The "need" to kill...

[bowhunter1023]

At one time or another, I think most if not all of us have uttered the words "I just need to kill something". As hunters, killing is a natural part of what we do. However it not the kill that drives a lot of us; it is just a necessary action so that the other actions leading up to that point in time will mean more than they would have otherwise. It is that tangible trophy at the end of the blood trail that often defines our success. A natural part of maturing as a hunter is going through that stage where we may just shoot something, just to shoot something. As we mature, the kill takes on an entirely different meaning and the impact of our kills hit us in a much different manner. And not all species of animals killed are held in the same reverence. Depending on the quarry, the kill can have many different undertones to it. Given that archery season is right around the corner and that the vast majority of us will head afield after whitetails to satisfy a growing "thirst" to draw blood, let's discuss the "ugliest" part of what we do and what it means to you. How was killing taught to you and how have you taught that to others? How have you evolved as a "killer"? What does the kill mean to you and how does that differ when taking animals other than deer?

 

[Quantum673]

Over the years the biggest change for me is I now focus more on the pursuit. I have really found the joy of sitting in the woods. The time spent relaxing, thinking, and enjoying what God has given me is priceless.

One think I taught my son from a very early age is that we eat what we kill. I can remember several times when he was 6 or 7 he would be out plinking his BB gun. He would ask if he could shoot one of the many birds flying around. I always told him that if he did I just needed to know if he wanted it grilled, fried, or baked. He has grown to appreciate the animals.

Now that he is hunting with me the experience has changed completely for me. I still enjoy the Hunting Camp and the time afield but what really pumps me up is everytime he is with me. We always spend the hours before a hunt talking and planning. Then after the hunt we spend a lot of time recalling the hunt. This is time that I would never give up no matter what.

So for me I have gone from needing to kill something to just needing to be in the woods with friends and family.

Enjoy the time afield then enjoy the memories for a lifetime.

 

[hickslawns]

i did not grow up in a hunting family. I think it will be interesting to see how these responses vary from generational hunters to first generation hunters. Having a son entering the world of hunting I find myself talking about ethical shots and well placed shots. This was always in my mind before, but now it is spoken. I admit to saying "I need to kill something" as well. Do I really? Of course not, but the phrase itself has come to mean "I need to get in the woods and relax" or unwind or clear my mind.

I hold deer and other animals in high reverence. There are two animals I feel the "need to kill". One is the coyote due to the devastation they inflict on all the animals I enjoy watching or pursuing. The other is ground hogs due to the damage they inflict on buildings, agricultural fields, and crops. Outside of these two, if you hear me say the phrase "I need to kill something" chances are I am referring to killing time. I need to get away.

 

[Hortontoter]

My first recollection of killing was my dad cutting heads off of chickens in our backyard. I don't know how old I was, but I'm sure quite young. My first introduction to hunting was by my dad and uncles around the age of six. I would watch them out the dining room window as they hunted rabbits in the brush right behind our house. Everything was dressed and eaten by someone.

My actual starting to hunt was delayed due complications I had due to polio. I couldn't walk until I was seven years old, but shortly after was toting my Red Ryder everywhere. The woods seemed to just call to me. I had four other brothers that played baseball and football, sports that I couldn't play. But, shooting, even with just my one useable arm, I could excel at. I feel bad today for the songbirds and chipmunks that I killed as a youngster. At about age 13 or so it hit me that killing these birds just wasn't right. I feel that was the day I became a hunter.

At sixteen I bought my first shotgun and hunted everything that roamed the woods and fields on the surrounding farms. But, time had taught me to waste nothing. Every animal I took was food for our family.

Now as I reach the age of 62, I hunt purely for the joy and peace it gives me. Killing is just a small part of the sport. For me the pursuit is key. Years ago I would have never thought I would have evolved to this point. I was one of those that felt failure if I didn't fill a tag or take a limit. Today that thought never enters my mind.

The best way I can explain it is like this. The arena I play in is the same as it was over 50 years ago, but how I keep score has completely changed.

 

[rgecko23]

I started out shooting rabbits and squirrels when I was a kid, I get that butterfly in my stomach to this day, even when shooting groundhogs. If that remourse goes away, I don't think I would want to hunt anymore. Its a respect for the animal I believe. I don't "kill" to kill, but I tell you what, I am tired of not shooting, and this yr I plan on eating good.

