GeoffM24

This will be my first year of hard core deer hunting and I have been so busy getting ready, practicing, scouting etc. I have really thought about how I will feel when the time comes.

I have no problem killing pheasant or turkey because I hate birds but I did feel strange when I rang my first pheasants neck. Now it is no big deal.

The thing that makes me think twice about deer is they remind me of my dogs.

How did you feel?

Muskrat

Well for me it was an overwelming feeling of success and of respect for the doe that I had just tagged. To me it was and still is the single most memerable hunt I've been on. It was like I had just dicovered hunting all over again,I would be lying if I said it had no effect on me, truth be told I've been hooked from that day on and that was 20 years ago. Go out and enjoy the great outdoors and tag a nice one,and it doesn't have to be a buck<img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle>

mizzou2002

I can tell you that I had no problem making the shot, but after I'd trailed the deer and finally found him there, I can't really describe what it felt like. At the time, I gave a silent prayer of thanks. I do remember when I put my hand on its coat, the flesh was still warm and it struck me what magnificent animals whitetail deer are. I also remember when I got home, the dogs were all over me because I was covered in deer dander. The boots I have still have the stains of dressing that first deer. It reminds me of the experience. I sure hope to repeat it again and again.

<font color=green>How many vegetables had to die to make your stupid salad!</font id=green>

Robow

I felt sticky,cuz I wet myself.

Bob S

Excited

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Be a steward of the resouce, not just a deer killer.

atlasman

First deer I ever killed was a doe at 10 yards with a 12 gauge.....right through the lungs and she never even flinched. She went from live to dead in before the smoke cleared so it was not upsetting at all.......I had seen many deer killed before but never by my hands. I was field dressing her out 5 minutes later so I guess I didn't feel too bad.


I feel bad if I do something stupid........I shot a deer once and it jumped at the last second and I hit him far back. Tracked him for 4 hours and finished the job then. I felt bad that the deer was in pain for 4 hours but I felt good that I had the ethics and morals to finish what I started and limit any suffering to the best of my abilities.

My father always said I would quit after my first deer because I have a very deep love of animals and truthfully would rather see a human hurt then a defenseless animal.........I just don't see hunting in that way I guess. I LOVE to hunt and while I do feel bad briefly after the animal has passed.....the feeling of pride, accomplishment and satisfaction are a million times stronger when I have a successful hunt and every time that meat hits the table for me and my family to eat.


Your statement about not caring about killing birds because you &quot;hate&quot; them is a little odd. I think you should feel the same sense that a life was taken by your hands and treat it with the proper amount of respect regardless of how big, small, cute or ugly the animal is.


I know people and have hunted with them that actually just LIKE to kill things.........that scares me. Their is a BIG difference between being happy with your successful hunt and just being happy you got to shoot and kill something...........needless to say I don't hunt with any of those people any more.

I don't hesitate for one second to end a life in the woods........but I realize the magnitude of what I have done and therefore it is something that I take very seriously and don't like to joke or be disrespectful about.

You don't have to love killing to love hunting, but it is part of the game so you won't know how it will effect you until it happens.


Make it quick, clean and as painless as you can.

joeturse

Well said Spike.

Belle Island

From my first deer to the most recent, I have always been overcome with gratitude for the chance to harvest such a great and worthy opponent.

Hunt the thickets

syhelms24

Well the first deer I have ever killed was last year. To tell you the truth I had mixed feelings I shot him with a bow from about 20 yards away I hit him in the back bone and broke it it two. It did'nt die I had to cut it's throat twice to finally get it to die. That really sucked I can tell you that. But the thrill I got when I shot him was well worth it I went running down the hill like a 10 year old. It was a great experice that I will remember forever. what made it even more special was it was the first deer I have ever shot at.

GeoffM24

Maybe &quot;hate&quot; wasn't the correct word.

I did feel bad about killing my first few but the feeling goes away as you get more.

I'm just not a real big fan of birds if that makes sense. I gues it is similiar to an animal lover not thinking twice about killing a spider but thinking the killing of a deer is horrible. They are both living creatures.

I think if cows were smart and pretty we would not eat them as much. You don't see horse burgers on the menu at McDonald's.

Deer are beautiful creatures that are worthy competitors and maybe that is where the increased respect comes from?