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When do you consider small game as a nuisance?

4K views 33 replies 19 participants last post by  gdmoody 
#1 ·
I've been small game hunting around our ranch since I was a kid and always enjoyed the practice and patience that goes into it. As I grew so did my conscious (not to sound all Deep and poetic or anything) but after a couple bad experiences I am sort of in a limbo for lack of a better term. It wasn't like I just killed things for the fun of it, it was mainly the massive squirrel population and the occasional rabbit here or there.


The first bad experience happened in my second season around 12-13, I owned a high powered pellet gun which I bagged a lot of squirrel with and was perfect for close range. It was my first shot at a rabbit and looking back now I realize I didn't quite have the experience yet to make a clean 1 shot kill not to mention the pellet gun being a little underpowered for a full grown rabbit. Needless to say I learned this lesson the hard way and I'm not sure how many beginners have wounded an animal but for me it was one of the worst feelings I've felt. It took 4-5 shots at point blank to finish it off and I just remember seeing it wriggling around in agony. It actually took me a little while to get back out there and shoot again but that one left an imprint on me.


A couple years later I had just purchased a new .17 hmr and had it all sighted in. The first shot I took at a squirrel with it went low and struck its jaw. Again not a good feeling to watch it squirm in agony. It took a further two shots to put it out and It was a miracle I could considering how frantically it was jumping around dragging its head. This was the second incident.


I don't want to come off as some kind of hippy dippy person who is against hunting or anything. I would just like to know if anyone else has experienced guilt like this or had similar experience and if it affected how you hunt. Is it ever common for someone to wound an animal at some point in their hunting career? I really would like to get back out there but I'm having trouble justifying when action should be taken to protect your property.


This might sound stupid but In all seriousness when do you consider something a pest and draw the line at harmless critter to potential risk that warrants being killed? For me it was always damage or likelihood of infesting living space. If something is tearing up your yard and in our case drip lines as well, does this warrant taking lethal action even if these things, while very annoying are relatively easy fixes?


I know there are people that say you should only hunt something if you are going to eat it. I definitely agree with this to a certain point such as with larger game such as deer and elk, etc. but with small game varmint, I don't believe you should have to eat it. I mean where I live that thing ain't going to waste trust me, something is going to make a meal of it.
 
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#32 ·
The fact that you care shows you will make a good hunter and a fine person. Think of the people you have met that seem to enjoy hearing bad news about other folks. They put people down all day and would step on anyone to get ahead. These people would make bad hunters. A poor shot will happen to every hunter; that is why we practice so we can cleanly make a one shot kill. Hunting is a basic need that goes back to the beginning of mankind. To know you can survive in the wilderness, taking a hike in the woods, the feel of a fine gun in your hands. You will perfect your skills and be proud of your accomplishments. And oh yes; there are critters that are a nuisance. I raise rabbits and then turn them out to train rabbit dogs. I occasionally have to shoot predators that eat my rabbits. And then there are the armadillos. Those guys can make your yard look like a war zone. I do prefer the .17 HMR for my varmint hunting.
Casy
 
#33 ·
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