I know a lot of other hunters my age, still love to hunt, but the kill is now the least of the goals set.
I think that most of the shows now on television for hunting are one big advertisement. If you use their products you too can kill animals this size.
When one show made the content a actual hunting competition show, I thought that was the beginning of the end for hunting.
Slow motion pass though shots, with blood pouring out and the animal struggling to survive, made me want to hunt less. I started to get disgusted and couldn't watch them anymore. They became more and more graphic. I started to root for the deer.
I love animals. I have 2 dogs, 3 horses, 16 chickens and only God knows how many rabbits. If I saw a man abusing an animal, my wife would have to get bail money to get me out of jail. If one of the farm animals dies, my wife makes me bury it. I am surprised she hasn't gotten a priest for last rights - yet!
Yet I hunt. It is in my genes. I don't understand why, but it is one of the greatest pleasures in my life.
Leading up to the kill, it is the most exciting thing I have done. After the shot, there is a let down in excitement, then anticipation and then anxiety worrying if we will retrieve the animal. Upon retrieval, there is joy, followed by thankfulness and then remorse. There is always respect.
Respect doesn't just mean after retrieval.
Respect is ensuring you limit your shots to a range you are confident you can hit what you aim at.
Respect is in preparation.
Respect is competing with yourself hunting and not trying to score points to gain admiration of others.
Respect is wildlife management, improving habitat.
Respect is abiding by game laws.
Respect is working as hard as you can to recover the game.
And yes respect is being thankful and remorseful upon recovery.
Gil