My first hunting experience...
As I mentioned in my last post, I went hunting today for the first time in my life. Here's how the day went:
We woke up at 5:45 in the a.m., got dressed, and made our way out to the hunting grounds. We sat around for a while... and didn't see any doves. I'm assuming that's because it was a bit too early for them to be out. So we waited.
And waited.
A few hours into it my brother and my cousin both shot at a dove. They winged it, but it didn't die. And if it did die, then it died elsewhere and couldn't be retrieved.
About an hour later, a dove flew over my head. I didn't see it until it was almost too late. I took aim... and missed. It turned out that by the time I fired it was out of range.
We waited around a bit longer... then decided to walk the tree line. I managed to see one perched in a tree. Instead of trying to walk a bit closer I decided to take the shot. I was far enough away (and seeing as how I hadn't ever fired a shotgun before I didn't realize that I needed to aim just slightly higher than normal) that I missed. It flew off to another tree. So I decided to walk to the tree and try to find it again. After a few minutes of staring at the tree... I decided that it must have flown off. So I threw a rock at the tree... and then the dove flew off. Yeah... it was there... I just didn't see it. Oh well.
We waited around a little while longer... then decided to shake up some hot cans of Bud Light and fired at them (from a farely close range). The cans exploded. We all laughed. And... seeing as how it was Bud Light (thus undrinkable) "wasting" it like this was not considered alcohol abuse.
At the point we decided to leave to get something to eat... then we were going to return for a few more hours. On our way of the land, we noticed 4 or 5 doves perched in a tree. Our cousin stopped his car... we loaded two of the shotguns... however, there were two other guys close enough to the tree (and I think they were already going after the birds) we couldn't shoot at them. The birds flew off... then we hear the other two guys fire a few shots... then walked back to our truck carrying 4 or 5 freshly killed doves. We chatted for a minute... then our cousin saw a dove fly into the field... so he went to try to shoot it. But... it either flew off when no one was looking... or it just hid very well... because we never saw it again.
We all get back in the truck and start to leave. Our cousin then noticed that his truck was stuck in 4 wheel drive/low... and was trying to get it out... but... seeing as how it was a Ford (Fixed Or Repaired Daily) he couldn't get it out of 4 wheel drive. So he tried driving around the field for a little longer in hopes of it un-sticking. As he was driving I told him to stop the truck. I noticed 3 doves perched in a tree. I grabbed the shotgun I'd been using... loaded it... took aim... then I realized that I forgot to put the shell in the chamber. I cocked the gun... took aim... and... realized the safety was on. I turned off the safety... took aim... the birds started to fly away... I knew it was now or never... I took the shot... and... I nailed one of the doves. But... it was stuck in the tree. The dove was either barely alive or its nerves were causing his body to twitch... but thankfully this caused it to fall out of the tree and land on the ground. My cousin picked it up and threw it in the back of the truck.
We left to get food, then hurried back to the hunting grounds.
On the way to get food... we saw about 100 doves... but we couldn't shoot at them because they weren't on "our" property. On the way back... again... we saw tons of doves. But... once we got out to actually shoot at them... the doves magicaly disappeared. So we didn't manage to get any more.
Now that we're back home... I'm not feeling all that great. My nose is running like crazy... I took some alergy medicine... that didn't work... so I just took some cold medicine... and that's helped my nose clear up. I'm hoping I feel well enough to go to church in the morning. I'll just have to be sure to get someone to break the bread for me since I'm sure I'll be using tissues all throughout the service.
Anyways... even though I was only able to shoot one dove... I still had loads of fun. I think we're going to do this again in a week or two.
posted by Nathan | 21:51
2 Comments:
I think it is pathetic that you had fun killing things.
Do you realise that there are only about 30 percent of birds left in North America as compared to less than 100 years ago?
I forget the statistics, but a great proportion of birds and animals shot are only wounded and die painful deaths, like that first one you "winged". Wounded and tortured would be a better word.
And by the way heroic hunter, if you believe in private ownership then free animals and birds and fish are not there for your killing. They belong to all of us.
I find it pathetic that people like you get upset when humans kill and eat an animal... but when an animal kills and eats another animal it's ok bacause that's their instinct. What's the difference between a cat eating a bird and me eating a bird? Oh wait... it might be that cats are designed to only eat meat and we're capable of eating both meat and plants. So... should we get mad at monkeys, bears, pigs and racoons who also eat meat and plants?
And how do you know that there are 30% of the birds left compared to 100 years ago? Did someone go and count all the birds then and now? And... even if your statistic is correct... what does that matter?
As for the wounded animals... who cares? They're animals. They die and are then eaten by ants, flies, vultures, etc... when something dies it gives life to the things that eat it.
And where did I say I believe in private ownership? Free animals don't belong to anyone. However... as soon as one of them gets in the line of fire... they then become the property of the lucky hunter that shot it.
Do me a favor and go hug a tree. Thanks.
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