[Blair16146]

I find myself only having a desire to hunt only the game inwhich I will eat. (with the exception of coyotes)
I am just curious to see how many others are out there. I have ABSOLUTLY NOTHING AGAINST those who hunt for the trophy or kill animals that are typically not eaten (ex: coon, possum, crow)I know alot of guys who shoot dove for the meat-Im sure its quite tasty but Im assuming you'd have to kill about 100 of them just for one meal. Other than the extreme shooting challenge I do not find any desire to hunt them for food. Its safe to say my wife does not have to worry about me spending the day dove hunting. Quite a few guys I know only hunt woodchuck for the target pratice but I do know some who love to make stew with them.
Before I stray to far off the point-who out the understands what Im saying...EX: If you do not like squirrel or rabbit meat, why go hunt for them?

Good luck to all in whatever game they pursue this year-be safe!

 

[surveyor]

AGREED

 

[SpiritNugent]

I agree completely...

When I was alot younger, I used to hunt squirrels alot before I bowhunted. And I found myself coming home and getting sick of butchering them up. And the last few I got I didn't cut and gave to a friend who later told me he ended up throwing them out. So I didn't hunt them after that.

I will only hunt what I will eat... I completely agree with you

 

[Swift]

Other than whistlepigs everything shot gets consumed.

 

[Moss]

I hunt for food, in other words I eat what I shoot

 

[RTH]

I hunt for the time spent in the woods, time spent with family, time spent with friends.........

I do not hunt strictly for the meat, but do eat or donate everything I shoot

 

[DAVEOTHG]

Everything is used.If not by me then donated to somebody who will.

 

[jmdb25]

Over the past few years I have taken a lot of deer. My wife would ask me why do you shoot all these deer. One day she came home from the store and I was cleaning a deer and putting it in zip lock bags. Shortly after a lady from our day care who was going through a rough time had pulled up with her kids. She asked why she was there, I said she is here to pick up this deer and the one I got last week. She said wow that is really nice. I said now do you know why I do what I do. Don't get me wrong all the deer I take are used by us or some other family. When that lady left the house I felt good about what I did. I knew for some time she could feed her family and not worry about making the little money she made taking care of my son a few hours a day while he was at day care.

 

[Whodat?]

Nice work jmdb25!

 

[riverpirate]

This is why i quit hunting hunting when i moved up here. I had no where to clean my kills and had no where to store my kills ( lived in a city ) so i quit hunting. Now im in the burbs again , its time to start back up. Most times id rather take great pictures of animals , but lately ive had that itch to hunt.

 

[MuzzleMike]

I do understand what you are saying Blair16146 . I have found myself being the same way as I have have gotten older . I see it as why shoot if it is not going on the table ?

 

[artyddog]

Agree...supermarkets don't like our kind...couldn't tell you the last time I bought beef there. Between the elk I got last year and the antelope & mule deer I hope to bring home with me this year. Can't see me buying very much this year either. It's a peaceful thing to sit in the woods with the leaves falling and a chipmuck jumpin on your boot lookin at you wondering the heck is that big orange/camo thing??

 

[m77lewis]

I love tasty critters!
I have hunted just about everything in Pa and the only thing I haven't eaten is groundhogs. I know lots of people do. I haven't eaten a coyote either, but then again the next one I shoot will be the first one I shoot!
I might eat him just for spite!

 

[Live2Bowhunt]

Over the past few years I have taken a lot of deer. My wife would ask me why do you shoot all these deer. One day she came home from the store and I was cleaning a deer and putting it in zip lock bags. Shortly after a lady from our day care who was going through a rough time had pulled up with her kids. She asked why she was there, I said she is here to pick up this deer and the one I got last week. She said wow that is really nice. I said now do you know why I do what I do. Don't get me wrong all the deer I take are used by us or some other family. When that lady left the house I felt good about what I did. I knew for some time she could feed her family and not worry about making the little money she made taking care of my son a few hours a day while he was at day care.

Not only does that show what kind of guy you are, but it also shows what good hunters and better yet, Good outdoorsman do to apply a positive image to this sport we all love! Good Job

 

[iceman6425]

I am total agreement. Dont get me wrong, I want that big monster buck, but I hunt only what I am going to eat! The one thing that ticks me off on hunting shows is you never hear them say what alot meat that buck is going to produce. No, they harp on the rack. I dont know about the rest of you, but I cant eat horns. Yes, I want a monster buck! But it is not just the rack, it is the size of the buck, A 5year old buck could only have 2 points on each side, to me that is a shooter. Why, beacuse of the meat....

 

[Matt5908]

Agree Ice...I will hold out for a big one....but will eat everything. I won't shoot anything I won't eat with the exception of predators. I have noproblem with guys that do, but for me, I make sure that If I can't use it, someone I know will.

 

[muttleysback]

I guess I don't qualify. While I eat most of what I kill and give some to others, I also enjoy the chase for a trophy animal. Why does it have to be either/or?

 

[elitex01]

Although it doesn't take 100 doves for a meal I love to take as many as I am legaly allowed as often as possible. Reason being is that they are so good on the kitchen table. And talk about easy to clean! While I have taken many "trophies" I would consider myself to belong to the MEAT catagory. I feel that hunters have to pay respect to the animals we harvest by not only having a basic knowledge of butchering and meat care... but becoming higly skilled and efffcient prosessors. I am 25 and have had these skills before I was old enough to carry a gun on my own. Paying others for this duty is OK, but as a hunter you should atleast know how. This season, I plan on forming plans with the intent of harvesting 4 animals, how I will use each cut, store my bounty and the tools this will require. I encourage all hunters to learn these skill! I butcher and eat everything I kill, and proud of it.

 

[elitex01]

Jmdb knows what it is all about! That was a excellent thing to do.

 

[logic250]

Primary reason I'm getting into hunting. Secondary is being outdoors.