How many people here are efficient at killing animals?

Originally posted by SantaClaus
reply to post by LeTan

 

They are the same as any other animal.

They are loved, and that's why they'll die a slow, painful death. They don't know how to get outside, and if they did, they would die by the elements in days.

I love my cats. I love them so much that I allow them to ruin my apartment even though I spend countless hours trying to train them. Good cats, but they are terrible pets.

In the end, do you have kids? The only thing I'd be willing to die for is my kids and my wife. Granted, I have neither yet, but I need to keep that stance to be fair.

We, sadly are the top of the food chain due to our mental capacity. We must take advantage of this, or many people would die.

If you aren't willing to take advantage of excess meat, you will probably allow either yourself or you family die faster than most... The SHTF scenario requires an efficient person to qualify. If you aren't willing, you'll probably die sooner than later.

In a post apocalyptic world I will be killing anything small furry and cuddly that comes anywhere near my retreat. The flees that infest most smaller mammals will probably be carrying all sorts of diseases, including bubonic and pneumonic plagues, their will be Weils disease ( Lepto spirosis) and hanta virus in some areas. Especially domestic cats which I consider verminous anyway. We are going to have to be very careful on what we kill, slaughter and how we handle the meat products, some deer carry diseases spread by ticks that are lethal to humans, as do many sheep. domestic cats will be an absolute liability in a retreat because their habits mean they will frequently come in contact with diseased carcasses, a farmyard cat that is semi feral will be useful to kill rats, so long as its never allowed indoors, but domestic cats will be wiped out. In fact they are arguments still raging on about the spread of the plague which is generally accepted to be initially spread by rats, but some schools of thought says cats killing the rats get infected themselves by the rats fleas and from biting infected rats. They then return home and spread their disease round the home. Just think of all the dead bodies and carrion lying around after a disaster all harbouring various diseases, and all being eaten by creatures like cats and dogs.

reply to post by SantaClaus


well I would definitely not eat the dog...he will be a great alarm/deterrant- he is 120 plus lbs, and barks very loud, you can feel it in your chest when he barks. that being said...I have hunted before, and have minimal experience in skinning and cleaning. but realistically, if we are hunting for survival, how long is said food gonna be good. will it spoil before we can use it? small game such as squirrels, you can just take the legs off, and move on...deer and such get what good meat you can, leave the rest. now if your setup to live, and hunt an area- with food storage and such, you will have to be aware of predators etc. but after you do it a few times, and know what NOT to do, so that you dont ruin the meat- like pop the bladder- it will get easier. The first time will be the hardest. IMO the best thing you can do is get a group of friends, that you can trust, and include someone who knows how- and learn.

reply to post by silo13


You bow hunt all you want.

I too have bow-hunted, and with my crossbow as well. I prefer a longbow, which appeals to my purist nature. I've also taken hogs and deer with a number of my rifles, both scoped and not, several handguns, and I just determined to figure out how to snare a hog or deer. The hog is much more difficult.

Silo, I have no idea where you hunt, how, or for what reason. I really don't care. You can hunt five continents for all I care, tell yourself you're a great sportsman, and pat yourself on the back until your arm falls off.

I wanted to learn how to snare the big stuff. That's it.

I've always gotten some of my best, most enjoyable sleep while still hunting. All my life. I'll wake up, there's the deer, I shoot it, dress and quarter it, pack it out and home all refreshed and relaxed.

What? Do you stay awake your whole hunt?

I once woke up, killed a six point, sat there a moment and spotted a two-point, killed it, and as I was about to go get my meat, an eight pointer walked out. Three shots with that .44, three deer.

That's what sleeping will do.

Now, if I will doze while fishing and still-hunting, why not snaring?

You don't seem to have a problem snaring beaver and such. Mighty selective, aren't you?

Bloodsport!

Nah. I'll tell you about bloodsport. Guides taking paying clients out on managed reserves so one can shoot "raised" animals, bird hunts where they turn loose boxes of farm-raised quail on a field of short grass, spotting from planes, driving deer with dogs, using dogs to "point" out pheasant and quail, and other similar time-honored forms of Sportsmanship.

Seems a bit one-sided to me.

I bet you use a scope.

Shame on you.

reply to post by dooper


where are you from that its legal to take 3 deer at once??
and do you have to be a resident of that state to do it?

reply to post by AKARonco

I used to live in South Carolina. You could take all you wanted. Each season, it wasn't uncommon for myself and friends to take 35-40 deer. Apiece.

I swear, at the time the season started in like, August. And ran for the next five months or so.

No limit on hogs nor a season. All you want - anytime you want.

The three in a few minutes was over a field of soybeans, and since it was so large, I had to take the first deer at 125 yards, far corner of the field.

Second walked out under me. The third was about 75 yards from the right hand perimeter.

And much to my shame, on another day, over the same field, I barked a poacher who was skulking along the far perimeter.

He turned to run so fast, he dropped his rifle, ran thirty meters or so before he realized it.

I was laughing my ass off.


[edit on 30-1-2009 by dooper]

Originally posted by tarpon68
If faced with a situation of survival, how many of you could efficiently feed your family or have experience hunting,fishing, farming etc? Do you have the skills to feed family members? Would you or have you hunted or killed animals for food?

Growing up in a house where your dad tells your new wife "don't ever name something you may have to eat" I think I got it wired. Sheep, goats, beef, rabbits, chickens, turkeys and hogs on the domestic side. I was shown early on how to put down an animal with a .22 or with a knife. Wild game, my sons first deer was at 350 yds with a .257 roberts, he was 12 (one shot, liver into the left lung took 6 steps and was down). My .280 is 8 inches low at 400 yds and 24 inches low at 500. Yes I can efficiently feed us. The problem here is keeping the yellow jackets off your meat in the summer and fall. Drying the jerky outside is hard because of the yellow jackets without a smoky fire and that may not be an option.

Let's get real. The topic is when the SHTF, not hunting humainly. Regardless, your killing something to eat it. I don't think the animal is judging you as a saint and approving either way on the way you decide to kill it. If I have to jump on it's back and rip its brain out through it's eye socket to feed my kids, I'll sure as hell try.

reply to post by Revealation


Agreed! the biggest reason I hunt and fish aside from it is my favorite way to get away and think stuff over, is my kids. Everyone in my family eats wild game weekly including my grandmother who taught me how to kill rabbits when I was 7 yrs old. Deer to us is free range beef with no hormones or less than what we buy in the store. I have eaten everything that has walked the forest or grown in the forest here in Alberta. Stinging Nettle soup was a family favorite. My kids have been taught at an early age how to kill and clean animals for the table. When they get hungry they kill grouse when in season with a 30 dollar bow from walmart.