Rituals and offerings

[Stalker62]

It particularly sickened me to see ducks being walked off their pond only to be shot at as they repeatedly tried to circle back in. Then at the end of the day, the birds were piled haphazardly to be counted while the majority of the guns started on the booze in the gun hut.

This resonates.

I Beat on a smart shoot.

I do not like (and never have) the duck drives. The shoot is guests only. They 'double gun" and have a full day. At the end of a good days shooting, they still want to 'have a go at the Ducks'.

The dates for this season's days has been posted out. I will not be going on any days that include the ducks. I suspect that my days as a Beater on this shoot may be numbered.

 

[bfltd0]

I used to do the same in my last syndicate. Finally though, I was so disgusted by finding so many birds ruined by having been obviously shot at short range that I gave up altogether. It particularly sickened me to see ducks being walked off their pond only to be shot at as they repeatedly tried to circle back in. Then at the end of the day, the birds were piled haphazardly to be counted while the majority of the guns started on the booze in the gun hut. That's when I decided it was no longer something I wanted to be a part of. It saddened me more than a little, as I loved it.

Sounds like you did the right thing.

We name and shame the shooters who take close shots and ruin the bird.

 

[Mungo]

I make the traditional blood offering to the Great God Midge (well, to his myriad earthly incarnations).

 

[Heym SR20]

Regardless of whether I have been on a culling operation, or as I know do, really just stalk and shoot for pleasure, I have always taken a moment or three to pay my respects for a life taken. It's a bit like being grateful for the food on your plate. It's not deep seated religion, but just that I have taken an animals life, for the benefit of others, including myself. A fox, is doing what a fox does. It is supremely efficient predator that just happens to compete with man, so we kill them so they don't compete with us for our food, and I have huge respect for what he is.

I rather do share Woodsmokes sentiments above, and I pretty much will only shoot truly wild birds these days. And I will only shoot geese on the foreshore.

In the UK, I really do think we as a species have lost the connection with nature and how we need to work with nature to survive. I know it is hard to believe but the food in the supermarkets comes from plants and animals whose lives are destroyed so that we can live. So with that loaf of bread a couple of square metres of wheat has to be harvested, or for my lunch today I ate one lettuce, three radishes, four carrots and several sweet cured herrings - all of which died before they arrived on my plate. With Vegans, you have to harvest many many living things on a daily basis to keep yourself alive, whereas us hunters - well one Roe Buck will keep you going for quite a long time.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Surely respect is about joining BASC, following seasons, about selecting the right beast, about preventing orphaning, about a clean kill, about a competent gralloch, and about the meals the animal subsequently provides.

Blowing a horn and sticking a spruce twig in the mouth of a beast you've just shot up the @rse doesn't make you respectful...

A copper-plated response but for the one omission I’ve helpfully corrected.

K

 

[Dalua]

A copper-plated response but for the one omission I’ve helpfully corrected.

K

Surely to know what respect is, and to be able to give it, one must retain at least a shred of self-respect. I'm not sure that the additional condition, therefore, is particularly helpful?

Declaration of interest: I am a member of BASC.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Interesting post.
This year for the first time, after each stalking in, I spent far more time than I should have just watching bucks through the telescopic sight, drinking in the moment and appreciating just how majestic our roe actually are. I shot 4 bucks this time on our regular trip to Perthshire and they were all splendid creatures, not trophies, just absolutely goddamned splendid. My ”ritual” was the usual stroking of the neck and enjoying the moment. However the last one I shot on our last day moved me more than I anticipated, indeed I was unable to speak for perhaps 15 minutes, probably because now in my seventieth year I wonder how much longer I can do this, not just the physical effort but actually squeezing the trigger on these glorious creatures. I was particularly pleased because Mrs FB sensed my reaction and a gentle squeeze saw me through. Some of you may not understand this or perhaps even scorn my perspective but trust me, in time, I hope that you too will experience what I just went through. You will be a better person for it. I consider myself totally blessed.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Surely to know what respect is, and to be able to give it, one must retain at least a shred of self-respect. I'm not sure that the additional condition, therefore, is particularly helpful?

Declaration of interest: I am a member of BASC.

In all seriousness I fear all-too-many deer hunters are content to assign respect for that with which they engage to a car sticker or funky cartridge name.

I could of course be wrong and without entering into a lengthy debate about the importance of hunting as just one key element of a “soul life” and with, of course, appropriate rifle scope mounts it’s best I don’t.

K

 

[gixer1]

I have adopted the time honoured tradition passed onto me by a gamekeeper friend…,with roe bucks, cut the nuts off, throw them over your shoulder while saying “you’ll no be needin’ these”…..

regards,
Gixer

 

[gixer1]

I will say I always struggled a bit with duck drives….I genuinely love watching ducks and when you have helped walk them onto the pond for the first time when rearing and fed them it makes it even worse as I feel ducks have such character. I always said though that flighting socks was some of the best sport but duck drives…not so nice in my opinion however I understand why shoots like them as ducks are much hardier and are usually the fall back plan if needed.

regards,
Gixer

 

[Matt Roberts]

Without wanting to sound sanctimonious I reckon performing a nice clean gralloch and leavening the ground as tidy as possible afterwards is the best way to show your respect.

