MSU Red Cedar Message Board

I think we're missing the elephant in the room here, people.

Was the bear big? And, if so, did it chase him? We must know the answers to these questions.

Appreciate the invite, and no... I've never had bear. I do know several "big game hunters" though, and the meals they have from their hunts are mainly for the novelty of it. They are the kind of hunters that fly to exotic locations, go on hunts where guides help find animals for them to shoot, they take a few photos, pay someone to prepare a meal from that animal, pay someone else to stuff/mount it and ship it back home, etc.

The guys I know that are into big game hunting don't have freezers full of meat, but maybe that is the minority?

I totally get you. The other day I was riding my bike alongside a highway, and I saw this old homeless guy under an overpass, and I thought, "Hey, lunch!" Suddenly, everyone and their brother is wagging their finger at me. "You can't do that. Buy your homeless man face at the grocery store, blah, blah, blah." Where do people think face comes from? Hey, you don't grow it in a pot! Grow a pair, you freakin' wusses!

I love animals....

They taste GREAT!

So what about hunting for food?

I'm not a hunter, but my yooper uncle in his 70s is a retired DNA officer and crazy ass avid sportsman said something interesting (paraphrasing)...

"Today's hunter has no clue what real hunting is all about anymore. The pull up in their $50k SUVs, tricked out equipment that would never pay for itself in a lifetime...rediculous shit like cell phones, ipods, laptops, and other gadgets to pamper them from actually roughing it and getting in touch with nature. They no longer have the knowledge to actually hunt and need this technology to make them feel better about themselves by drastically improving their chances of actually shooting something other than their own shadow. Without this bullshit, they'd have a better chance of running over a skunk in the middle of the road than actually killing any prey."

I don't give a rat's either way about hunting, but this made me laugh my ass off since it described lot of my buddies who spend as much time talking about how much their equipment costs as they do in the woods...and then get a massage and haircut at Douglas J when they get home.

All you had to do was scroll down a few posts where the OP said:

"I'm just curious what the appeal is. Killing for food is fine, because I'm a carnivore."

Why can't you have more than one reason to do something?

Your heart is racing because you are trying to take a life even if it is an animal, because you may not get the shot again, I think people think that it is easy it is not. More then a million people a year deer hunt in Michigan and usually around half a million deer are killed and a lot of those are taken by people who take more then one deer, early doe, unlimited doe tags on private land, and people with great property. Us state land chumps who maybe get to hunt some great private land once in awhile aren't as lucky. I took the one deer I shot this year during early doe on private land that I was not invited too during regular deer season as the owner of the property has a deer camp there and it is always the same people, which I am not one of. It was the only deer I saw all season. And yes at one hundred yards a deer can smell you if the wind is right and hear you if you shoot a gun or make noise. Yes Bow Hunting is more challenging. I bow hunt as well and love it. The weather is usually great fall weather, less people in the woods, deer are less spooked then during gun and depending on the rut may or may not be moving as much. Every hunter will tell you the same thing, when they hear the branches cracking or see a deer coming out of the woods or into sight their heart starts to race. When a pheasant gets up in your face and startles or scares the shit out of you it gives you a rush and makes it a tough shot, when a bunny is running 25 mph through through thick cover it is a tough damn shot, when a turkey is gobbling back and forth with you for an hour and finally comes in it is a rush, because if he sees you, he is gone and you may never see him again. I can't explain the feeling better then that unless you have done it. Similar to going out and catching a meal of fish and cleaning and eating it right away, there is a satisfaction that comes with eating something that you harvested. Offer me a freezer full of Beef or a freezer full of Venison, I would choose venison every time.

Have you ever fished? If so do you know that feeling when you have a trophy on the end of the line? It gets the heart rushing compared to a small fish. I understand that people don't get these rushes or even understand the rushes and that is fine, but don't knock the people that do. I have put more time and money into the natural areas then %95 of the population, through working for the DNR and USDA WIldlife Services, teaching inner city kids how to fish, teaching BOW (Becoming an Outdoors Woman), volunteering, spending about $150+ a year on licenses and park permits etc... And a lot of hunters do the same. Most state land is purchased with hunters monies, from licensing to paying range fees. So when you are out riding your mountain bike on State Land or just going for a walk, you may want to thank a hunter for helping pay for that land because without it you would be walking on private property, if the owner let you.

Not trying to preach and I know I deviated from your bow to gun comparison, so this isn't all directed at you, just trying to make a point to everyone else.

Did you read my post? I didn't even have my gun, we had Binoculars, it was the day before the season. And I would take my son and dog out during the summer, however it is illegal to "run" your dog from April 1st through August 15th. And he wants to go with me, my dog, my dad and his dog. I do take him out for walks in the woods and I even bring the dog, there is a small woodlot close to me and he also enjoys my Beagle howling like crazy when on a bunny. Do I shoot the rabbits when I am hunting? Yes I do, however If someone offered me a place I could go and limit out without my dog or both my and my dads dog versus going out with my dad and both out dogs with no guarantees I would take going out with my dad and our dogs every time. Does taking a deer, rabbit, turkey, etc... add to the experience? Hell yeah it does, but it is called hunting and not killing for a reason.

7 pages and not one reference to America's most notorious slayer of tail?

Always seemed incredibly self centered to me to end somethings life for several hours of "entertainment"