Hunting & Fishing Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

[Kevin1]

I live a Texas and have almost never met anyone who loves guns but doesn't hunt.
For some reason, I have a real passion for guns but just can't see myself shooting at any living thing. When I was younger, I did shoot some birds with my BB gun and 22lr, but I can't even see myself doing that anymore.

I also wanted to clarify that I'm not against hunting. I eat meat and respect hunters (only those that are ethical).

What are your thoughts on this? Does this makes sense to you? Do guns necessary have to be associated with killing?

 

[Nachtadler]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

Makes perfect sense to me. I enjoy firearms now more than ever, but I've completely lost interest in hunting. I am also a carnivore and don't mind the idea of hunting at all. I just don't have any interest in participating anymore.

 

[wfjames22]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I know a few people that love guns/shooting for recreation and dont hunt, but I know more people that are hunting fanatics that dont love guns/shooting for recreation. Well, not as much as I do anyways but a lot of my friends think that I'm crazy.

 

[GUNNER75]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I'm good friends with a Dr and a Lawyer that have never really hunted. There passion for shooting and firearms has resulted in both of them owning several very nice hunting rifles.

I see no issue what so ever.

 

[my human host]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

A good rifle is a thing unto itself. It deserves to be used, but not necessarily to draw blood.

 

[Killer Spade 13]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

It's the shot placement in the face of all adversity, not the target.

A living target does add another dimension, but that's not the Zen of the discipline.

I've killed more deer than I can count. But looking back on my years in Viet Nam flying young, live soldiers into battle and flying out old, dead ones, and nearing the end of my given life cycle on this earth, I'm not so hasty in wanting to take the life of another living, breating, beautiful creature for the sake of sport. And I am not to the point that I must hunt for subsistence, therefore, I no longer kill. I do help the deer club that leases my property thin the doe population every now and then (it'd donated to needy families) and I do try to eliminate the alien coyote population. I guess there is some hypocrisy therein, but so be it.

 

[ewoaf]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I have never shot a big game animal in my life, and not about to start. I've been hunting before, mind you. I used to waterfowl a bit, don't mind chasing down coyotes (which I never seem to have time to do anymore), and love to thin out the prairie dog population when given opportunity. As for getting my hands on a deer or elk tag and wandering around like an idiot....pass.

From an economic standpoint, I'd be much better off buying a beef and having it processed than paying into the lottery system of drawing tags that we have in this state. After that I'd be in for hauling my ass out to where the game is, finding one, and hauling it's ass out the bush and into the processor for butchering. After that I'm paying for the processing. Like has been said before, "The fun ends the second you pull the trigger."
Just doesn't sound like fun to me.

Now, I can hear one or two of you out there saying, but it's not about the meat, it's the thrill of the hunt! The rush of the chase and the glory of victory is where the real treat lies right? Three words for you... Fuck that shit. It's target up, target down, oh great, now I get to bust my ass......pass

Like the above posts, I don't have anything against it, it's just not my bag. If it's how you get your kicks, great. Hunting is not only a necessary wildlife management tool, it's a great way to teach stewardship and responsibility.

Something that also makes it hard for me to understand the supposed relationship between hunters and guns is that I've run into more hunters than not that don't know a damn thing about them. Even when they savvy themselves as firearms enthusiasts, it's hard to convince me that they are. That goes for marksmanship as well. This is exactly where all the threads about the "heard at the gun counter", "overheard at the range", and "You'll never guess what happened to me" come from. Ever wonder why optics makers are still using outdated graduations that aren't even accurate, and they don't even know it? Scopes that graduate in fractions of inches should never have needed be. It's the most popular because it's made for folks who can't understand a unit of angular measure. This is where this comes from.

Oh and one more thing... that wild game meat? It's not that great. It's good but not bust my ass for it good. The beef at the Safeway tastes just fine for being able to walk a block to get. So... Yeah, OP, you're just fine.

