Can't Shoot That

[lizziedog1]

I know people that will hunt all manners of birds but cannot shoot a deer. They have nothing against deer hunters, but on an emotional level they just can't. My cousin's daughter will hunt just about anything legal. For some reason, she won't hunt dove. Again, she has nothing against dove hunting or dove hunters, but she can't kill those birds.

I live in an area with many coyotes. I have never shot one. I might go try one of these days. But there is a problem. I am a die-hard dog lover. I know that coyotes are not dogs, but they are dog-like in appearance anyway. I don't know if I have the heart to shoot one. Same with wolves. I know that in some areas wolves need to be culled. I don't have a problem with that. But I don't think I could shoot one unless it was for self defense. We have feral dogs around here and I will shoot one if need be. I'll probably feel guilty afterwards. We have feral cats around here, shooting them has no negative effect on me at all. I'll even send my dogs after them.

Are there any legal game animals or vermin that you couldn't shoot for some emotional reason? You don't care if others shoot them, but you can't and won't.

 

[rogn]

My emotional tethers are similar to yours,LD, but on many occasions I have dealt with diseased foxes. Ive had no problem or hesitation in this matter. I have on a few occasions passed on "culling" a pack or 2 of wild/ feral dogs. These dogs were not threatening anything or one at the time- just passing through. We have some livestock on the farm and if they were attacked or harrassed by feral animals,I doubt that I would hesitate to"control" them.

 

[fireside44]

I hate shooting any wild animal to be honest unless it is diseased or destroying livestock. Love the hunt but the kill is always grisly. When hunger calls however, my sympathies for them are greatly reduced.

 

[heeler]

I have hunted for over 46 years.
I have taken a lot of game birds,deer,coyotes,feral hogs,no mercy what so ever are shown on hogs.
I have no desire to shoot Bob Cats and have passed on dozens.
I have no desire to hunt or kill a bear either.

 

[AKElroy]

Depends on the setting. My house in the city backs up to a park, and I regularly have 3-5 coons in my backyard every night. We enjoy watching them, and have become fairly attached to them.

At the lease, however, it is a different story. Having repaired many a coon damaged feeder, it is open season & we spotlight the little buggers every night we are there. Took two last weekend.

As for game, I won't shoot a doe with young fawns attached. Once they are weened, they are fair game as well, but I really have to want that doe. Shot one this year with her two fawns near by, but I watched the same doe several times last year when the fawns were new & let her go. This year, they are big enough to be on their own & mamma is heading to my freezer.

Lastly, and I hope Flintknapper doesn't read this part, I can't shoot the tiny little 10 lb football sized pigletts. I regularly see them in a 10+ piggy train, oinking with every tiny little step as they scurry in every direction. Can't shoot em' until they turn ugly.

 

[walking arsenal]

I'm the same. I can kill pheasants by the bucket loads but always feel a little guilty shooting a deer. Not so guilty that I'll pass up the steaks. OH no! But a little bit.

Does with fawns always get a pass as do ones that look like they've been mated recently (roughed up fur).

Perhaps it's the watching them interact with each other for hours that does it.

A couple times i've stood up in my stand or whistled to give them a fair chance. Some run. The dumb ones, there is always one, gets smoked.

I can't shoot wolves either much to the ire of my farming relatives.

I had one huge timber wolf step out in front of me once while walking to a stand and we just stood there and looked at each other. With the snow falling it was one of those surreal wilderness moments. Rifle in hand, I might have gotten a shot off but I didn't even try. Drove the relatives nuts when they found out.

 

[Mp7]

Big wild animals. It´s not like they´re becoming more ....

only shoot what u eat.
And cull ferals and varmint.

Trophy hunting is nasty.

 

[chas08]

I would probably kill most anything that was being a pest, or costing me money in lost livestock or other damage. The three that come to mind for me are Bear, Bobcat, and Racoons. I don't care if others kill them, I just don't care to.

 

[Matt018]

I simply cannot shoot a rabbit.

 

[Jalexander]

Bobcats. I've seen a few and just have no desire to kill one. I think they're just too beautiful to kill, unless I have to. And since I don't keep chickens anymore, I don't shoot coyotes. Dogs that are running my cows, on t'other hand, are fair game.

