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Remorse?
While reading an article in last month's issue of EBJ, I found myself actually feeling a bit sorry for the animal harvested. The author was discribing a bachelor group of Mule deer that he and his grandson had been watching for some time before season. He noted how two of the deer seemed to be identical twins, though one year apart. Just about every scouting session he and his grandson went on he would find at least these two bucks together. The article ended with the author killing the bigger of the two bucks, while the smaller ran a few yards and thenstopped to inspect his fallen comrade.
Odd though it may be, I find this happens every so often while reading certain articles or seeing certain things on hunting shows. I can't help but feel a bit sorry for the animals being killed. I know it goes against our nature as hunters to feel this way frequently, so it had me wondering... How soon after a kill do you begin to feel a twinge of remorse for the animal, if at all? Do you find yourself feeling this at all while watching hunting shows or reading articles on hunting? |
RE: Remorse?
I respect a deer for what it is,but that's about as far as it goes.I don't idolize them or feel any remorse after a kill.I've been hunting for over 35 yrs and I just always felt this way.I love watching deer and I pass up many more than what I take,but I've never had that feeling of remorse or guilt.If a deer gives me the shot I want to take and it's a clean,quick kill,I'm ecstatic--I did what I set out to do
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RE: Remorse?
The only remorse I have ever felt as a hunter was one darkened morning entering the woods and hearing this gosh awful scream. Waiting for daylight I went searching for the source. I found it in a creek bed. A fawn was being eaten alive by a dog. The dog ran off and I was thinking how I dreaded putting this fawn out of it's misery when about 10 minutes into watching it, it got up and wobbled down the creek bedafter it's genital area had been eaten away. Never found that fawn so I presumed it survived.
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RE: Remorse?
prepare for Arthur P, prepare for davidmil and their minions! There is "no crying in hunting!"
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RE: Remorse?
That moment is a very personal event. The one thing I do know, when I walk up to an animal and I kneel down and place my hand on said animal, I thank my creator knowing I'm the very first human to lay hands on this animal. A small twinge of remorse does come but there is more thankfulness and admiration than remorse.
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RE: Remorse?
Respect for the game. In Europe hunters often place a small green twig or leaves to symbolize the animals last meal. It's a show of respect!
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RE: Remorse?
I always feel a bit of remorse with every deer. Always have and probably always will. Im human, not a machine, I can't just take a life and feel nothing. I know it's not a human life, but it is a creature and you wonder sometimes why you even killed something so pretty. I don't dwell on it, and I usually don't feel the remorse until several hours later, but then I do realize Im part of this ecosystem and Im just doing my part.
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RE: Remorse?
Ya, I think it's more of your respect for deer than feeling sorry. Which is awesome, some people are only in it for the "thrill of the kill", they don't care about the inbetween feelings.
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RE: Remorse?
ORIGINAL: Rob/PA Bowyer That moment is a very personal event. The one thing I do know, when I walk up to an animal and I kneel down and place my hand on said animal, I thank my creator knowing I'm the very first human to lay hands on this animal. A small twinge of remorse does come but there is more thankfulness and admiration than remorse. |
RE: Remorse?
i did just reading your post but it is the food chain and were on top
ORIGINAL: Washington Hunter While reading an article in last month's issue of EBJ, I found myself actually feeling a bit sorry for the animal harvested. The author was discribing a bachelor group of Mule deer that he and his grandson had been watching for some time before season. He noted how two of the deer seemed to be identical twins, though one year apart. Just about every scouting session he and his grandson went on he would find at least these two bucks together. The article ended with the author killing the bigger of the two bucks, while the smaller ran a few yards and thenstopped to inspect his fallen comrade. Odd though it may be, I find this happens every so often while reading certain articles or seeing certain things on hunting shows. I can't help but feel a bit sorry for the animals being killed. I know it goes against our nature as hunters to feel this way frequently, so it had me wondering... How soon after a kill do you begin to feel a twinge of remorse for the animal, if at all? Do you find yourself feeling this at all while watching hunting shows or reading articles on hunting? |
RE: Remorse?
lololololololololololololololol good stuff
ORIGINAL: virginiashadow prepare for Arthur P, prepare for davidmil and their minions! There is "no crying in hunting!"
