How do you feel when you pull the trigger

jonty h

Well-Known Member
This isnt an ethical question, but whilst reliving my first successful stalk today i thought about the different feelings i went through both post and pre shot,
Obviously the stalk was exciting and the tension literally crippled my lower back, then when the shot was lined up the excitement was still there but there was also fear that the shot wouldnt be perfect and the animal would be wounded,
i do tend to shoot fairly quickly once im on target so pre shot feelings are short lived, but immediately after the shot i felt hugely relieved that the deer dropped but there was also sadness and even a little guilt. A little smugness maybe that id hit both animals successfully at fair distances.
Strangely after the gralloch the deer became meat not deer and i was just chuffed about the whole experience,
I think its a good thing to feel both respect for your quarry and sometimes a little guilt after the shot,
Am i too soft for this game ?
 
I should maybe start by saying I had shot a lot of other things prior to my first Roe. To me one animal is equal to the other and should be treated with the same respect.

First Roe I can't really remember feeling anything particular.

First Red was a 6 hour stalk after a very particular animal. At the time it came to pulling the trigger I got a bit emotional as I had spend so much time looking and stalking the fellow I had developed a certain attachment to him. After that brief moment of weakness the gun went bang.

I now see stalking as a job, someone has to do it and I am pleased that I am the person that has to as I love it, the whole experience not just taking the shot.

But I feel absolutely awful if/when something goes wrong.
 
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I think I share your main emotion of relief. I enjoy the stalk but tend to be quite cold prior to pulling the trigger. Once the shot is off I have a pause and then relief that all is well. I dont think I feel guilt as such but have been known to thank/apologise to the beast out loud. (perhaps I spend too much time alone ;):rolleyes: )
 
i think for my first deer i felt pretty much the same as you. but no guilt. utter panic when the fallow spun round and ran fifty yards before collapsing then enormous releif. i always have a moment to take in the beauty of the animal/situation but then feel good as although an amazing animal is dead it wont go to waste
 
I do feel a bit of guilt but more I worry about making sure the animal is dead because I don't want the animal to be in pain. If I stop feeling that way I don't think I should be shooting if I don't worry about the animals welfare.
 
Love my rifle shooting but never get excitement from squeezing the trigger, thoroughly enjoy getting to that point in the proceedings whatever it is I am after but very cold and clinical about the shot, never feel any remorse, I'm not a heartless git just find the shot the easy bit, getting there is the fun!
 
i would say most things you felt really just before i pull the trigger i feel my heart pounding its a nice relief knowing its down and a fantastic feeling when im butchering it up into steaks after every successfull stalk the backstraps go straight into the pan followed by a nice glass of red,did you keep the carcass mate?,atb wayne
 
just feel extreme excitment hours before i stalk then deliberation getting gear together and that feeling that people that do extreme sports get, a huge rush of addrenaline an overpowering surge of energy and then satisfaction and pride at the finished carcase ,then when you eat it arhh bisto lol :D
 
Nope you are not too soft as you put it for this game,it would be a strange man indeed who did not have mixed feelings when shooting an animal,and after you look down with perhaps a mixture of a little sadness, and a little pride at the beautiful creature you have just killed,console yourself with the thought that you are following the way of your ancestors, not in any macho kind of way but instead following the instinct to hunt and provide that lurks in many of us despite the soft modern way of life we lead today,well done mate, first of many I hope :tiphat:
 
Dont know about when pulling trigger but remember many times after a long sucessful stalk and shot feeling knackered and wondering where to find the energy to get home.
 
Hi Jonty, well done on your first success. A good friend and stalker of many years once told me:- The day you don't feel that twinge of guilt, stop for a while as you have lost your way. Perhaps due to shooting too many deer. So my reply is no, not too soft, just a good ethical sensitive hunter. Long may you continue.

When it does go wrong, and if you shoot enough it will, you will no doubt be devastated (I have been in that dark place). That very fact sets you apart. Some hunters feel no guilt, and no remorse. I wouldn't choose them as friends.

Congratulations again on your success.

Mark
 
Fantastic its ten minutes after you've shot it I feel like shite its in the bag or on the rope and its always at the bottom of a bloody hill eyeballs out job
 
Hi Jonty, well done on your first success. A good friend and stalker of many years once told me:- The day you don't feel that twinge of guilt, stop for a while as you have lost your way. Perhaps due to shooting too many deer. So my reply is no, not too soft, just a good ethical sensitive hunter. Long may you continue.

When it does go wrong, and if you shoot enough it will, you will no doubt be devastated (I have been in that dark place). That very fact sets you apart. Some hunters feel no guilt, and no remorse. I wouldn't choose them as friends.

Congratulations again on your success.

Mark
well said sir
 
I killed a doe late last season and she had a fawn. The fawn was further back when I shot her but once she hit the ground her fawn came running to her side. The fawn stayed within 30 yards the entire time I field dressed the deer. As I dragged her out of the woods the fawn continued to stay close by until I came out to the field where my vehicle was parked. It was very sad but the fawn will survive and it is part of life. The smile on my little boy's face as he enjoys tender venison makes it all worth it. I take extra caution now shooting does, cause I would rather not go through that experience again.
 
I love deer and see as many as 40 a day. I never get tired of seeing them. I appreciate their beauty right until I decide to kill it, then it's all business. I don't feel any emotion at all when I pull the trigger. Too busy concentrating on killing the deer. After the shot, I still don't feel too much until it's hanging, ready to butcher: then it's just the relief one gets when long chore it completed. Later I'll tell people how pretty it was and how good it tastes -and recount the hunt often as I'm allowed- but other than post-hunt pride, I really don't get emotional about putting meat in the freezer.~Muir
 
I have similar emotions to yourself.

  • Excitement when you see the deer.

  • Trying to kerb the excitement when taking aim.

  • Happy when the animal reacts well to the shot

  • Remorse that you have shot a beautiful creature.

  • Happy when you find the deer, unless dropped on the spot.

  • Tired dragging out or carrying the deer back to the car.

  • Happy again when eating the fruits of the labour with the family.

  • Happy again when recounting the experience in my head or discussing with a friend.
As muntjac are the most plentiful deer on my most local ground, when shooting does there is always a nagging doubt if she has any dependants especially in low light or bad visibility.

As anyone that regularly shoots muntjac will have to admit, in the half light can anyone honestly say they know the animal was heavily pregnant or immature??

I was out this morning and saw 3 muntjac does, did not even consider putting the rifle to my shoulder as one of them had small dependant in tow. The other 2 looked rather thin suggesting they had not long dropped, they may have potentially been the same deer seen twice.

Cheers

Ross
 
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