Christian attitudes towards game

[longbowman]

I tried to post this question once on a regular hunting site and it got deleted immediately. I have been a Christian a long time and the church family I worship with has some great people in it who I consider dear friends but for some reason when hunting season rolls around we really walk different sides of the road. There's one family who doesn't believe no trespassing means them and thinks nothing of coming on to private land from the other side where there are't any signs. Another group buys all the license they can get and then kill every deer that moves and and thinks nothing of pushing them until there's none standing in that group and laughs about how they tried to get away but ran in to more standers who shot away until that last one was down. (There is no such thing as party tags in my state.) I get a little sick each year when they get going on their hunting season and I try to stay out of the conversations as much as possible. I love these guys dearly but this is a real bad subject for me. How do you all handle it?

[manuman]

Sounds like somebody forgot that the walk includes everything, and the last time I checked, keeping the law of the land was 'hinted at'! Sounds like you need to find a way to approach them, firmly, yet gently, and explain it to them. Maybe ask why they are inconsistent in this area. Speaking the truth in love.

[wesmac68]

Speak the truth in love

[Leafrivermac]

I'd be a witness in the way I conduct myself and the standards that I have in relation to hunting. Other than that I would stay out of it unless their practices were affecting me personally. Scrutinize anybody and you usually can find something about them to critisize. If it is as bad as you indicate, I wonder that your pastor doesn't have the burden you seem to have over it.

[LBR]

If they attend the same church you do, you might ask your preacher to have a sermon on obeying the laws of the land. I have some good friends that bend the rules a bit here--primarily baiting (not legal here). They invite me to hunt with them, but I won't hunt on an illegal stand. They respect me for that, but it seems they don't quite "get it", because baiting is one of those things that "everyone" does around here.

Do the best you can by setting the example--it might rub off eventually.

Chad

[Tazman]

Longbowman first let me welcome you to the board brother.

One of the things you said in your thread really disturbed me:

Another group buys all the license they can get and then kill every deer that moves and and thinks nothing of pushing them until there's none standing in that group and laughs about how they tried to get away but ran in to more standers who shot away until that last one was down.

The law breaking is un Christian all by itself, but to me the laughing at the death of an animal is sacriledge!

Every animal I have killed I view as a personal gift from God to me, I always say a prayer of thanks after every kill whether it is a rabbit or a 10 point buck.

As others have said, set the example by how you hunt and if any of them do attend your church it would not hurt to see if the preacher would give a sermon on both obeying the laws of the land and thanking God for EVERYTHING he gives you.

[trouthunter]

I have seen this far to often and part of the reason I am "between churches" right now. I love the people I have been associated with, but have been let down too many times by good Christians bending the law of the land to suit a current need, or because "everyone is doing it". This just doesn't happen with Hunting alone. I have seen it in just about every facet of life. (examples: pirating music off the internet, blatant disregard for Mother Nature when camping, buying something they know could be stolen,etc., etc.)

Tazman said it best: set the example. I think open criticism has negative influence. Lead by example and others will follow. I know I was at a camp out with fellow church members a few summers ago. The camp site was getting very trashed out, and it really began to annoy me. I just simply started picking things up, sometimes right after someone "trashed" it. Soon the whole camp took notice and followed my lead. We ended up cleaning the whole area, and left it better than we found it.

[Chuck7]

Every man has to answer to God for himself. I was brought up ..if you kill it you eat it. So I have eaten ground hog and raccoon.

Personally, I only kill what I plan to eat. I fish and hunt to supply my need and that is it. I do thank God for every fish I catch oranimal I kill ,and as soon as it hits the ground or gets inmy boat. it's hallalujah time. If I strike out that's ok too as I begin pondering the whys and scouting plans. The peace and quiet is very rewarding and it's much more than scoring. I have struck out many times and that's ok

[Leafrivermac]

I do my best meditating while on the deer stand. It's one of the few places I get still and quiet enough to meditate. I have spoiled my opportunity at a good deer because I was reading my bible while the deer was where I should have shot him. My marksmanship abilities are a major vanity to me tho, and when I do miss one it's just not okey with me. I think the Lord dealt with me a few yrs ago about that tho because no matter what gun I used or what the distance was , I was missing. To this day I am not sure why this was happening. Just being alive , healthy, and able to be in the deer woods is a blessing in itself. This yr will be my 55th deer season, . . .I pray that I keep it in it's proper perspective . . .I have been known to become all consumed by it.

[m.t.hands]

This yr will be my 55th deer season, . . .I pray that I keep it in it's proper perspective . . .I have been known to become all consumed by it.

congratulations, and Amen