Speaking of after the animal is down.
I always feel a little sadness when I walk up to the animal. I give thanks to the great spirit for allowing me to hunt and harvest such an animal be it buck with a nice rack, small rack or a doe. I think back to a spring many years ago when I as a member of a club went out on a week end and counted winter kill deer in a section. After I think of all those deer that suffered that winter I no longer feel bad.
The animal will provide meat for the table, will not suffer from starvation, will provide many hours of memory for me and friends as we chat about seasons past.
My hunting partner said one day we will have to stop doing this some day. I replied the day after I die is when I stop HUNTING.
HUNTING isn't the killing to me, like Davesetting and watching the turkeys was a thrill, to me seeing the egale fish in the bay is a thrill, having the chickadee land on my shoulder and peek at my ear is a thrill, Thats HUNTING to me.

Al