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RE: Remorse?
i think the respect or remorse is what makes us hunters not killers
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RE: Remorse?
Now don't get me wrong; what I feel is a sadness for taking a life. I don't regret the decision. I don't feel guilty for doing so, I know what my purpose is every time I step foot in the woods; I'm there to kill, to take a life, to feed my family.
I guess I just can't help feeling a bit of sadness. Its difficult to explain, really. |
RE: Remorse?
I don't think that 'remorse' is the correct term to describe this situation, becuase remorse connotates somewhat of a regret for the action taken place.
I think that the fact we've taken the life of an animal that we have incredible respect brings an undescribable feeling of emotion... :D:D:D Yeah, I can't really explain it either. |
RE: Remorse?
I'm telling you guys, once davidmil and Arthur P smell the blood from this cute little thread, this will be the remains:
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RE: Remorse?
The only "remorse" I have while hunting is if I made a poor shot,couldn't retrieve a wounded deer, or it suffered unnecessarily from my actions. But I do feel a little bit of "sympathy" for the deer. However, as previously stated, we are predators by design and this is how we are to survive. You push those feelings aside and honor your kill by knowing you did your part to provide for your family and control herd populations.
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RE: Remorse?
After I kill a deer I usually kneel next to it, look at the camera and say "just give me a minute".;):D
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RE: Remorse?
ORIGINAL: Rob/PA Bowyer That moment is a very personal event. The one thing I do know, when I walk up to an animal and I kneel down and place my hand on said animal, I thank my creator knowing I'm the very first human to lay hands on this animal. A small twinge of remorse does come but there is more thankfulness and admiration than remorse. |
RE: Remorse?
now thats a good one
ORIGINAL: early in After I kill a deer I usually kneel next to it, look at the camera and say "just give me a minute".;):D |
RE: Remorse?
Put a sock in it virginiashadow. Trying to continue an argument from one thread into another one is a really low class move.
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RE: Remorse?
remorse : A gnawing distress arising from a sense of guilt for past wrongs.
If you feel remorse you must feel guilty of doing something wrong. I understand what you are feeling. It's not remorse. |
RE: Remorse?
ORIGINAL: magicman54494 remorse : A gnawing distress arising from a sense of guilt for past wrongs. If you feel remorse you must feel guilty of doing something wrong. I understand what you are feeling. It's not remorse. |
RE: Remorse?
I would describe my feelings as an overwhelmeing sense of thanks to the animal and our creator.
I don't feel sorry for the animal but do feelcompassionate that its free life has come to an end.....as will ours someday...... |
RE: Remorse?
Okay, remorse isn't the right word, it was just the first that came to mind.
Gratitude is obviously there, but that isn't it either. Gratitude would be my simply being thankful, and that isn't just it. Anyhow, I think y'all know what I'm getting at for the most part. |
RE: Remorse?
I feeltotal respect and gratefulness but not remorse!!!!
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RE: Remorse?
All I know is it differs with our Generation, in my grampa's day. The one that stopped would have got shot also;)
My cousin and I use to have rule, no shooting game in front of the cabin. Gramps got wind of this and waxed a bunny eating in the yard. Look at us and said "These eat just the same, and if you don't shoot them, somebody else will"[8D] I feel thankful at the end of a hunt and kill. |
RE: Remorse?
ORIGINAL: magicman54494 remorse : A gnawing distress arising from a sense of guilt for past wrongs. If you feel remorse you must feel guilty of doing something wrong. I understand what you are feeling. It's not remorse. Remorse is as close to the description that I feel ..... not the definition you quoted, Magic ..... but look at definition #2 remorse Definition re·morse (ri môrs′) noun [*]a deep, torturing sense of guilt felt over a wrong that one has done; self-reproach[*]pity; compassion: [/ol][/align][/align] |
RE: Remorse?
