Windwalker7

I am 41. I've been hunting in my home state o Pennsylvania since I was 12. I've hunted in West Virginia for about 17 years. I hunt with bow, rifle and muzzle loader. In all those years, I've taken well over 100 deer. almost half with a bow. Most were does. I've even taken a Black bear in Pennsylvania in 2003 and a moose in Newfoundland last year. The last few years I've been playing guide for my daughter and stepson. They've both taken over a dozen deer each in these last couple years.

Since last year I've been having some visitors in my backyard. They come to my feeder almost every evening. It seems, that this very trusting doe will let me join her and her fawn for dinner. She will let no one else in the family this close except me.

My problem is....I've been feeling pretty guilty about hunting. I look into that does trusting eyes at 3ft. and can't help but feel guilt. After going out hunting for the day, I come home and see them in the yard. They let me walk right up to them and trickle some corn out for them to eat.


I don't know if I just got burnt out on hunting( killing )or if I'm having a change of heart. This is the first year I did not take a deer since I was 14. I enjoy going out and hunting, but the last few years I feel remorse as I walk up to them laying dead on the ground,

Anyone else ever feel this way? What do you think I should do? I know I'll hear some flack about this, so let's hear it.

recurver67

I'm not a Doctor but I guess your going to be O.K.Sooo what kind of huntin stuff you got for sale cheap?

JagMagMan

Remember, its about the overall health of the herd, not the individual animals! The benefits of hunting, far exceed the alternatives! I'd much rather be shot, than to starve to death, or be maimed by cars!

DoctorDeath

To be quite honest I always feel a little sad when I shoot a doe ..I never really feel to bad about a buck .. I do always say a little prayer after taking a deer ...I won't tell what I ask in the prayer but I always say one.

dd

Windwalker7

I've always felt a little guilt, but since I got to sit and stare into those eyes. My guilt level has really went up. I almost feel over protective of these deer. I actually worry that some other hunter will shoot them. it seems ironic, that I come home from hunting and look in the back yard to make sure my buddies are there and alright.

livbucks

To feel is to be human. Do you feel remorse when you eat a hamburger? You associate the deer you hunt with the deer you feed. Learn to separate the two. The deer you hunt are wild animals in the natural struggle of life. The deer you feed have been unnaturally conditioned to trust you. They didn't cause this, you did. I wouldn't shoot a deer that I would feed out of my hand either. Not because of remorse though, but because that would be unsportsmanlike. If you no longer desire to kill deer, that is ok, as long as you don't turn into an anti-hunter and deny someone elses desires to pursue hunting. No sense forcing yourself to kill a deer if your heart is against it. You feel what you must. If killing a deer brings discomfort, why do it in the first place? Hunting is meant to be enjoyed. I bet there is some underlying cause to this, not related to hunting. Have you had any traumatic experiences lately or difficult times?

DoctorDeath

Well ...sounds to me its about time for you to take up another sprt ..how about Golf ?

dd

stubblejumper

I am happy when myself or one of my partners takes an animal but I will admit that I do feel a little remorse when the animal is killed.However I justify it to myself by remembering that I am not hurting the game population,and in most cases the population does need to be reducedso that it does not increase beyond the carrying capacity of the land.I also remind myselfthat the meat will be enjoyed and that the animal will not go to waste.I will add that neither myself or my partnerskill fawns or calves,and to be honest,I would have a hard time doing so.To me it just wouldn't be the same as killing a mature animal that has already lived for several years and has passed on it's genes.

Digi

If you are ever unfortunate enough to starve, you'll eat them.

Nice pets though. Pretty cool actually.

Maybe you could train that doe to act real slutty and bring in some unsuspecting bucks next fall



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Windwalker7

I'd never turn anti or anything like that. I understand the need to hunt and control populations an such. I've been in many arguements over the years with relatives, co workers and others to explain the need to hunt.

I use to be obsessed with filling all my tags ( West Virginia and Pennsylvania ) There was about a 12 year stretch that I would bag 6,7 or 8 deer in a year. I'd keep acouple and give some to friends or relatives. My dad use to get a little upset that I would kill more than I needed to. He didn't like that I'd shoot them just to give away. he said something was wrongif I felt I needed to fill all my tags.I guess now, I see that he was right.

I enjoy hunting with my kids and being with them when they get deer. But its different when I shoot it now. I don't know.


This has been brewing in me for a few years. One deer in paticular. It was a small button buck I hit with a bow. I tracked it several hundred yards. It would get up and run but was too far to get another good shot at. When I finally caught up to it, it just looked at me. I could see in its eyes that it gave up. It could have got up and run but it didn't. It just looked at me as if to say" go ahead, I give up, you won" Ever since then the killing started to bother me. I kept it up a few more years. But now looking into the eyes of my backyard deer, I can't shake the guilt feeling. I don't know. Its hard to explain. I was hoping someone on here felt this way too.