Rituals and offerings

[WellieP]

Morning all,

I've seen the 'blooding' of new hunters in Scotland and the placing of foliage in the mouth of shot game on the continent. But wondered if people had their own little offerings or rituals for after they've shot an animal.

Sometimes I'm not really affected at all after shooting something, other times for whatever reason I feel a bit like I'm supposed to do more to mark the moment (whether just to ease my guilt or not, I'm not sure).

 

[CarlW]

Does it count as a ritual to walk back to the car, head down, muttering to oneself about needing to get the dog?

 

[Fabnosh]

I always give a few gentle strokes to the neck of the deer. Probably as much about respect as generally calming things down before before cleaning the animal. I hadn't consciously thought about it until now.

FN

 

[Woodsmoke]

I confess to saying a quiet thank you in my head when I do the eye reflex check. And if I'm unsuccessful, I always tip the brim of my hat to the deer in general before I turn my back to leave

 

[Klenchblaize]

I confess to saying a quiet thank you when the beast stays down after a neck shot and a much louder one when I realise the fallow is only 30 down-hill yards for the vehicle.

K

 

[User00040]

Always cut the throat and pierce the Atlas joint from behind, I don't like surprises.

 

[Stalker62]

Another one for stroking the neck of the beast; accompanied (always) with an apology.



Edit.

May have to amend that "stroking the neck" in August; if those Goats are as stinky as everyone is telling me...

 

[WellieP]

Another one for stroking the neck of the beast; accompanied (always) with an apology.



Edit.

May have to amend that "stroking the neck" in August; if those Goats are as stinky as everyone is telling me...

Goats are so stinky even their milk smells wrong!

 

[timbrayford]

Its a great shame that we don't share many of the rituals that they have on the continent, not just with hoofed game but birds as well. Many years ago I used to be on a rough shoot where the bag was respectfully laid out at the end of the day, however on various driven shoots that I have been on more recently even this seems to be passing by the wayside. Apart from a cursory check that the bag is sufficiently large to have performed the contractual obligations fewer participants appear to show much interest in what has been shot with all too many people now making an end of day dash to their next activity instead.

 

[WellieP]

Its a great shame that we don't share many of the rituals that they have on the continent, not just with hoofed game but birds as well. Many years ago I used to be on a rough shoot where the bag was respectfully laid out at the end of the day, however on various driven shoots that I have been on more recently even this seems to be passing by the wayside. Apart from a cursory check that the bag is sufficiently large to have performed the contractual obligations fewer participants appear to show much interest in what has been shot with all too many people now making an end of day dash to their next activity instead.

It's interesting that there are so many examples of these rituals worldwide, we could even count halal practices or saying grace at dinner I suppose.

I wonder why they die out at times.

I also wonder whether commercial stalkers/hunters view these behaviours differently and as romanticism.

I'm not usually superstitious, but I've come back empty handed from the last four outings, but seen completely white ('spirit deer'), a Sika stag and a white Red hind on two of the outings. A bit wu wu, but it feels significant

 

[Woodsmoke]

Goats are so stinky even their milk smells wrong!

Only if they run with a billy. We keep goats for their milk and I can honestly say I've never tasted better, despite having a lifelong aversion to that 'goaty' smell

 

[Woodsmoke]

Many years ago I used to be on a rough shoot where the bag was respectfully laid out at the end of the day,

This is something I've always done as a matter of course, even if no-one else on the shoot could be bothered to. I no longer shoot pheasants or duck as a direct result of seeing so much waste and disrespectful behaviour from various guns. I remember one particular syndicate day was so distasteful to me I walked off halfway through a shoot.

 

[TomDeer]

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!).

 

[StephenToast]

I don't have any specific ritual other than test for reflex, stick to bleed them as quickly as possible gralloch it.

 

[S&L7x57]

A couple of observations: I don't have something I do after the shot but then I am always guided and all the guides I have been with have tended to the 'professional' and would rather crack on with their job rather than pay homage to the beast. Perhaps this 'rising above it' is not such a good idea when stalking with a novice.
If I was in the position to stalk on my own, I would very much like to spend a little time in reflection on what has just taken place (light, access etc allowing). I used to love the silence when waiting for flighting duck or pigeons and found the time passed delightfully before I had to pack up in the gloaming, regardless of success or otherwise. Likewise, to spend some time quietly with the animal I have just snuffed out would be a joy.
As to the vanishing respect for shot game of all types, I suspect it is due to many new recruits coming from non-shooting backgrounds and not inoculated with respect for their quarry by the back of their mentor's hand!
In my youth I learned most of what I knew from my parents and their older friends, very little from my contemporaries until much later in life. Lessons learnt at a tender age have not been forgotten (I hope!).
Traditional hunting practices must seem archaic, often weird or simply embarrassing to the average person from a non-field sports background. I think they should be more commonplace in this country.

 

[WellieP]

A couple of observations: I don't have something I do after the shot but then I am always guided and all the guides I have been with have tended to the 'professional' and would rather crack on with their job rather than pay homage to the beast. Perhaps this 'rising above it' is not such a good idea when stalking with a novice.
If I was in the position to stalk on my own, I would very much like to spend a little time in reflection on what has just taken place (light, access etc allowing). I used to love the silence when waiting for flighting duck or pigeons and found the time passed delightfully before I had to pack up in the gloaming, regardless of success or otherwise. Likewise, to spend some time quietly with the animal I have just snuffed out would be a joy.
As to the vanishing respect for shot game of all types, I suspect it is due to many new recruits coming from non-shooting backgrounds and not inoculated with respect for their quarry by the back of their mentor's hand!
In my youth I learned most of what I knew from my parents and their older friends, very little from my contemporaries until much later in life. Lessons learnt at a tender age have not been forgotten (I hope!).
Traditional hunting practices must seem archaic, often weird or simply embarrassing to the average person from a non-field sports background. I think they should be more commonplace in this country.

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?

 

[CarlW]

I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable with the conflation of 'ritual' and 'respect'. If people want to perform a ritual after killing an animal, that's up to them; however, it doesn't equate to respect.

Surely respect is about 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...

 

[bfltd0]

Many years ago I used to be on a rough shoot where the bag was respectfully laid out at the end of the day, however on various driven shoots that I have been on more recently even this seems to be passing by the wayside.

Our syndicate members and guests on a small but perfectly formed pheasant shoot always wait for the day's bag to be laid out. After a few words from the Chairman, the guests choose their brace and then the members choose theirs.

If someone doesn't want theirs, they just don't take any, but we make sure all the birds are taken away for consumption. I am more than happy to hoover up any that are not being claimed..............

 

[Woodsmoke]

I am more than happy to hoover up any that are not being claimed..............

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.

 

[StephenToast]

I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable with the conflation of 'ritual' and 'respect'. If people want to perform a ritual after killing an animal, that's up to them; however, it doesn't equate to respect.

Surely respect is about 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...

****in' A