Do You Hunt?

[Miskey]

We used to hunt, but haven't in almost 20 years, mainly due to lands being leased and turned into hunting clubs. We definitely ate what was killed, and in the early years of being married, when money what tight, we were very thankful.

 

[MinnieMouse84]

Hunting is one of the most reprehensible things in the world to me, so no. Never.

 

[luvsJack]

I don't. Everyone around here does though. And thank goodness. We would be overtaken by deer if they didn't. Even now, they are every where. Way too many car accidents due to the deer. They travel around a lot. It used to be only when it was cooler temps but not anymore, I wonder if it's due to less food.

We have a small herd that stays close to our house. But it's getting bigger and bigger. My sister is having a heck of a time with her garden this year due to them. She has tried every trick in the book and nothing is keeping them out. If some of them don't move on, dh and bill may have to do some hunting.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Not opposed to it, but no, I don't. I fished twice. Didn't catch anything either time and was bored to tears.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

No I don't hunt. The entire thought of it seems boring. Like a PP said, get up at the butt crack of dawn, stand completely still in freezing temps, and quiet all at the same time.

I'm not opposed to it though. I eat meat so I'm not going to be a hypocrite. I believe killing an animal in a hunt has to be much more humane than breeding animals in farms just to kill them later. At least then they got to live some type of life being free. Instead of overfeeding them on purpose. Feeding them antibiotics. Locking them up in cages until their death.

 

[Klayfish]

I, however, don't hunt. Nothing against it, I just a) can't stand the taste of wild game* and won't kill animals for sport, and b) have no desire to get up at zero-dark-thirty to traipse around in the woods in 20-degree temperatures, then wait for hours on end and be perfectly still the whole time. Screw that.

Haven't had time to read the whole thread, but this is me exactly. I've never hunted and have zero interest in it, for the reasons above. I've tried wild game and it was nasty, plus sitting out in the woods at 4am in the cold just isn't my idea of a good time. Plus, I'm staunchly anti-gun, so I'd need to use a bow and arrow, which I can't shoot, or a slingshot, which I doubt would hurt more than a tree frog...

 

[luvsJack]

No I don't hunt. The entire thought of it seems boring. Like a PP said, get up at the butt crack of dawn, stand completely still in freezing temps, and quiet all at the same time.

I'm not opposed to it though. I eat meat so I'm not going to be a hypocrite. I believe killing an animal in a hunt has to be much more humane than breeding animals in farms just to kill them later. At least then they got to live some type of life being free. Instead of overfeeding them on purpose. Feeding them antibiotics. Locking them up in cages until their death.

I believe its more humane too. Or letting them die from starvation and overpopulation.

I have always thought it must be awfully boring sitting in at tree stand, in the cold when its barely morning but those who do it seem to think its the greatest thing ever. Course I don't like to fish all that much either. A lot of folks around here dog hunt and if I had to choose one, it would be hunting with dogs. Mostly because I like the dogs but I would think it might be a bit more exciting listening to the dogs.

 

[MIGrandma]

No I don't hunt. The entire thought of it seems boring. Like a PP said, get up at the butt crack of dawn, stand completely still in freezing temps, and quiet all at the same time.

The hunters in my family use hunting blinds. DH's isn't fancy, but does have a heater so he's not cold when he gets up at the butt crack of dawn to go hunting. DS has a blind on another of our farms, his is big enough that 3 people can hunt from it and they have a couch inside and a heater. Most, if not all, hunters around here use hunting blinds to hunt from.

My Dad was not a hunter so I didn't really grow up with it, although my Grandfather on my Mother's side did go deer hunting. DH's Dad was an occasional hunter, but DH just really enjoys it. He's an outdoor person anyway, so I'm sure that helps. He loves sitting in the woods, enjoying the peace and quiet. He generally gets a deer every year, but sometimes not as he is picky about the ones he shoots. He won't shoot a young buck with a small rack, and he won't shoot a small doe either. We do enjoy venison meat, we have most of it ground into burger meat. I use it for anything I would put hamburger in, and you really cannot tell the difference. He also gets some summer sausage and snack sticks made, and he saves the loin for the grill.

