No, stealth, I would like to think we have smarten up quite a bit.
Smartened up how ? What was so dumb and stupid with Fred Bear and people like that ?
Probably because these dayseven though most still eat the meat, far fewer rely on it and/or will go hungry without it. My grandfather learned to kill rabbits with rocks--and it wasn't for bragging rights. He was raised by an older brother, because his father died before he was born and his mother shortly afterward. They were too poor to be able to afford shotgun shells. Rocks were free, and if you were good enough they would kill a rabbit. Chunking rocks at rabbits these days would be considered unethical, even cruel,and probably illegal in some states.
Good point, because while Fred didn't hunt for the meat really, he was hunting for dual purposes. He got millions of dollars in free advertisments with his hunting exploits.
IMO, yes. As quickly and painlessly as possible, and in a way that the animal can be recovered and utilizedis the right way.
But you gotta admit, some great shots go bad, some bad shots end up with a very quick kill ......... I'd hazard to say most deer shot at and wounded were the faithful broadside shot - the shot that is suppose to be the best to take.
Every shot is risky - I've learned that. I didn't know Fred blunted ? I wonder at WHY those would call him unethical .......
Some probably are afraid of being labeled as a hunter, some just hold firmly to fair chase rules. Personally, I'm not the least bit afraid or ashamed of being a hunter, or an archer, but I am aware of the impression we give the public. There's a lot of non-hunters whose opinions could be swayed by a slob--and they vote. That's one reason I was determined to defend archery equipment in your other thread--never know who might be reading these boards, and some folks could get the wrong impression.
So we, as hunters, have had to change who we are and what we do because of ........... fear ?
Fear that if we don't "kill" in a humane enough way that there will be backlash ?
Think about that ........ killing humanely ? Is that possible ?
HUMANE:
marked by compassion, sympathy, or consideration for
humans or animals
Bowhunting and killing deer with compassion ? Do you launch arrows with sympathy ? Are considerate when you slice through the lungs of a meat doe resulting in her bleeding to death ?
I dunno ........ the concept and meshing of words seems fake to me.
Now, I HATE wounding deer. Why is that ? Is it because I didn't do what I wanted to do ? Is it because an animal is wounded ? Did Fred Bear ever feel remorse for shooting and wounding ?
If you've got that same feeling ...... then you know everytime you draw and shoot you could be wounding deer. Why then is it worth is to even try when the possible wounding is so bad ?
Kinda of a paradox isn't it ?
Its almost refreshing to read about Fred Bear and the love he had for wildlife, and the respect for Hunting that he had, and the continuing reinforcement that its the HUNT and not the kill .......... and yet he took a lot of shots at animals I wouldn't have