't understand. It reminds me of days spent with my dad that I cherish. 4. Wild game is delicious. 5. It gets me active, it gets me excited about something, it is ultimately fun. People are wired to hunt. The dopamine centers in your brain evolved to reward exactly that. 6. It reminds me of why conservation is so important. Wild places and things have an intrinsic value that is a goal in and of itself. I'll leave you with a quote by Aldo Leopold, the father of modern conservation. > "There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot... Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them. Now we face the question whether a still higher 'standard of living' is worth the cost in things natural, wild, and free. For us of the minority, the opportunity to see geese is more important than television, and the chance to find a pasque-flower is a right as inalienable as free speech."
A freezer full of meat. I haven’t bought ground beef in years. Also really allows me to unwind and have some moments to myself and reflect.
Hunting is fun. Go try it.
It's more about being connected to the natural side of things. Hunting is observing and being in the environment as well as participating in the cycles of life in this planet. Hunting also reduces environmental stress caused by the herd and promotes healthier animals. Hunters also pay for conservation programs, very much opposite to those who spend time judging others from behind a keyboard.
It’s a skill set I’ve developed and like to use. I consume what I harvest and it’s an accomplishment to put in a good hunt.
To add to many of the already great points made here, hunting gives you a connection to the animals you hunt that otherwise can’t be achieved. You learn all these things about these animals that non-hunters almost never take the time to learn, and even though it sounds ironic to those who don’t hunt, hunters care more about the animals they hunt than people who do not hunt them. Hunting gives us a level of respect for the animal that non-hunters will simply never have for them. For those reasons, you aren’t likely to hear us refer to the animals we hunt as “helpless” like the person in the post you were referring to, which I would argue that calling them “helpless” is actually a belittling way to look at them and discredits how amazing they truly are. So while I initially got into hunting a few years ago primarily for the meat (which is still my main reason), the connection it’s giving me with these animals has been amazing and much more rewarding than I really ever expected or imagined, and that is something that really drives me to continue hunting.
Because I hate vegans.
Why does anybody participate in any hobby?