I'd like to understand...without getting ridiculed.

ThomasCobb123

Senior Member
I am a gun carrying person, I know the laws concerning use of deadly force against a person here in Georgia and I will blast a thug committing a forcible felony in a heartbeat. More of them should be shot dead instead of molly-coddled in "the system", in my opinion.
Now having said all that, you will know I'm not one of those gun control nuts or PETA members.
Here we go.
What is the fun in shooting down a bear if it isn't violent or killing people?
I didn't even know the animals were edible.
Not looking for trouble or arguments. I'm a very old man who has never had someone explain bear hunting urges to me.
At outdoor shows, when I've mentioned this, the men in the display booths get mad and want to beat me up.
I'm all ears. Thank you.
 

bilgerat

Senior
all animals are edible, some taste better than others. Bear meat is really good when prepared correctly. One of the best things Ive ever tasted was fresh bear heart fried with onions and peppers while in Camp last fall in Ontario
 

1eyefishing

...just joking, seriously.
Why the focus on bears? Deers, turkeys, alligators, Dove, quail, etc are not violent or killing people when they are 'shot down'.

You sound to me like you do not know the origins or pleasures of hunting.
Don't take that as ridicule, just my first thoughts.
 

JustUs4All

Slow Mod
Staff member
My first thoughts as well. Shooting down a bear is no different from shooting down a deer. It all depends on one's choice of quarry. I have never shot down a turkey but I understand that lots of folks like to do that. Not as many people have as much opportunity at bear than they do at deer, turkey, doves, etc.
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
My first thought was.. well, those deer sure aren't damaging property or trying to eat somebody... then I thought, wonder how he feels about doves and quail.

I guess it is something you just have to understand on your own.
 
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Bowhunter77

Member
Different people eat different things, to each thier own I guess. I’ve travelled the world and seen some strange things get eaten by people.
Myself I look at things as known and unknown. The Knowns are how wild animals are raised( by mothers) what they eat( most times all natural ) and any signs of disease before killed and if I washed my hands and cared for animal before consumption ,
The unknowns are where supermarket pig/cow/chicken was born and raised , what it ate, who touched it and cared for meat after kill. Look at stories in the news I’ve yet to see a wild bear or deer disease kill 30 and make hundreds sick. I can however on a daily basis find you a recall on lots of products that were sold and “ inspected” that do just that.
Only in the last little bit of human existence did we live this “civilized” way, before that we were always in the predator prey relationship of the chain. That’s how I view things, others may disagree but to each thier own life and how to live it.
 

ThomasCobb123

Senior Member
Why the focus on bears? Deers, turkeys, alligators, Dove, quail, etc are not violent or killing people when they are 'shot down'.
You sound to me like you do not know the origins or pleasures of hunting.
Don't take that as ridicule, just my first thoughts.
You make good sense with all that.
I really don't know a lot about the pleasures of hunting. I hunted squirrels as a kid because my dad was from the country and would clean them and cook them for us to eat. Actually I thought a hamburger tasted better, though.
And I hunted crows because they were ruining an old farmer's crops and we got food from his fields.
I guess I've become sentimental about wild animals...I just can't see myself pulling the trigger on one. (unless it was a HUMAN animal...a criminal).
One of my best friends has an annual dove shoot on his farm and I politely decline to participate. I just think they're too pretty to shoot.
Deer hunting bothers me too....and I know the biology of keeping the herds controlled. I also believe the "powers that be" know the biology and don't allow people to go crazy in killing them. Therein, good game laws.
But with a bear?????? It's just a big old lumbering creature out there in the woods bothering nobody.
I guess I sound like a "sissy britches".....a patchwork quilt of contradictions maybe. But I shed a tear when I see one shot down. Yet, I will jump for joy at the sight of a bleeding and dying rapist when the victim has used her firearm to send him straight to the infernal regions.
Beats me why I feel as I do.....live and let live comes to mind.
Thank you.
Cobb
 

Joe Brandon

Senior Member
You know what sir that is actually a really good question that I have often thought about myself even as I pursue bear. I canno9t fully describe what drives my urge to hunt bear. All I can say is that it has something to do with filling my freezer and possibly getting a shot at North Georgia's apex predator. That being said I love bear and enjoy seeing them in the wild the few times I have. I cannot fully explain it either. I have not taken my first bear yet but I missed one with a bow two years ago and hope to harvest one this year. I will let you know how I feel after I harvest one as I am not even sure how I will feel.
 

