RE: No Blood No Deer?
First and foremost,
Kshafer,
No reason to apologize to me, but I do accept. I too apologize to you, and hope that you’ll also accept.
You said you don’t have a mentor, well I may not be able to be some great mentor for you, but I will provide you with a bunch of info if you wish.
I’ve got some good stuff to offer on ballistics, shooting, practicing and different forms of hunting. I would encourage you to participate in many different forms of hunting. I admire that you have taken on the responsibility to provide for your family at such a young age, and would be honored to help any way that I can.
I know from my previous posts my childhood may seem like an episode from “leave it to beaver”, but it wasn’t. I come from a broken home. This same guy (my father) who did take the time to teach me, also left my Mother for another women. I grew up in the not so great part of town. My mother quit going to college to work while my father went to earn his first degree, since they both agreed that he would have a better chance at making a higher salary. Ultimately leaving her somewhat uneducated after their divorce, and not being able to earn much of an income. When I was your age I asked for a tool box for Christmas. My mother, brother and uncle all questioned me. I simply stated that I wanted them, so they complied. But the real reason were the times I watched my mother weep after having to spend money we didn’t have, and sometimes on repairs that I thought I could make, if I had some tools. Some times children bare the burden of responcibility. But that is what is going to prepare you to be a man.
Once you’ve filled the freezer, I would encourage you to take part in some “active” hunting. And just so you know, your slug gun is the perfect weapon. I find that I am much more comfortable stalking or “running down deer” with my shotgun than I am my straight shooting 30-06. Because, when the moment of truth comes, chances are, you’ll have to be fast and accurate, and it will most likely be an up close and personal experience. Open sights will allow for a lot more peripheral vision, which gives you that small amount of time to make a decision. Decisions like, do I lead him, or find an open lane ahead and time the shot? Do I have a shot? You’re less likely to shoot at or close to another animal, which you do not intend to kill, which may be near by. Many hate the bead, I have come to prefer it..
Sparky,
I don’t think you read what I wrote. You may have read what you wanted to read and interpreted it how you wished.
My opinion on ethics vary, and considerably, given the situation that one finds themselves in. I mentioned this earlier in the thread, and admitted that if I needed the meat I would take more shots, and some would most likely result in missing. But that isn’t really what we’re talking about here is it?
You see the author was creative enough to change the direction of my concerns to the missed shot, when really it is the not having shot the gun before taking it hunting and then not making an effort to recover the animal that really bothers me!
First off, the word mistake keeps being used. I think if you look at what happened and think about it, you’ll come to the conclusion that the word “mistake” is a lofty way to define what took place. Merlin knew he should have gotten his wife to shoot and subsequently sight in the rifle before she went hunting. But, he didn’t, therefore making this situation, well, a lot of things, but not a mistake. What does that say about him? Do you think he did this intentionally, for the sole purpose of creating this noble post that reminds us not to do what he did? Do you think he did this to teach his wife a lesson? Or do you think he made a really irresponsible decision? In my opinion, it was an irresponsible decision, and not a mistake. He then eluded to this entire thing being some great lesson for us all to learn from, but again, if you go back and read, I would say that this to is a lofty description and poor cover also.
And as if this wasn’t bad enough, how about the dishonesty? First he mentioned in post #3 that he missed only one deer in his life. The shot was at a hundred yards and he was shooting a 30-30. Okay that is fine so far… According to post #6 it happened when he was 13 years old, and that is fine too. But, also in post #6 he claims he hung up the 30-30 at age 16 when his father got him the .270, but wait, this contradicts what he said earlier(in time not in this thread). First the .270 was his first gun according to his own quote in post #7 and repeated by me in post #10. A few years later is when he got the .30-.30, but wait, how can this be? How do you hang up the .30-.30 when you get your new .270, when the .270 came first? And oh yeah, the 30-30 that he missed with isn’t Marlin that he loves, it was a Winchester, but he mistakenly called the Winchester a Marlin… Hmmmm…. And in post #7 the distance of the missed shot has now grown to 125 yards? Go read, think and comprehend…
C.Davis,
I do stalk hunt. I stalk into their beds, I stalk a particular animal (also known as hounding, or running down deer). I do get close. Go back and read my friend. I didn’t make huge claims of marksmanship. I was called a liar if I say that I’ve never missed. I haven’t missed, and I’m not a liar. If I were to tell you a bunch of really cool stories about how I was able to overcome the odds and shoot down hill, in a cross wind at a running deer, 250 yards away in the woods and shoot him right through the heart yeah. But I don’t make those claims, because I pick my shots carefully as described earlier in the thread. But the shots I take would I guess be considered boring, right?
Sjsfire,
It will do someone some good. But what did this post offer before it was questioned? You don’t think they should have been called irresponsible or ignorant. I’d like to hear what words you would choose to describe what took place. Funny how you state that you can send private messages, but chose to post publicly yourself. But I’m sure there is good reason. You probably felt strongly in you opinion and wanted to share with others, which is how I felt also. But thanks for pointing out the private messaging options.
All,
The bottom line is, there was no mistake, this thread wasn’t created on some profound notion to remind us to all make sure we practice, and dishonesty is a factor here. All you have to do is read it, and be able to comprehend.
This thread is the epitome of poor hunting ethics. To summarize, it was written by a dishonest person, who acted irresponsibly, while filling the role of a mentor to a new hunter, a bad shot was taken and very little attempt to recover a most likely wounded animal. And then the author tried to pretend that it had some deep ethical meaning behind it and should serve as a lesson, or reminder to us all to do what is right, but only after he was questioned on it. And some of you are trying to justify it by relating to it! You people who are in that group are weak! You are weak because you cannot think beyond the words on the paper (or PC), or form your own opinion, or stand up for what is right.
Jimmy S & NY Bowhunter,
It is good to see that some of us can see through the Doo-Doo tinted lenses… I’m glad there are others out there!
Good day.