Respect

[rinaldo]

I got the idea for this post on another forum and I thought I would float it here and see what people thought. What do people mean or what does it mean to you by "respecting the animal" ?
That can be before or even after you have shot the animal. One guy one on the other forum said a prayer after he shot it his deer as his mark of respect for taking the animals life. I would be interested on your thoughts.

[jerry redman]

extreamly sharp broadhead with a well placed arrow and not wasteing the meat

[baconbuster_05]

you on archerytalk to hey? yeah my way of respecting the animal is making an ethical shot ending in the quickest death possible and also giving the animal time enough to die i peace.

[jindydiver]

I sweat on every shot, whether it is with my bow or with my rifle. I have respect for the animal in that I will not shoot if I don’t think I can take it down without hurting it much (I feel great relief every time I see an animal go down cleanly), but once it is down it is just meat for the fridge. I suppose that is why I have bugger all pics of dead animals.

[Dave]

My thoughts are that you are about to take an animals life. It should be done in the quickest, most humane way possible. A clean kill with an accurate shot into heart/lungs.

Don't try and shoot through branches, or try and hit it running away. Stay inside your comfortable shooting distance so as to make a good shot possible. The animal should never suffer. If you do make a poor shot, do everything in your power to make it right.

If you have taken say...a deer...take all of the animal that is humanly possible, all the meat etc not just the antlers.

[barebow]

Jindy and Dave have expressed exactly how I feel etc and what I try to do.

Yes Jindy I am much like you,I have a few photo's of dead animals and most of them are because they were special to me,not because they were trophy or record class.

[adam]

I pray for the animal before the kill and usually say a few words after, I feel remorse also.

I Utilize as much of the kill as possible when game is eatable, sharp broadheads, shot placement, staying within my preferred shooting ranges, not taking advantage of and animals weakness and the list goes on.

I won't shoot an animal with the same arrow if it’s dirty, just something I don't like the thought of, so I wipe all my arrows down after a harvest.

If I have shot a trophy Animal and it’s mounted, Ill keep it clean and make sure there’s no hats or stuff hanging off it. To me that would show no respect for such a fine beast.

Ill make sure the photos of the animal is very clean and presents it in the best manner, this is also respect to me. And anyone that see that photo should see how the animal is respected and what passion we have for a humane kill.

I also respect the animals I hunt by taking all my rubbish and sometimes others out of there playground.

Im sure a lot of us have different views on this respect matter, and I can respect there views too.

Adam

p.s respect is in my heart when ever I hunt, im sure most if not all of you have that same feeling.

[Puk]

The respect also shows up when you're not hunting.
I wince when i hear some blokes say how they want to go out and "kill something". That might be what it's about for them, but if you want to do that, get a ute, a shotgun and a spotlight. There is a time for that, but not when you're hunting.

I think killing is only a small part of hunting. (Maybe that's because i haven't harvested enough animals?) :oops: But i went on two hunts in a row once where i did not fire an arrow at an animal because the right (clean) option didn't present itself. I probably gained more respect for the animals that time than at times when i have killed some. So i just do a little stump shooting, and still have a ball!

But when you talk to someone with respect for the animals, you can have a conversation about (with goats for example) their eyesight, their smell and hearing, and how hard they can be to get close to at times, and easy at other times. someone else will just break in with "dirty stinkin' ferals should all be wiped out".

While it might be true, it kind of kills the conversation. There is no respect for the quarry there. That only comes when you pit your wits and intelligence against that of the animal, and come to understand it. I think respect is something that has to grow through experience.

That's my two cents.
Puk 8)

[Warlocke]

I have been taking an "apprentice" out hunting with me of late.

He works in an abbattior and loves the way I show respect to the animals.

Last time we were out we stalked in amongst a mob of grazing Roos and sat there for about 1/2 an hour just watching their antics.

On the way home he thanked me for the experience and told me that when his mates go hunting with their rifles and a spotlight they shoot everything in sight never really appreciating the speciality of our fellow mammals.

This man hates his job and I know sometimes he gets upset because of the lack of respect shown to the animals that he has to kill every day.

Now he is a bowhunter and shows all the traits of a caring human being, even trying to educate the bloodthirsty crew he calls mates.

He like me, is uncomfortable with the kill but sees it as preferable to the slaughter he sees everyday.

[adam]

Thats excellent Warlocke esp the last line. I also worked at the AB's before and quit for the season thing.

Puk wrote
I think killing is only a small part of hunting. (Maybe that's because i haven't harvested enough animals?)

No mate it is a small part of hunting to most of us, your right on the ball.

[rinaldo]

What a great bunch of posts I really enjoyed reading yours Adam. I am intrigued by what you meant by an animals weakness.

Adam wrote
not taking advantage of and animals weakness and the list goes on.

[adam]

I agree Rin this thread is a pearler, I really enjoy reading what the guys on here have to say, esp that most of us are super Passionate about what we do.


Most animals we hunt don't really show to many weaknesses, but things like a billy goat with his head up a log or something along those lines. If it wasn't for controll reasons I can't see myself taking advantage in a situation like that. I suppose thats why we have fair chase rules with the few organizations in Australia.

However I don't have the same respect for feral cats, I do respect a quick humane kill though all the same for what ever animal it may be.

Adam