 

[Nortex]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

Not that abnormal. I hunt a lot mainly because I love the taste of deer meat, mainly because I grew up on it my wife on the other hand hates it like most people. I agree with post above as well that a lot of hunters are not that versed in firearms knowledge as they think they are.

 

[SND]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I don't think it's unusual. I lost all interest in deer and bird hunting over the years and have transitioned to competitive shooting and long range shooting. No slam on any of the hunters in the crowd, I mostly lost the taste for wild game. For the 30 plus years I hunted, I rarely shot as a sport. I still steelhead fish but even there, keep very few anymore. Most are cautioned to be more friggin careful next time and released.

 

[alaska guide]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I guide for a living in Alaska some of you have seen my pics PGS/Pat has posted for me.On the hunting forum.My hat is off to thous that do not hunt but enjoy shooting.And to thous that enjoy hunting.We must always stay as one.To many out there who want the biggest horned or the biggest trophy animal.To many cilents want to make B/C could care less about the wilderness there in to enjoy nature,to be at almighty
God greatness of seeing things that not everyone will see in a life time.Unless there watching it on t.v. We must be one!!
Be it hunter,target shooter,plinker or what ever.We all must stick together. Thank's waggs

 

[King]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

Personally I grew up hunting and have loved it since day one. That being said I have also loved shooting since day one, and while shooting is often a component of hunting, they are largely two different disciplines in my eyes.

While not all agree, I enjoy the thrill of the hunt and the "chase", if you will, of many game animals more than the actual harvesting of an animal. To me, the easiest part of many of my hunts has been squeezing off a shot. The setup, preparation, and work it takes to get there is what I enjoy. Additionally, some of my best friends and mentors (I am still considered very young by most of you)have been made in the field. There is a peace I find in nature that I get to experience even on hunts where no animal is ever seen that I don't find at the range.

While all that and much more can sum up why I like to hunt, there is another list just as long for the sport of shooting.

It all boils down to what you want to do and get out of your time.

 

[opshin556]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

Kevin, nothing at all strange, id say you are perfectly normal.
The art of the rifle does not include hunting game animals.
But as previously stated it can be one of the side effects.
Just a side note, hunting for me has very little to do with the kill itself. That is the conclusion of the fun part.
The guys who have field dressed a large game animal on a remote hunting trip can back me up on this.
The Kill is 5% or less of most big game hunts.
The rest of the enjoyment is, being "out in it".

but thats just my .02

 

[bassani]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I like to hunt because I do it with my family. It's something my brothers, me and my dad have done since i was a kid. I can still remember driving up to the camp 3 1/2 hours away at nite with hank williams Jr playing on the cassette player.

I don't shoot everything that walks. At times I've reflected on whether or not I wanted to shoot animals but for me, right now, i will continue to hunt and shoot deer. I process and eat what I kill ....smoked deer roasts, backstrap, deer jerky. However, it would certainly be cheaper to buy beef.

I havent ever really caught the static target shooting bug. I think I'd be very interested in a dynamic shooting course with moving targets and maneuvering through obstacles such like with LE & military assault courses.

 

[Shootinsurveyor]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I haven't hunted in a year and don't miss it. The thrill of the hunt and the adrenaline from seeing the deer you are going to shoot went away. Not enough shooting while hunting to satisfy me. that attitude really has no place in the woods so I have focused on shooting more, not hunting. I agree with the others that being around most hunters talking about guns is horribly irritating.

 

[callen3615]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I know many who hunt deer. I never got into it. I have shot the occasional squirrel when they are being pesky, ie nesting in the gutters, or destroying flowerbeds, but thats about as far as it goes. I dont see the allure of sitting in a deer stand, freezing, way too early in the morning to shoot an animal that likes to jump out in front of cars. Not hating on people who do, just not my "bag". I can respect the challenge it presents. I used to hunt squirrels for sport, not extensively though. When they used to get at peak around my house and in the woods I will grab my 22lr and post up in the woods. I enjoyed the challenge of trying to hit the tiny animals in the head from 50-150 yards with the 22lr. Its not an easy task, stalking them is difficult. They hardly stop running, usually chasing each other around, they move unpredictably also. But I find no joy in it anymore. Must be something youre born with.

