How come I find myself losing respect for people that call themselves hunters?

Heres an example. Sitting in the barber chair yesterday I learned something frightening about my barber, Richard. A good guy that always cuts my hair to my liking, shares hunting stories with me, etc.

Anyway, he was cutting my hair and talking to another guy at the same time. Richard is a (cross)bowhunter; so we do have common ground. However yesterday, I learned something about the man I respected so much. He chooses to shoot deer in the neck and ONLY in the neck with his crossbow. One could be broadside and he would put the crosshairs on the neck. "Quickest way for one to go," he says. I kept my mouth shut because I'm not one to start a debate, especially with a man that has sissors three inches from my eyes. I'm thinking to myself, "Not Richard too."

Thats just one example. I've had a few friends/aquaintances that share their "hunting" styles/stories with me. Frankly, I'd rather not know. People I have known for years. Spotlighting, road hunting, etc. I've learned that speaking my mind about my ethics to them does no good whatsoever.

Donnie

I have the same problem, lets just say these are the people who CAN'T hunt on my farm, the day they want to or ask if they can, I have something else to do.

I'm blessed to have a few really close buddies who share the same passion for hunting as ethics, as I.

I have the same thing. Coworkers and family members mostly. My cousin, who I love bowhunting with, has been pushing me to go on a "river hunt" with him. Basically he just goes up and down the river looking for deer on private land that he does NOT have permission to hunt. He shoots them from the canoe with his slug gun. ("It's not easy shooting from a moving canoe HA HA"). Then, he says, the fun part is sneaking onto the land and retrieving the deer without getting caught. He keeps bugging me to try it with him. I have zero interest in poaching and trespassing, so I just decline his offers.

I tried to tell him how illegal it was, and his reply is that "There's really no way to get caught, and it's a blast!". It's funny to him. I quit trying because I don't want to fight with him.

When we bowhunt, he's ethical and follows all the rules (as far as I can tell). But during gun season he's a different person.

My other cousin routinely takes head shots at does with his bow because it doesn't ruin any meat! [:@]

I work with a guy who thinks nothing of flinging arrows at deer 60 or 70 yards away, and he's not a good shot by any means. He usually wounds two or three a year, and never finds them. And another coworker only takes two practice shots every year before heading out into the woods to hunt deer.

The slobs are everywhere. Sometimes I feel like it's hopeless.

I can't begin to tell you how many bows I've sold since the early season opened in September to customers who want to go hunting the next morning. Sometimes I wish I could send them out of the store without their purchase. [:'(]

Just got back from my hunt today and am sick about what I found in the woods where only myself and one other guy have permission to hunt. Saw some newly placed red surveyor's tape on some of the trees so I followed to see what I could find. Before long the scent of death hit me and I then saw the body of a good size deer...minus the head. The entire body was there, still fully entact, but the head had been cut off. Some pizz head took what looked to be a big bodied buck and just wanted the trophy.
I was really surprised that the varmits did not take care of the carcass, but it was all there with a bunch of maggots rooting in the butt.
Certainly spoiled my hunt.

Ive learned there are quite a few unethical hunters. Not me Im by the book...

Well if he was from WI I'd say my hunting buddy shot his buck he hit. Buddy shot one during the rifle hunt that had a crossbow bolt (arrow) stickin perfectly through the neck equal on each side. WCL

Sadly, I'd have to say that we all know people that are this way. I hate the fact that there are "cheaters" out there. I guess I really hate the fact that some of my friends don't share the same passion as I do. It's hard to find a hunting buddy when most of the "hunters" I do know aren't "hunters".

Yeah I know what you mean. It kind of takes you by surprise when you hear stuff like that from people you never would have thought. There's a whole different world out there filled with different kinds of hunters.

I was talking on the phone with a guy about doing a roof for me. I've kind of known him for awhile. The conversation turns to deer hunting. To make a long story short he went on to tell me about the 4 "wallhangers" he had shot this season. All from his truck. He was persistent with his point that he HAS to shoot these bucks. Like he has no choice but to shoot them from the road. His reasoning was that he sees them on the way to and from work so what else is he supposed to do but shoot them? If he doesnt' shoot them from the road someone else would get them. The scary thing is he was dead serious about it. [:@][:@][:@] By the end of the conversation I couldn't remember being so pissed off in a long time.

The more "hunters" I meet, the more widespread I find the lack of good judgement.