We are farmers and the deer here eat a LOT of our crops during the summer, so we do not feel the least bit guilty in killing them for food in return.

I am not a hunter. I could not shoot an animal unless I was starving, or I had young children who were. Then I would do what I had to in order to feed them.

DH, DS and his DD and DS all go out on opening morning of deer season here, DH goes to his blind, DS and his kids (well, adult kids as they are 24 and 21 now) go to theirs. I am at home preparing the traditional lunch for them when they come in for a break at lunch time which is Venison/vegetable soup, homemade bread and some sort of dessert. They all come in to eat, take a little nap, then go out for the rest of the afternoon. It's been a tradition for years, one we all look forward to.\

DH used to hunt rabbit and squirrel (yes, we ate those too) but no longer does. He likes to fish, especially for king salmon, but rarely has the time for it anymore.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

We don't have to. They come to us.

Yeah, this is why we don't grow vegetables at our house. Stupid deer. Beautiful creatures, but a pain in the butt!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I don't. Everyone around here does though. And thank goodness. We would be overtaken by deer if they didn't. Even now, they are every where. Way too many car accidents due to the deer. They travel around a lot. It used to be only when it was cooler temps but not anymore, I wonder if it's due to less food.

We have a small herd that stays close to our house. But it's getting bigger and bigger. My sister is having a heck of a time with her garden this year due to them. She has tried every trick in the book and nothing is keeping them out. If some of them don't move on, dh and bill may have to do some hunting.

It's probably not due to less food. Deer are one of those species that thrives in the presence of man. The changes we've made to their environment suit them quite well - better even than untouched land. Most experts agree there are far more deer in the US today than there were when the Pilgrims first settled here.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

No I don't hunt. The entire thought of it seems boring. Like a PP said, get up at the butt crack of dawn, stand completely still in freezing temps, and quiet all at the same time.

I'm not opposed to it though. I eat meat so I'm not going to be a hypocrite. I believe killing an animal in a hunt has to be much more humane than breeding animals in farms just to kill them later. At least then they got to live some type of life being free. Instead of overfeeding them on purpose. Feeding them antibiotics. Locking them up in cages until their death.

I think to enjoy it, you have to be the kind of person who would enjoy sitting in the woods even if you were NOT hunting. I used to keep a log of the different types of wildlife I see when I'm out in the woods. Actually missed a chance at the biggest deer I've ever seen while hunting because I was busy watching the birds under my stand LOL.

 

[Snowflakey]

Yes we hunt and fish. Nothing like a quiet day out on the water or in nature.

 

[Jdbsfw]

I hunt regularly and have more interest in observing game, having no intention of pulling the trigger.....Also, I'm probably not hungry at the time.

 

[luvsJack]

The hunters in my family use hunting blinds. DH's isn't fancy, but does have a heater so he's not cold when he gets up at the butt crack of dawn to go hunting. DS has a blind on another of our farms, his is big enough that 3 people can hunt from it and they have a couch inside and a heater. Most, if not all, hunters around here use hunting blinds to hunt from.

My Dad was not a hunter so I didn't really grow up with it, although my Grandfather on my Mother's side did go deer hunting. DH's Dad was an occasional hunter, but DH just really enjoys it. He's an outdoor person anyway, so I'm sure that helps. He loves sitting in the woods, enjoying the peace and quiet. He generally gets a deer every year, but sometimes not as he is picky about the ones he shoots. He won't shoot a young buck with a small rack, and he won't shoot a small doe either. We do enjoy venison meat, we have most of it ground into burger meat. I use it for anything I would put hamburger in, and you really cannot tell the difference. He also gets some summer sausage and snack sticks made, and he saves the loin for the grill.

We are farmers and the deer here eat a LOT of our crops during the summer, so we do not feel the least bit guilty in killing them for food in return.

I am not a hunter. I could not shoot an animal unless I was starving, or I had young children who were. Then I would do what I had to in order to feed them.

