Why do we shoot?

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young Ed

Veteran
right hoe, after the 'eat lead, punk!' thread got rather derailed and heated here is a thread for just that. discussing why we shooters shoot live animals, weather it's right or wrong and your opinions on it

i don't mind if this thread becomes heated in any way shape or form

so reasons i shoot:
pest control- genuine reason not a made up excuse
tasty- i eat most things i shoot
i enjoy the sport and social aspect as well as the actual hunting part of pheasant shoots, these are organised proper shoots were pheasant chicks have been bought in and raised to be shot during the season. i don't actually shoot on these mainly due to a lack of funds (it's not cheap!) so i simply go along through the woods and game cover beating about getting the birds to fly up to where the guns can then do their part
and yes i do enjoy looking down the telescopic scope lining the cross hairs up and finishing the bunnie, squirrel etc off. it feels like an achievement and feels good to know one more of an animal i hate in it's live form is gone

do i ever feel regret, sadness or anything else like that when i shoot said animals? no. and if this makes me a soul-less, heartless bastard then so be it i won't stop shooting just because of this!
Cheers Ed
 
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OP
young Ed

young Ed

Veteran
I don't shoot.
oh sorry i didn't make it clear, why do those of us that shoot shoot. does that clear things up? :tongue:
firmly tongue in cheek for this comment
Cheers Ed
 

stephec

Legendary Member
Location
Bolton
I used to shoot pool when I went to the pub.
 

mrandmrspoves

Middle aged bald git.
Location
Narfuk
Never understood it or wanted to do it.
I really cannot understand why people spend small fortunes to be allowed to blast a few pheasants out of the sky. I prefer chicken anyway and I have never found lead shot in one yet.
I am glad that some people do like shooting as if it were not for the fools and their money we would lose all the grouse moors and our countryside would be badly affected.
 

gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
I used to shoot anything and everything as a teenager with an air rifle.
Two occasions put me off forever .
First, shot a rabbit, it loped off injured and I wondered how long it'd take to die...I felt guilty at making it suffer.
Second, shot a small bird, killed it outright. I picked it up and for the first time thought...what was the point of that ?.
I don't think ive intentionally killed anything since, now some 40 years later.

That said, I was a regular to Cyprus and used to eat with them regularly. One day, barbequed songbirds were dished up, freshly shot in the Troodos mountains, didnt bother me one bit. Taste ?...not all that, but they weren't pointlessly killed, its local custom, theyve probably done it since time began...would I do it ?...no, would i go out of my way to eat them...no...I'm pretty neutral about it.
 

Dave the Smeghead

Über Member
IMO shooting to eat is fine. Anyone that eats meat and then says killing for food is wrong is a hypocrite.

Can't stand the "big game hunters" - thats just cruel.

Have done 12 bore clay shooting and lots of other shooting in army. Recently despatched some rats that were living in the garden. Next door put poison down - awful for the rat that ate it; took some time to die and bleeding from the eyes etc. Not a good way to die. The ones I shot died while eating from the bird feeder and were dead before they hit the floor. Much more humane in my opinion.
 
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