I stopped hunting for a while as well, however, I found that hunting and returning into the normal realm and role of hunter/killer for noble and ancient practice of providing for my family helped me understand the horror of war better-and the need to never avoid conflict for the sake of comfort. It is horrible, ableit, often necessary, to kill another human in combat (whether in self-defense or national defense), but not immoral to kill and eat the creatures provided for our needs.
Many vets stop hunting after facing the steel and blood of war, but there is no comparison to normal, healthy killing of animals for sustenance-you eat meat, therefore you kill, if by proxy.
I pass up more than I kill, though. But I kill enought to make it purposful and an honor.
Best wishes, and Godspeed.
Many vets stop hunting after facing the steel and blood of war, but there is no comparison to normal, healthy killing of animals for sustenance-you eat meat, therefore you kill, if by proxy.
That said, I still remember my Dad coming back from the old Chicago Stock Yards where a newly designed method of killing the cattle was being patented. He was a WWII vet and a patent lawyer. He simply said that whenever the new method did not work, a huge guy with a sledge hammer would step up and nail the steer between the eyes. His dinner that night was vegetarian consisting of grain being distilled and aged in Scotland.
I think it was William Buckley who said that animals do not have rights. People have responsibilities. We are stewards and have a right to make use of the fruits of the Earth yet the responsibility to do so in a way that protects the future generations. Palin pointed that out in the program.
Will leave you with this I just got:
Texas Traffic Stop
This old story out of Texas. Seems a guy makes a rolling stop at a stop sign, and gets pulled over by a local policeman. Guy hands the cop his driver’s license, insurance verification, plus his concealed carry permit.
“Okay, Mr. Smith,” the cop says, “I see your CCW permit. Are you carrying today?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Well then, better tell me what you got.”
Smith says, “Well, I got a .357 revolver in my inside coat pocket. There’s a 9mm semi-auto in the glove box. And, I’ve got a .22 magnum derringer in my right boot.”
“Okay,” the cop says. “Anything else?”
“Yeah, back in the trunk, there’s an AR15 and a shotgun. That’s about it.”
“Mr. Smith, are you on your way to or from a gun range...?”
“Nope.”
“Well then, what are you afraid of....?”
“Not a damned thing...”