DH, DS and his DD and DS all go out on opening morning of deer season here, DH goes to his blind, DS and his kids (well, adult kids as they are 24 and 21 now) go to theirs. I am at home preparing the traditional lunch for them when they come in for a break at lunch time which is Venison/vegetable soup, homemade bread and some sort of dessert. They all come in to eat, take a little nap, then go out for the rest of the afternoon. It's been a tradition for years, one we all look forward to.\

DH used to hunt rabbit and squirrel (yes, we ate those too) but no longer does. He likes to fish, especially for king salmon, but rarely has the time for it anymore.

My bil is like your family. LOVES to hunt. Deer, turkey, rabbits--pretty much anything. And they eat whatever he kills. I don't like ground deer or sausage. I do like fried steaks and deer roast. Bil and Sil took a deer he killed and a wild boar their son killed and had it made into sausage. They say it was really really good. One of the reasons I don't like deer sausage is that it can be dry and they said the boar meat kept it from being dry.

I will say that I have thought of encouraging dh to take up hunting more often when I see their grocery bill compared to mine!! lol

 

[luvsJack]

It's probably not due to less food. Deer are one of those species that thrives in the presence of man. The changes we've made to their environment suit them quite well - better even than untouched land. Most experts agree there are far more deer in the US today than there were when the Pilgrims first settled here.

Well that's good to know. I mean I remember 30 years ago, seeing a deer every now and then during the coolest days of fall and winter on the side of the road. Or out in our field early in the morning. Seeing a Mother and fawn was a real treat and if you saw a buck with a big rack, you were extremely lucky. Now, there are entire herds on the side of the roads all the time. We forever are having to be careful on our driveway for a mother and fawn (had twins this year!)

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Well that's good to know. I mean I remember 30 years ago, seeing a deer every now and then during the coolest days of fall and winter on the side of the road. Or out in our field early in the morning. Seeing a Mother and fawn was a real treat and if you saw a buck with a big rack, you were extremely lucky. Now, there are entire herds on the side of the roads all the time. We forever are having to be careful on our driveway for a mother and fawn (had twins this year!)

Same here. Seeing one used to be a huge thrill, and now I often see deer and don't even mention it to anyone.

The big thrill these days is seeing a bald eagle. Still rare, but not unheard of like in my youth. Maybe one day that too will become commonplace

 

[Disney_traveler]

Same here. Seeing one used to be a huge thrill, and now I often see deer and don't even mention it to anyone.

The big thrill these days is seeing a bald eagle. Still rare, but not unheard of like in my youth. Maybe one day that too will become commonplace

Missouri isn't all that far from Texas. We have several in the northeastern part of Texas. Happened to have one fly over our bus around Huntsville back in December. I didn't even think they were in Texas!

This year I really wanted some deer jerky. Dad goes hunting every weekend during the season and hasn't killed any deer in a while. So once the season started I kept asking if he got one. He would say he saw them but didn't shoot. When I would asked why, he would say they were his pets. He likes shooting them with a camera more now! Unless he sees a king papa

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Missouri isn't all that far from Texas. We have several in the northeastern part of Texas. Happened to have one fly over our bus around Huntsville back in December. I didn't even think they were in Texas!

This year I really wanted some deer jerky. Dad goes hunting every weekend during the season and hasn't killed any deer in a while. So once the season started I kept asking if he got one. He would say he saw them but didn't shoot. When I would asked why, he would say they were his pets. He likes shooting them with a camera more now! Unless he sees a king papa

We're right on the Missouri River & friends tell me there's a nest just upstream from our town. They've seen eaglets most Summers .

There are congregations of them around, some easier to view than others, but seeing one over a creek in town or flying overhead on my commute is a rare treat!

 

[rastahomie]

The big thrill these days is seeing a bald eagle. Still rare, but not unheard of like in my youth. Maybe one day that too will become commonplace

In the 2.5 - 3 years I've lived here in SEMO, I've seen maybe five or six of them. Considering that when I was growing up they were literally critically endangered, that's saying something.

 

[Snowflakey]

I live on a lake and I'm fortunate enough to see a bald eagle at least once a month. Takes my breath away.