 

[Redhunter1012]

It started with squirrels and Rabbits for me as well. The anticipation of taking home whatever we killed was so exciting I couldn't sit still in the woods. When I first got good at deer hunting it was all about the Kill. After awhile I graduated to the finer points of how, quality of deer, difficulty of hunt, etc... I never figured I get to where I am today. Anymore, I get pretty overcome with joy and true appreciation for just being in the elements with deer and other nature and them having no clue whatsoever. I think Im a lot more of a spiritual person than I ever imagined I could be. The cycle of life that I take part in when I harvest and butcher a deer, any deer, is just so darn overwhelming when I sit back and think about it. My next phase with my son is just a few short years away

 

[brock ratcliff]

My dad taught my brother and I to hunt. I asked every man that ever killed a deer how they did it when I was a kid. I started deer hunting at age 7, but had already shot a few squirrels. When I think of how many birds my childhood buddy and I shot it makes me sick...frogs too, or whatever else made the mistake of stopping or just running slowly within my range. Dang, I was a murderous little kid. I'm ashamed of it, really.

I killed my first deer with a bow when I was 10. I shot two of the three that came by. Back then, the thought of shooting two deer was taboo....we only had one tag! I thought there was a chance I missed the first one, so I shot the second one also. When we recovered the deer, my dad was mad, really mad. We went straight to our home and called Earl Wallace - our Pickaway Co WO. He came out, took the buck I'd shot and left me with the doe as she was the first I killed. He gave me a lecture I'll never forget and went on his way.... I thought I was going to prison!

That experience started to shape my mindset. Game animals are not to be taken for granted, and are to be thought of as far more than just dead meat. Still, I went through a time in my 20's when I was a blood-thirsty killer. I stacked 'em like wood. Again, in retrospect, I'm ashamed.

Now, years removed from the "bloodsport" mindset, I'd rather watch them than kill them, though I do still kill one or two a year. Teaching my son to respect wildlife with more regard than I once had is paramount to me. I want him to understand that we don't "smoke" deer when we shoot them - we are putting an end to the only life that creature will ever have. It is our responsibility to do it as cleanly, and quickly as we can - respect them for what they are, a relatively rare and beautiful creature that commands our full attention. My son is going through a bit of that bloodthirsty stage now. He wants to kill every squirrel he sees etc. I just hope I can guide him through the thing so that when he is well-seasoned, he doesn't look back at his actions with a twinge of shame.

 

[yotehunter]

Its not the kill its the time spent in the woods either by myself or with friends and family for me. Its the excitement leading up to the shot. The appreciation of gods creatures that make you say I can't believe that just happened. I've been through two divorces and the time I had spent in the woods during that time was my serenity . It has always been a family tradion to hunt, and now with 11 year daughter and a 6 year boy I couldn't be happier that they are wanting to be part of that tradition. To me time in the woods keeps my mind at ease. I don't care if I shoot a Ohio big buck or a tree rat I'm just grateful to spend time in the woods . Its not the kill but the pursuit.

 

[dante322]

My first taste of killing came when i was about 6 or 7. My sister and i had rabbits on our farm that year. All summer it was my job to clean out the hutches. God I hated that job, smelly bastards. Come fall, I watched my stepdad kill, gut and skin those rabbits. I was a bit traumatized at the time I guess, but over time you realize death is just a part of life. Wether it was those rabbits, helping the neighbors slaughter a cow, the barn cats that came and went, a still born colt... It just is what it is. That being said, I do think that wild animals are a bit different than domesticated. Those rabbits were raised to be food, samr with the chickens, the pig, and the cow. A deer wasnt raised at all. It dosent have someone bringing it food, cleaning its stall, tending to it when its sick. It will survive as long as it is smart enough and resourceful enough. That is where the challenge is.

Bottom line is, doesn't matter if it is a domesticated or wild animal, there is no need to be senseless about it. You wouldn't kill the rabbit if you weren't going to eat it. I have no need to kill any animal I wont eat. Except groundhogs and coyotes. I kill them cause its fun and they piss me off.

 

[Bigslam51]

I am the same as a few of you guys. I got my first BB gun when I was 6 and I shot every bird that came in range, It makes me sick now because most of them were mourning doves and they could of been put on the table. My dad was not into hunting but he did a little trapping as a youngster so I had to teach myself how to hunt. He would always take me rabbit hunting when I was younger and I would bring them home for my mom to make supper with. Going into my teen years I began to appreciate the fact that the animal died so that we may eat. I don't "kill'' anymore, I harvest the animal to provide food for my family. I thank the animal for what it has given us.

 

[finelyshedded]

Everyone of these posts are so well expressed and exemplifies the quality of people we have here on this great site. The honesty of our youth experiences up to when we've matured as more seasoned hunters or outdoorsmen/women and onto passing on our knowledge and passion of hunting and fishing to our children. It makes me feel pretty dang good to be apart of website of people I've met and others I hope to met someday who admire and respect the game we hunt.