 

[Beef82]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

As long as you don't hate the guy that does hunt, and you made clear you don't, there's nothing wrong with shooting and not hunting. Huge difference between being aggravated by hunters congesting the ranges for preseason "sight in" and hating them, that frustrates the hell out of me, that rifle should be sighted in at all practical times there's a sight on it. And you just have to ignore most of their BS, some do know what they're talkin about, and some are willing to learn, try not to laugh when they say you have a "sniper" rifle. And get after them like you would anyone else for safety violations.
I do hunt, its started as a family thing, and often still is quality time with my father. Its also a good enough excuse to get out of the house into the woods, successful or not. That said, I go target shooting a hell of allot more than I go hunting.

 

[Jmilera]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

There is nothing wrong with that. So long as you understand that there is a need for hunting. What guys like us do not like is anyone telling us we can and cannot do. An example would be if someone only hunts and does not enjoy shooting thousands of rounds through class III weapons, and then turns around and says there is no need for those types of weapons in our society, well who the F::k is he to say that is wrong? It all comes down to respect and the freedom to do what we want within the constitutional law .

 

[Cody Petersen]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

Nothing wrong with it as long as you do not believe in restricting other peoples rights.

 

[jfd0913]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I dont see any problems with it. Hell by the time you spend the money on the guns you want, it can make it hard to be able to afford to go on hunts. I just like to eat the fresh wild meat taste too much.

 

[kraigWY]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

You don't have to hunt to hunt. One year I spent a week moose hunting off the Big Su in Alaska, Spent the whole week in camp watching a beaver build a dam. One of the most pleasurable trips I ever had.

Another, and probably the best hunting trip was taking my granddaughter elk hunting in the Big Horns. We had the only snowman in elk camp. Everytime I tried to glass a hill side I'd get wacked up the side of the head with snow balls. Had some of the nastiest chocolet pancakes you can imagine. But this without a doubt was the best hunting trip I was ever on.

 

[PMain]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I find hunting to be more about spending time w/ my family then about actually killing. Being in CA it requires distance & traveling & too much time. Now working on being a better shot & using that as my shooting motivation. Funny I think I like & think guns more now, then when I hunted a lot more. The focus has changed.

 

[dup1028]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I do not hunt either But love to shoot .
I do not have anything against hunting just not my bag anymore but can understand the thrill of the hunt as I like to fish and when you figure everything out and it all comes together there is no better feeling .Just different strokes for different folks !

 

[PGG]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

Kevin1 I am not much of a hunter never have been birds and Turkey on rare occasions. However I do like to shoot/hunt if you call it that prairie dogs and hogs (unsuccessful so far on hogs. I love to fish but hate killing them unless we are going to eat and really enjoy them. I am goofy like that and even when I shoot pdogs I try to make sure they dont suffer with poor shots etc. No reason to be cruel but they do need culling as they are pest etc. Nothing wrong with us just different then many. I to have no anti hunting bones or feelings at all just not for me. I love the stalking part of the hunt and do this from time to time but dont shoot them. Take care PG

 

[santee116]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I don't see any problem with it. I love to hit balls at the driving range, but I hate playing a round of golf. To each his own.

 

[Kevin1]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

Thank you for this interesting and stirring response. Also a big thanks to others for their different points of view. I believe, after seeing atrocities of war, it’s not uncommon to have a greater value for life.
You talk about hypocrisy, but I consider myself the biggest hypocrite out there. I can’t stand any atrocity, but yet I live in a safe environment and buy meat from the market. There has to be people out there to do the “dirty” work so I can keep current way of living. Now does the fact that I’m thankful that I don’t have to, nor have done any of that dirty work (law enforcement and military to keep it safe, animal slaughtering to produce meat) , makes me a hypocrite? It probably does…

And things get even more complicated with hunting. Which animal suffers most? The one that lives in the wild and suffers a brief moment when hit by a bullet , or an animal kept in captivity that suffers its entire life and end up in my Big Mac?

