[warchild9]

You're following much the same path I did. I became pro-life and anti-hunting simultaneously, because I saw that all life is invaluable. My mind finally changed when a squirrel I had shot was gagging blood at me, and I realized I'd committed an atrocity in a chain of atrocities. Rush Limbaugh converted me to the pro-life position; Aristotle changed me otherwise: "The unexamined life is not worth living."

[Sam Cree]

Don't know whether or not I'll ever get to where you are, but thinking about some of the things we discussed suddenly made me see how you arrived where you did.

Truthfully, it's something I think about anyway, and have for awhile. I absolutely adore meat, though.

BTW, I don't deny the machismo aspects of hunting, but among my friends, while present, it's not really the big thing. Yes, the backslapping and cameraderie is great, drinking some "shine" together when successful, at the edge of the woods, all that stuff.

Never shot at a bear, they have been absent in my area for years, but are now making a comeback. I always just hope they keep their distance from me.

[Aliska]

It would have ruined my day to see that little bear suffer and die along the highway like that.

If I had to I think I could kill an animal in self-defense or if it was threatening someone or perhaps if I were hungry enough. I'd have to be pretty hungry or have little ones who were hungry.

Sometimes I wish I didn't like meat, but I do.