Me/Ron were blessed to have a father who was a great teacher and role model but he was not near as diehard into hunting like the boys he raised. He took us rabbit and squirrel hunting a few times and taught us the safe way to handle our gun and how to shoot in a safe manner. The thing were so blessed for is he saw how much we loved to hunt,shoot and chase critters and planted that seed and got us hooked! Thank you DAD!

He started us with of a Daisy BB gun lever action and when we started fighting over that he dug out his old pump BB gun he had as a child so each of us had something to kill every barn sparrow within 100 yards away from our barnyard. The redwing blackbird population and spring toads down at our pond took a huge hit during this time as well. Once when we were in 4H Ron took up birdwatching and killed a bluebird then wrapped it in foil and stuck it in our basement freezer. Mom about shit when she opened that little package up and when confronted he said he was planning on taking it to the judging as a prop! rotflmao
He then got us each a Glenfield 22 rifle that came with those cheap 2x scopes and we thought we died and went to heaven. I think Ron got a semi-auto and me a 7 shot bolt action. Then came our shotguns and Hawken Muzzys. When we came home from school one day after an afternoon of flinging arrows at the Rod and Gun Club he saw another weapon we fell in love with so then came our 16th birthday and two Bear Whitetail bows were found under our Xmas tree the next morning(we're twins born on Dec.24th). From then on it was on like donkey kong!lol

I can't speak for Ron but he's prolly like me since we're twins but in the beginning we shot to kill but dad made sure we knew it was for consumption not to go to waste. We loved to eat wildgame so there was extra motivation to be the one to provide some meat for the pot. Somewhere along our mid twenties we started get more and more proficient in our bow shooting with our buddies deer started to die. I guess there was some friendly competition that pushed us to hunt harder but as far as the remorseful feeling after taking an animals life it just didn't sink in till my early 30's. It was just a mission to kill a buck in back to back years. When the bar was raised to hunt more mature deer and the desire to let the does walk tag soup was on the menu for me anyway. But, somewhere around this time I realize the chase and the challenge of hunting bigger more mature deer whether I got one or not was the route I decided to take. It was just as enjoyable passing on younger bucks allowing them to get older and selectively harvesting a doe or two once in awhile to put meat in the freezer. I learned waiting on older deer tends to send you climbing up in the tree more often through the season giving me more quality time enjoying Gods creatures stirring around me.

In the end, its our responsibility to be stewards of the land and respect the animals we hunt enough to harvest them as quick and humanely as possible. As far as pest like yotes,groundhogs and wild hogs, its wack and stack baby!

 

[Fullbore]

Ditto, Bro!

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Pretty interesting comments on varmints.

The only time I've felt regret or "dirty" for killing is pulling the trigger on a coon in a live trap. That has always felt like "work" to me but is an effective and lawful way of dispatching unwanted critters. I do believe the proximity has to do with it. I've always maintained - and always will - the "this is farm life" mentality and it has certainly never kept me up at night.

 

[runhunter]

A lot of good thoughts here, and I mirror most of them. We all start out and go through the "need to kill" phase, because honestly, I think hunting is an ego thing for most people. Not saying it's a bad thing, but we spend more time showing off what trail camera pics we have, what we killed in previous years, what we hope to kill etc. It's just part of it since we are the only ones that were there to witness what happened. All that adrenaline, excitement, has to get out somehow.
I noticed a few years back, that I seemed to go from wanting to shoot everything that walked by, to shooting only what I needed. Not sure if it's because of the work involved after the shot, or whether it's because I've matured as a hunter, or both. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a crazed maniac that sits on average 5-6 times a week for 5 months straight. I still think about killing that once in a lifetime, every time I breathe and open a magazine, but honestly, I just love the chase. If it comes up roses, even better. I wouldn't be able to sit as much as I do, if I didn't.

Case in point, I had one of the best bucks I've ever laid eyes on coming, on a string in daylight, just a few weeks ago. He has since disappeared. 5 years ago, I'd have been up at night, thinking of it, out with the spotlight, worrying, wondering becasue I thought I needed to kill him. As I sit here right now, I still hope he shows, and Im going to do my best to try and get back on him, believe me... but at this point man, just getting pictures of this buck was flat out awesome. So when I get all Debbie Downer about it, I just try to think about seeing that first trail camera picture, and remind myself of the excitement I had, whenI yelled to my girlfriend, "Holy Shit, get in here and look at this" haha.. The need to kill will always be there, it's in you.. but you learn how to dial it back, and be choosy. To me, it makes each encounter more meaningful/enjoyable

 

[Outdoorsfellar]

There's no need to share my thoughts because... I can see we ALL branch out from the same trunk. That's a very good feeling. That's why I'm so giddy about getting TOO Strouds, is to be able to sit around the campfire with so many likeminded fellas. We all share the same passion & respect for the Outdoors.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Great discussion fellas. Thanks for sharing.

