Comments on: Moose Hunt – Day 2 – Saturday at Camp and a difficult kill (NOT graphic)

By: Who’s chicken now? « Well Preserved

Who’s chicken now? « Well Preserved — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:08:41 +0000

[...] do struggle with cleaning birds (more on that with NO gore here) from time to time. The smaller the animal, the tougher for me. Shrimp are the toughest – [...]

By: Joel

Joel — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:12:25 +0000

Paul, thanks for the comment and I can’t agree more with you – including the last sentiment! I grew up and around hunting – it’s something O’ve known my entire life and yet it’s the toughest topic I’ve had to write about.

These topics are easily discussed amongst hunters where there is little fear of offending others or receiving feedback that we may be less comfortable with.

I have found writing about it to be very interesting in that it further challenges me to think about such things that I’ve long accepted.

By: kiwiswiss

kiwiswiss — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:03:53 +0000

Hi Joel,
I think that by now, most everyone who visits knows what to expect with regard to your hunting posts. I appreciate the lack of graphic detail in your video, even though I am a hunter, and clean animals and birds regularly. I believe that if you don’t respect the animal, you will make a poor hunter. Respect for the environment, and all the creatures that dwell in the wild (game animal or not), is essential. Lack of respect damages the animals and their environment, and our reputation as hunters and firearms owners/users.
I still get queasy sometimes cleaning an animal, and the smaller it is, the more likely that is to happen. We eat a lot of rabbit. Skinning and gutting a rabbit, though quick, is more personally difficult than doing the same to a deer. I think this is for the same reasons as you state. Each one feeds two of us twice. (We don’t eat huge portions of meat.) A deer on the other hand, is a large undertaking to clean, and becomes clinical after a while, it also supplies us with meat for a long time.
This was harder to write than a 1000 word post!
Take care,

Paul

By: Joel

Joel — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:41:32 +0000

Al I think leaving that comment is a good thing – again a tough thing to do and when understood in context, it’s important to pass these techniques and knowledge.

I may shoot a video of such a thing – but not yet… As you sensitively approached it, it’s a difficult topic and one that we are exploring cautiously. I was very curious as to posting about hunting – what would it mean, would we lose people, break into debate etc…

Reading comments such as yours and that of Tigress (no disrespect Jen – and in fairness this was before the hands free law…laugh)… well let’s just say it’s comforting to read comments from y’all, even when we have different views of a charged subject.

Smiles and cheers to Al, Tigress (you too Jen!) and the rest for welcoming the posts and considering them with an open mind!

Joel

By: Al (Torontovore)

Al (Torontovore) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:23:55 +0000

I completely agree with your feelings about the hunting harvest. It’s emotionally difficult.

The technique I was taught for field cleaning a grouse was very quick and simple. I hope no one gets upset by this description and you may delete this if too graphic. Lay the bird on its back. Spread the wings and stand on them as close to the body as possible. Grab a leg in each hand and pull. Done.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:12:54 +0000

hmm.. i don’t know about this driving and filiming yourself thing… Nice beard BTW.

By: tigress

tigress — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:31:06 +0000

your honesty and willingness to let us in to [what seems like] the complicated emotions you feel when hunting is heartwarming.

BTW – very cool to hear your canadian accent – i always forget to add that when i’m reading.