 

[User00025]

I have always stopped for a minute or two and considered taking the animals life. It used to be a time for a pipe of baccy when I smoked and often I have said sorry.
I have also cursed the animals when I've shot four or five Fallow does and realised it's a half mile uphill drag on plough to get to the nearest vehicle access.

 

[T.eddie]

Interesting, I come from a non hunting back ground and the respect for quarry is something I've developed over time more and more. Some of my early 'mentors' were not particularly respectful of the 'vermin' and 'pests' they took and I'm afraid this rubbed off on me as a teenager. The opportunities we get to show respect for the animals we eat are few and far between in the modern world, hunting is maybe a time to do that?

Got to admit I don't come from a shooting background but since shooting I tend to find those that have been shooting all their life seem to evaluate or contemplate about what has just transpired a lot less than us newbies (aware this is a broad generalisation and understand this isn't everybody)

 

[User00047]

I’ve never understood people apologising to a dead animal.
If you want to be respectful, it is best done while the animal is still alive.
Once an animal is dead it doesn’t care what you do with it…no amount of apologising, saying prayers, stroking its neck, or tastefully laying it out on the ground in a decorative display, will make any difference to the dead animal, because it’s already dead.
We only do these things for ourselves.

 

[Stalker62]

I tend to find those that have been shooting all their life seem to evaluate or contemplate about what has just transpired a lot less than us newbies (aware this is a broad generalisation and understand this isn't everybody)

I think I know what you are trying to say.

"Seem to evaluate or contemplate"?

Really?

That a man/woman, has just taken the life of a sentient being for the 1,000th time; over the man/woman who has just taken the life of their first sentient being, "..seems to evaluate or contemplate...less".

I hope this is not the case. When I stop "evaluating or contemplating" then I stop.

That folk do not overtly display "emotion" does not mean that they do not feel it. I hope this is true.

 

[Stalker62]

I’ve never understood people apologising to a dead animal.
If you want to be respectful, it is best done while the animal is still alive.

The two points (issues) you raise, are not (nor should be) mutually exclusive.

 

[User00047]

The two points (issues) you raise, are not (nor should be) mutually exclusive.

Of course. You can be respectful before the animal is killed and respectful afterward, but the only animal which actually benefits from any respect is the one which is still alive. (ie. the Hunter, not the prey)

 

[T.eddie]

I think I know what you are trying to say.

"Seem to evaluate or contemplate"?

Really?

That a man/woman, has just taken the life of a sentient being for the 1,000th time; over the man/woman who has just taken the life of their first sentient being, "..seems to evaluate or contemplate...less".

I hope this is not the case. When I stop "evaluating or contemplating" then I stop.

That folk do not overtly display "emotion" does not mean that they do not feel it. I hope this is true.

It could very well be the case that they will are, although some of the language used by some works probably indicate differently but I also hope I'm wrong

 

[WellieP]

Interesting post.
This year for the first time, after each stalking in, I spent far more time than I should have just watching bucks through the telescopic sight, drinking in the moment and appreciating just how majestic our roe actually are. I shot 4 bucks this time on our regular trip to Perthshire and they were all splendid creatures, not trophies, just absolutely goddamned splendid. My ”ritual” was the usual stroking of the neck and enjoying the moment. However the last one I shot on our last day moved me more than I anticipated, indeed I was unable to speak for perhaps 15 minutes, probably because now in my seventieth year I wonder how much longer I can do this, not just the physical effort but actually squeezing the trigger on these glorious creatures. I was particularly pleased because Mrs FB sensed my reaction and a gentle squeeze saw me through. Some of you may not understand this or perhaps even scorn my perspective but trust me, in time, I hope that you too will experience what I just went through. You will be a better person for it. I consider myself totally blessed.

I'm only a couple of years in and I can already see a day when I might stop being the one who pulls the trigger, not for a long time yet mind. Deer stalking was such an out of reach thing for me for so many years, it seemed like a big goal to have after only shooting small game with air guns. Now I've done it, I love it and I'm determined to keep learning and going as often as I can, but I can also see myself coming out the other side of it (which surprises me). I used to hate catch a release fishing, but now I almost never kill a fish.

I do recognise that it's an enormous privilege to have the choice to kill or not kill deer, fish, small game etc, and someone has to do it if I don't.

 

[AndrewS]

It all rather depends on whether it is a nice and tidy bang flop or whether I have to go scrabbling around in/under a bramble patch to extract the deer after it has inconsiderately decided to inconvenience me by legging it after being shot!

Joking aside, they deserve to be treated with respect but I don't have any specific ritual. Probably the only ritual I do have is to light a cigarette after reloading as a friend told me to always wait, watch and listen for at least the time it takes to smoke a cigarette before approaching the deer (or at least that's my excuse!).

Have you been stalking with Des Green? I'm sure he told me that ages ago, good advice.