I’m going to finish by a sentence from Andre Gide who wrote “The color of truth is gray” …This says it all.



<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Killer Spade 13</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's the shot placement in the face of all adversity, not the target.

A living target does add another dimension, but that's not the Zen of the discipline.

I've killed more deer than I can count. But looking back on my years in Viet Nam flying young, live soldiers into battle and flying out old, dead ones, and nearing the end of my given life cycle on this earth, I'm not so hasty in wanting to take the life of another living, breating, beautiful creature for the sake of sport. And I am not to the point that I must hunt for subsistence, therefore, I no longer kill. I do help the deer club that leases my property thin the doe population every now and then (it'd donated to needy families) and I do try to eliminate the alien coyote population. I guess there is some hypocrisy therein, but so be it.
</div></div>

 

[Graham]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I know plenty of firearms enthusiasts who do not hunt.
I know some who don't like hunting.
I know a few who are against hunting.

 

[PLeighton]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

You are in good company.
Everyone looks at me funny when I tell them I only hunt ground hogs and coyotes.

I am a devout carnivore and have nothing against hunting.
I just don't see the pleasure in deer hunting unless it is for subsistence.
If I get hungry enough, I'm sure I would whack a deer though...

 

[Cornholeo]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I loved to hunt when growing up, mainly because of the time I spent with my Dad at the camp house in the Alabama woods. We never killed much but I have many a fond memory of us spending weekends out there. As I got older and have a family of my own, they never cared much for hunting but love to shoot. Now as they are gone, my bride loves to go out to the range with me and friends to shoot her pistol.

 

[doc76251]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

Nothing wrong with it and it has nothing (or maybe it does) with your profession. I know lots of Doctors, some hunt, some shoot, some do both and a few are appalled by either. I take some pleasure in having been able to convert some of the latter.

Personally I love to shoot, I love to hunt, but......... at 1630 on a Saturday, a mile from the road, I have let more critters walk than I have taken. I will admit to having dry fired on a few just to say "Gotcha'"

.

Shooting is all about accuracy and rounds on target.

Hunting is all about being in the woods and "getting in tune".

Putting a round out on a game animal is the beginning of a long hard day and several days there after processing, packaging and cleaning.

Some days it's worth it, other days not so much.

I will say, given an opportunity to go hunting don't turn it down. No one says you have to kill anything but there is some magic to being there when everything comes together. My son "hunts" with a camera. I dare say he's a better "hunter" than quite a few I know.

Cheers,

Doc

 

[JWV]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

What type of Doctors are you in you don't mind me asking. I am curious because I am starting medical school in June.

 

[nmsheephunter]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

What's wrong with you? Just messing around. I find that the older I get the less I care about killing critters, and would just rather send my rounds down range at a target, rock, etc... In my mind there is nothing wrong with being a gun nut, but not a hunter. Happy shooting.

 

[TXSTDU]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

Not that uncommon. I have hunted most of my life but I am finding myself slowly becoming less and less interested in the sport. More of my energy and excitement these days comes from shooting tight groups and competing at long range and spending time with my family.

 

[FN in MT]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

My Father was an avid waterfowl hunter as a kid. Market hunted ducks/geese in the Raritan bay during the Depression. Came back from the Pacific after WW2 and never hunted again. Only thing he would shoot were rats in our barn. Never duck hunted again, same for deer.

He still fished, enjoyed that, but he was changed for sure.

I was crazy for hunting as a kid, and hunted avidly off and on job permiting. But when I hit my mid fifties I started to feel I'd already killed enough game animals...let someone else take over for me.

I still shoot gophers, and enjoy the LR challenge, but thats about it. Doubt if I will ever kill another deer or elk.

FN in MT

 

[Doogie]

Re: Am I normal Doctor? love guns but don't hunt

I could see myself not hunting deer or elk at some point in time, but I don't think I'll ever stop hunting pheasants and blasting prairie dogs or coyotes.