I’m interested in hearing what Lemmings think about hunting. I started hunting deer years ago because I wanted to be a part of the process, like if I couldn’t handle killing and gutting an animal I shouldn’t be eating meat. IMO, it’s much more humane than what factory farmed animals endure. Less suffering overall than most natural deaths. Overpopulation causes disease and starvation and we killed off their predators, so we kind of owe it to nature to fill the ecological gap.
Also, I fucking love it. I watch the sun rise, think, record birds I’ve seen, think, watch squirrels play, think a bit more, and sometimes, I get some food.
Idk. I’m not looking for approval or trying to change your mind, just wondering what people think.
I grew up in a stand hunting family, but I never got the taste for it. I never thought it was very sporting to setup a feeder that runs throughout the year to train deer to have their meals where you can shoot them from your stand. I have killed and cleaned a deer, but if that was the only way I could consume meat I would be a vegetarian. I understand about conservation and controlling populations, deer are pests for farmers, but I can’t say I’d go hunting with a rifle again.
I did really love hunting with my grandfather, he taught me about the ecosystem and the food chain in real terms and gave me a lifelong love of nature. Most times we’d go out we’d never even load our rifles. He had one deer he’d been tracking for years, a majestic, one-eyed, 13 point buck and had pictures of the deer across several seasons where you could see his rack grow. My grandfather called him rooster after a one-eyed friend of the family.
I have nothing against hunting, especially deer and wild boar. Wild boar are especially dangerous and aggressive so culling their numbers is a public safety good. And I know many poor rural families feed themselves bagging their limits so I wouldn’t begrudge anyone trying to feed their family. Hunting as a sport though is a bit distasteful.