Like many others, I am more or less a self taught hunter. My dad showed me the basics of how to safely handle a gun and to sit quietly in the woods. He was with me when I killed my first squirrel at 7 or 8, but I don't recall any great lesson about taking another life. His lessons were eat what you kill and don't shoot any birds unless they are black. I did not do much killing until I got serious about deer hunting when I was 18 and killed my first deer. It was an ugly death and one I'll never forget. Following that, I went on a tear where I shot anything I could shoot as I had this need to put as many notches in my belt as I could to make up for lost time. Thankfully, I have grown out of that mindset when it comes to deer and the harvests have become much more selective. I've killed dogs for people that were dying or injured. I've killed stray cats just for being stray cats. I'm ashamed to admit that I don't have much feeling when I do those things as I treat it like a chore that needed to be done. If anything, I need to learn more compassion...

 

[MK111]

Great discussion. I have no real need to kill "harvest" anything but I do enjoy the challenge.
Being raise dirt poor as a kid there was a need to kill wild animals in the fall for food on the table. I learned to hunt on my own as my dad had a heart attach quite young.
If one does have a need to kill anything go out West and shoot PD's. I've done it for 15 yrs. and never felt bad about knowing it was helping the ranchers out because of the damage they do. Shoot 400-500 per day for a week and it gets almost boring but it sure does help your shooting ability.
Stray cats and dogs chasing deer during deer season are no longer a problem.

 

[buckbuster217]

I came from a hunting family and was taught the rights and wrongs at a young age but in my family hunting was sort of looked at as a neccesity and not as something that was "enjoyable". Deer gun season was really big in my family and "deer camp" was always much anticipated by the younger ones. Don't get me wrong I have great memories of those years when I was young but as I look back on it now I realize that what we was doing was very detrimental to our local herd, our camp drove deer all 6 days of gun season and if a deer came by you you was expected to shoot it, if you was lucky enough to draw a doe tag you better had shoot the first deer that came by, yearling or not, buck or doe, small buck or not, and I will be trueful our group was very good at it, it was nothing for our group to kill 35 to 40 deer during a week long season, for a young kid who was trying to emulate his elders this was awesome, shoot every deer that came by till you filled your tags. I did this for several years and thought this was what deer hunting was about, my dad never bowhunted , said he didnt have the time or patience for it but one of the guys that frequented our camp had started bowhunting and we set down one night at camp and talked around the fire and he sparked an interest in me, Dad didnt bowhunt but supported me in whatever I did, and shortly thereafter I was the proud owner of a Bear Whitetail hunter, the guy at camp, Danny Bach was his name took me under his wing and tried to teach me what he knew and at the age of 15 I killed my first deer with a bow, in the many years since then I have went through all of the stages that already have been discussed here already and in the 30 years since then I have come to have a great appreciation and respect for all of gods creatures, I am at the point in my hunting "career" were harvesting an animal is not very important, don't get me wrong I would like to kill a large buck every year but if at the end of the season I still have a tag in my pocket it doesn't bother me. I still go to "deer camp" every year and have a grand time and over the years as us younguns as we were called have become the "elders" we try to teach our youth in a different way, we still have fun and kill deer but not like we used too, things have really changed since I was young and it was kill everything that ran past, I'm not saying it was wrong, it was just the way things were done back then in our neck of the woods.

 

[Archertl]

Pretty interesting comments on varmints.

The only time I've felt regret or "dirty" for killing is pulling the trigger on a coon in a live trap. That has always felt like "work" to me but is an effective and lawful way of dispatching unwanted critters. I do believe the proximity has to do with it. I've always maintained - and always will - the "this is farm life" mentality and it has certainly never kept me up at night.

I have the same take on things. I hunt to feed myself. the first time I killed something I was six or seven. My Dad and I caught a limit of bull frogs. He gave me a knife and told me how to kill them by sticking the blade in they're brain then to cut the legs off at the hips. The reptiles and amphibians must have a different nervous system than mammals because the frog with no brain and no hind legs moved around for about 30 minutes afterwards. Afterwards dad gave me the circle of life and hunting talk. I have shot a crop damage tag doe with a rifle a number of summers ago it did not seem sporting but it was clean. I trapped quite a bit in my late teens. I always had the same "that's it" feeling after pulling the trigger and watching the animal flop around on the ground while its nervous system shuts down. I never felt bad about it but it is a different feeling then shooting a deer in a tree stand in the fall with a bow.

 

[Mike]

I've only hunted for five years. I hunt for food and the enjoyment of being in the outdoors. I've never killed anything for fun.