Loosing the desire to kill

[customcrester]

Went out hunting tonight behind the house after work because this saturday is the end of deer season here in S.E PA and i have a doe tag to try to fill.Just before dark 3 deer (2 button buck and 1 doe i think)walked right in front of me at 15 yards. I just sat in my blind and watched them for awile and had to almost talk myself into shooting one of them.When i did decide to try and shoot the doe one of the button bucks saw me move to raise my bow and all three deer ran away.I just sat there and smiled and was kind of glad they ran off before i shot.I think i may be loosing my desire to kill.I did shoot a nice old 6 point buck and a nice size doe this year so far and i have to admit i do have much more interest in hunting and shooting bucks,maybe that is all it is.....I HOPE!  

[YORNOC]

Nothing wrong with that Tim. Enjoy whatever you want while out in the woods, be it hunting and killing or just blending in. Go with what feels right!

[Dave Alaxanian]

I don't know what to say Brother---Hmmmmm

[Manitoba Stickflinger]

Totally normal in my books. You're still the top of the food chain so it's naturally in you...just not in the mood that day, and that's OK!

[Bonebuster]

With two deer for the year, you are just not hungry. Taking a deer was not something you needed.

There is no audience when we are out there alone...or perhaps we are never alone...regardless, our actions say alot if there is no one watching.

I love the part about the "smile".

Next August, when you feel the first cool air one foggy morning...you`ll feel differently.

You just gotta love hearing the story of a true hunter!!!  

[lbows]

Nothing wrong with that sometimes it's just nice to sit in the woods and enjoy being close to the animals.

[Trooper]

I know I'm loosing my desire to kill.  I also hunt some behind my house. This season I passed on deer that in the past I would have easily shot.  In fact, I found myself giving names to some of the deer I passed on the stand.  I started questioning my sanity!  I was expressing my feelings at work one day and the guys said that I just needed a group hug so about 5 guys hugged me! LOL.  Then one guy said that maybe I'm just turnng into a trophy hunter; well, maybe, but I doubt it.  What I really think is that as you get older (I'm 58) the desire to kill lessens and you just appreciate being out in the woods more.

[Bjorn]

I don't think I have ever had a 'desire to kill'. It is what's gotta' happen for the rest to take place. It is natural to pass on an animal-the movement you made may have been intentional to get you off the hook?

[**DONOTDELETE**]

When I go hunting, Killing is the last thing I think of. I don't go out to kill anything, I go because I enjoy the time with nature. Call it spiritual, genetics, or just plan old outdoors woodsmen-ship.

If everything feels right and comes in to range then I think about taking a shot. It takes a lot to drop the string on a Life Animal and I want to be 100% sure that is what I want to do..

I'm just as happy not shooting an Animal as I am Shooting one.. If Your coming to a point that You don't feel like taking a life, Then Enjoy just doing Traditional Archery or 3-D shoots. What ever it may be I wish You the best...

[USN_Sam1385]

I don't think I ever have a 'desire' to kill. I love to harvest deer. I eat them, so I never feel any regret taking a deer. I also process all the meat myself at home.

I think there are only 2 things that ever really deter me from wanting to take a deer:

1: Thinking of the huge amount of work in fully processing a deer myself.

2: If the doe is in a fmaily group, with yearlings.

I use to never shoot a doe or either of the yearlings. However, I do now. The drag is easier, the meat is tastier, and there is a lot less trimming to do.

I may sound insensitive, but a good 70-90 pound yearling is the best eating there is.

[chanumpa]

Its good to here.All fellow tradgangers that chimed in above all understand what hunting is.The people who dont and arent happy if they dont get one or cant just enjoy going out are the ones that worry me and will probably never get it and or be happy.Good job to you Customcrester,maybe that old girl will throw a fawn that will be ahuge buck someday this year.

[customcrester]

Thanks guys, i think all of you have good points and i feel the same in alot of ways.I think i am at the point that alot of things have to be right for me to want to take a life.I love to hunt and i love to share what i kill with my family and friends but i think i am taking the taking of an amimals life more seriously and i sometimes just rather watch them go about their daily lives.

[1oldbowguy]

I have let a number of deer pass this year, I don't feel the need to harvest a deer just to say I got another.  Most of the time the best part of a hunt is just knowing you were in the right place and could have if you wanted to.

[Doc Nock]

I just see it as the ebb-flow of life.

Sometimes it's there, sometimes we're just there to witness.

Nothing in life is permanent so I quit giving thought to those "phases".

I posted in mid Oct here about wanting a meat doe but being on some antibiotics that made me feel lousy sick and dizzy, I just couldn't make myself shoot a easy shot--my first from a ground blind.  

Things all have to be in harmony... and I'm not as driven at 62 as I was, but I still would rather eat venison than anything else...but if I don't kill it, I don't get to grill it.

Still just let it slide. Seems 4 me, life has to be all in order...then the "instinct" surfaces, but when things are a wee bit un-settled, or all systems aren't go...it's just not there.

Wait till next year! Then you'll know!  

[pumatrax]

If it was only about the kill you'd be hunting with a 300 win mag or even worse a compound. Traditional archery is not always about the kill...there is an inherent appreciation for wildlife that comes with it...I'm 57...been hunting for over forty years ; still I might have a hard time passing up the RIGHT shot at a big bull elk...something to think about though.....

[Huntschool]

I think everyone is "right"

I find it easy to watch a lot more than I did when I was in my 20's-40's.  I have to admit I have become a bit of a "trophy" hunter.  But that is likely because I can....

On the other hand, do not put me in a hot corner in a hot dove field....  the killer really comes out.

[Terry Green]

No worries....I've passed on more deer in the last 4 years than I ever dreamed I would....been helping someone manage a property and took two bucks off off it...one nice ten and a freak buck...still haven't told the story or posted pics of the freak..

Also, I have a hard time shooting a doe off our family propety, or young bucks...but did manage to get a buck 4 feet from a friend of mine and I had him set up on the ground....the biggest buck he's ever seen.  That was cool.

I spend most of the bowseason in the Cohutta Wilderness chasing bears.....what a challenge that is and I LOVE the country.

I don't pass on hogs though...cept when I was guiding Rob last year...he got his 1st...so that was cool.

Shoot what you want and when you want.....its your hunt.

[Hank H.]

I have noticed the same thing the my last two deer seasons. I am 53 years old and killing 411 deer this season is not my priority anymore (slight exaggeration). I prefer to kill a trophy or two and then enjoy the doe hunts with no pressure on me to take one or not. Back in my 20's, 30's and 40's I never missed a single day of deer season. I missed weddings, funerals, parties, etc if they interfered with my time in the woods. Now, Christmas morning with the family is ok...I missed the last day of the season this year because of a funeral...its OK...I have reconciled it in my "book"

I get a huge bit of pleasure from taking deer with old rifles, recurves, etc...something I don't take to the woods every day. For instance I took one this year with my first rifle given to me by my dad, a Remington 742. It has only taken 3 deer before...about time for another deer. Love my recurve....its all about choices, as long as it's not a cross bow!

[BrianfromTulsa]

[BrianfromTulsa]

I know exactly what you mean.  I haven't killed a deer in 3 years and that is exactly how I've wanted it.  I will admit that the last deer I killed was my personal largest deer and it seems that I do prefer to hold out for a nice buck but I have passed up several shots and I have honestly found myself planning not to shoot anything before I go.

Another twist:  I bowhunted more this year than I have since I was in college some 25 yrs ago and I seem to enjoy it more every time I go.  It's a weird feeling but at times, I don't want to shoot a deer.  Can't really explain it.