 

[seal]

Coyotes yes bob cats no. Id like to eat some bear but I don't see ever hunting it. For some reason moose never comes to mind when I think of things to hunt. Coons we don't have many so no worries. Dogs feral or not unless threatening I can't shoot. I'm a dog lover ill kick one or pepper spray it but not shoot. It could be someones pet and id die if some one shot one of my pits because they got out and barked at you

 

[CoRoMo]

No issues here. I could/would shoot and kill anything that I needed or wanted to.

I've passed up an animal that I could have killed, but it had nothing to do with emotions or anything like that.

 

[Pigspitter]

I couldn't shoot a bear or any species of cat. Not that I'd ever get the opportunity to hunt them, but I don't think I could kill an elephant or a rhino either. Everything else I don't have a problem hunting, but I always feel a little sad after taking an animals life.

 

[oklahoma caveman]

I have been hunting for over 18 years (since I was 6) and I have never found an animal that I "coudnt" hunt. I have hunted all of the native game found in my area, and have trapped many of the furbearers. I take great pride in being able to sucessfully hunt all of these animals. But after the shot I almost always feel a moment of sadness due to the respect that I feel toward the animals. I believe if I ever stopped feeling that sadness that I would know it is my time to hang up the gun/bow. Call me odd if you will.

 

[brandon_mcg]

i have not found anything that i can't hunt or shoot.

as others have said, there is always a moment of respect for the animal after the hunt and kill though.

i think that this is a good thing. keeps us humble and reminds us that they are important for are survival.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

The older I get the less I care about killing things. Guess I'm getting soft. I do like getting out in the woods and enjoy seeing game. Who knows, maybe I'll kill another deer, hog, yote, bobcat.

 

[Liberty1776]

yeah. ok, maybe I'm a baby. grew up on a horse farm, and I could never kill a zebra. Anything with horns or antlers, watch out though

 

[ryanrichmond]

I always think about the animal's emotions. Helplessness, fear, pain, acceptance of death and then death itself. I think about those that will miss "mom" or "dad" when they don't come home that night. I grew up a softy and a lover of animals and although I don't think I could kill anything bigger than a rabbit, I feel I need to learn the skill of hunting in the event that hunting/gathering become our only means of food.
After all, who knows when the day will come when our only means of survival become what we have learned and saved?

 

[788Ham]

I've helped my buddy kill off some feral dogs that were killing a neighbors sheep,2 sheperds, one collie, one border collie. When pheasant hunting, all cats in the field are fair game too, they kill off little pheasants and cottontail rabbits.

 

[oerllikon]

I just feel bad if the animals death wasnt instantaneous. If i shoot a bird with my .22, i tell myself a scavenger will be able to feed off of it. I think nature will take its course. I dont feel as bad about shooting a bird with a 30-30 as i do with a .22.. I feel pretty guilty about shooting rabbits, even though theyre kind of a nuisance. If an animal in nature or me is going to eat it, i feel its pretty justified

 

[HOOfan_1]

I don't have a desire to kill predators. In fact I don't think I ever have killed one. I guess I just feel a mutual respect for my fellow hunters. I have lost most of my desire to hunt squirrels too. They are just too funny and I enjoy watching them at my bird feeders.

I don't really revel in killing anything, I almost completely lost desire to hunt for a while, but I still do, and I did really want to take a deer this year. I've killed hundreds of doves and hundreds of squirrels in my life though.

 

[mc223]

Too may coyotes, Bobcats and other predators means no pheasant, quail, turkey, etc.
Black Bear don't generally mess with too many deer, but their presence in an area will certainly make them more skittish.
Feral dogs and cats should be eliminated as soon as possible. They are not cute when they are running away with your favorite little ankle biter hanging limp from their mouth.

 

[Hunt480]

No issues here. I could/would shoot and kill anything that I needed or wanted to.

I've passed up an animal that I could have killed, but it had nothing to do with emotions or anything like that.

I especially have have no mercy for coyotes and wild dogs

 

[unwise11]

I would have an issue shooting waterfoul, I think they're cool, and I don't think it's cool to kill them.

 

[1911 guy]

I'll admit to a little twinge when I kill most every animal. There is the spark of life there, and with a trigger pull or arrow release, I've ended that. Sure, it's the natural cycle of things, most everything must kill to eat. But recognizing that is what makes us human.

Last year I shot the biggest deer of my life. Don;t ever expect to get another like it, or at least not for a long time. I didn't hesitate to shoot it, but i did take my time getting the shot right. I'm more worried about causing undue suffering than I am actually killing.