ORIGINAL: Washington Hunter Okay, remorse isn't the right word, it was just the first that came to mind. Gratitude is obviously there, but that isn't it either. Gratitude would be my simply being thankful, and that isn't just it. Anyhow, I think y'all know what I'm getting at for the most part. |
RE: Remorse?
ORIGINAL: PreacherTony ORIGINAL: magicman54494 remorse : A gnawing distress arising from a sense of guilt for past wrongs. If you feel remorse you must feel guilty of doing something wrong. I understand what you are feeling. It's not remorse. Remorse is as close to the description that I feel ..... not the definition you quoted, Magic ..... but look at definition #2 remorse Definition re·morse (ri môrs′) noun[*]a deep, torturing sense of guilt felt over a wrong that one has done; self-reproach[*]pity; compassion: [ol][/ol] [/align][/align] |
RE: Remorse?
I like the term compassion as well.
ORIGINAL: magicman54494 ORIGINAL: PreacherTony ORIGINAL: magicman54494 remorse : A gnawing distress arising from a sense of guilt for past wrongs. If you feel remorse you must feel guilty of doing something wrong. I understand what you are feeling. It's not remorse. Remorse is as close to the description that I feel ..... not the definition you quoted, Magic ..... but look at definition #2 remorse Definition re·morse (ri môrs′) noun[*]a deep, torturing sense of guilt felt over a wrong that one has done; self-reproach[*]pity; compassion: |
RE: Remorse?
Compassion is a good term. Respectful. I know when I harvest a deer being doe or buck a will plop down right beside it and comb all of its ruffled hair back in place. I know a lot of thoughts go through my head and I just sit there and think. Maybe even humbled could be the term.
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RE: Remorse?
Arthur P--as you can plainly see, I was absolutely kidding. I am WAY over that thread. I have been talking with davidmil on here lately and have had some good discussions. I have no problem with you at all and I am sorry if I offended you in any way. I was having a good time and laughing ( I am part of that laughing because I do get silly at times as well). Again, nothing personal, just having some fun. Best of luck this season Arthur.
Brett |
RE: Remorse?
A favorite quote of mine. kind of sums it up
"We don't hunt to kill, we kill in order to have hunted." |
RE: Remorse?
VS, nice try on the innocent act. Once is kidding. Twice is being a chicken**** troll. I've blocked you.
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RE: Remorse?
I'll kill a doe with fawns. I'll kill a fawn with a doe.
When I realized the animal I'm killing is incapable of feeling emotion......I began to have "different" feelings, myself, when killing them. Compassion is a good word. Admiration and respect are two others. How something that size is able to peruse the woods, most times undetected by humans, demands respect. I give it when I'm lucky enough to take one of them. How another of the herd "feels" when I take out one of their bretheren, though.....I don't give a second thought to. |
RE: Remorse?
Sometimes I get all teary eyed, then I just use the sleeve on my blouse to wipe the tears away while I fill up the freezer.
I kid, I kid.;) |
RE: Remorse?
No sadness, remorse or compassion unless I make a bad shot and things don't go as cleanly as they should.
I do not take any enjoyment innor do I feel bad for the actual act of killing an animal. It is just part of the hunt. I do feel bad if I see them suffering or maimed. |
RE: Remorse?
ORIGINAL: Washington Hunter How soon after a kill do you begin to feel a twinge of remorse for the animal, if at all? Do you find yourself feeling this at all while watching hunting shows or reading articles on hunting? |
RE: Remorse?
I feeltotal respect and gratefulness but not remorse!!!! |
RE: Remorse?
I think I may have had a little after I shot my first deer 34 years ago, but not since then.
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