Joe Brandon

Senior Member
You make good sense with all that.
I really don't know a lot about the pleasures of hunting. I hunted squirrels as a kid because my dad was from the country and would clean them and cook them for us to eat. Actually I thought a hamburger tasted better, though.
And I hunted crows because they were ruining an old farmer's crops and we got food from his fields.
I guess I've become sentimental about wild animals...I just can't see myself pulling the trigger on one. (unless it was a HUMAN animal...a criminal).
One of my best friends has an annual dove shoot on his farm and I politely decline to participate. I just think they're too pretty to shoot.
Deer hunting bothers me too....and I know the biology of keeping the herds controlled. I also believe the "powers that be" know the biology and don't allow people to go crazy in killing them. Therein, good game laws.
But with a bear?????? It's just a big old lumbering creature out there in the woods bothering nobody.
I guess I sound like a "sissy britches".....a patchwork quilt of contradictions maybe. But I shed a tear when I see one shot down. Yet, I will jump for joy at the sight of a bleeding and dying rapist when the victim has used her firearm to send him straight to the infernal regions.
Beats me why I feel as I do.....live and let live comes to mind.
Thank you.
Cobb
With that said do know this is a hunting forum so you may want to join a bird watchers forum or something seriously .
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
You make good sense with all that.
I really don't know a lot about the pleasures of hunting. I hunted squirrels as a kid because my dad was from the country and would clean them and cook them for us to eat. Actually I thought a hamburger tasted better, though.
And I hunted crows because they were ruining an old farmer's crops and we got food from his fields.
I guess I've become sentimental about wild animals...I just can't see myself pulling the trigger on one. (unless it was a HUMAN animal...a criminal).
One of my best friends has an annual dove shoot on his farm and I politely decline to participate. I just think they're too pretty to shoot.
Deer hunting bothers me too....and I know the biology of keeping the herds controlled. I also believe the "powers that be" know the biology and don't allow people to go crazy in killing them. Therein, good game laws.
But with a bear?????? It's just a big old lumbering creature out there in the woods bothering nobody.
I guess I sound like a "sissy britches".....a patchwork quilt of contradictions maybe. But I shed a tear when I see one shot down. Yet, I will jump for joy at the sight of a bleeding and dying rapist when the victim has used her firearm to send him straight to the infernal regions.
Beats me why I feel as I do.....live and let live comes to mind.
Thank you.
Cobb


so you have no problems with animals actually dying so you can eat (hamburgers), but you just don't want to witness the trail of events that bring them to your table??? You feel sorry for an animal that dies, but only if you see it?

Yeah. That sounds a bit 'sissy britches' to me. Now I don't just have a feeling of complete joy when I shoot a deer, but I ain't gonna cry over it either. I respect the loss of life that makes me able to feed my family. It is a somber moment where I am grateful that I was able to harvest the deer, that God allows us that freedom and spending time with my son while we hunted it.
 

ThomasCobb123

Senior Member
With that said do know this is a hunting forum so you may want to join a bird watchers forum or something seriously .
I guess you're right about that.
I was merely curious about it all.
I will go now from this hunting thing and not annoy you any longer.
Regards,
Cobb
 

ThomasCobb123

Senior Member
so you have no problems with animals actually dying so you can eat (hamburgers), but you just don't want to witness the trail of events that bring them to your table??? You feel sorry for an animal that dies, but only if you see it?
Yeah. That sounds a bit 'sissy britches' to me. Now I don't just have a feeling of complete joy when I shoot a deer, but I ain't gonna cry over it either. I respect the loss of life that makes me able to feed my family. It is a somber moment where I am grateful that I was able to harvest the deer, that God allows us that freedom and spending time with my son while we hunted it.
Animals that are bred and raised for slaughter is an entirely different issue, as you very well know. I was referring to wild life only....as you very well know also.
I shed no tears over the fish I catch and clean either. But I make sure I'm not a 'fish hog' and load the boat when it's not necessary so I can show off my picture in a magazine somewhere.
Again....live and let live comes to mind. Not dealing in absolutes does also.
 

Lilly001

Senior Member
I guess you're right about that.
I was merely curious about it all.
I will go now from this hunting thing and not annoy you any longer.
Regards,
Cobb
So you only are on this forum to be a liberal voice on the political forum?
I guess that's ok, 1st admendment consideration and all.
But wouldn't you feel more accepted on a forum more aligned to Your own feelings?
Or is the conflict that which drives you?
Just curious.
 

Lilly001

Senior Member
To the question posted,
Since you don't even know the food value of bear I don't find it surprising that you don't understand hunting them.
They are an apex predator with many survival instincts that challenges the hunter. They make real cool rugs, and they can be good table fair.
And a whole bunch of other Hunter personal reasons.
 

whitetailfreak

Senior Member
Bear meat is delicious and I enjoy huntin' em.
My dad is a bear hunter.
My grandfather was a bear hunter.
My great-grandfather was a bear hunter .
My great great grandfather was a bear hunter.

Honestly that sums it up for me._20180811_110707.JPG_20180811_110809.JPG_20180811_110740.JPG_20180811_110830.JPG
 
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chrislibby88

Senior Member
You make good sense with all that.
I really don't know a lot about the pleasures of hunting. I hunted squirrels as a kid because my dad was from the country and would clean them and cook them for us to eat. Actually I thought a hamburger tasted better, though.
And I hunted crows because they were ruining an old farmer's crops and we got food from his fields.
I guess I've become sentimental about wild animals...I just can't see myself pulling the trigger on one. (unless it was a HUMAN animal...a criminal).
One of my best friends has an annual dove shoot on his farm and I politely decline to participate. I just think they're too pretty to shoot.
Deer hunting bothers me too....and I know the biology of keeping the herds controlled. I also believe the "powers that be" know the biology and don't allow people to go crazy in killing them. Therein, good game laws.
But with a bear?????? It's just a big old lumbering creature out there in the woods bothering nobody.
I guess I sound like a "sissy britches".....a patchwork quilt of contradictions maybe. But I shed a tear when I see one shot down. Yet, I will jump for joy at the sight of a bleeding and dying rapist when the victim has used her firearm to send him straight to the infernal regions.
Beats me why I feel as I do.....live and let live comes to mind.
Thank you.
Cobb
I think media and cartoons and the personification of bears like the whole “teddy bear” or “Smokey the Bear” imagery has given a lot of folks a hue misconception about bears and wild animals as a whole. That, and they look and act like dogs. Don’t forget these things are predators. Sure they eat a lot of vegetation, but every spring the bears are out in force looking for fawns.

On the subject of not bothering people, do a little research into bear-human interactions in North GA, where the population is very healthy. A lot of them are getting way too comfortable with human contact and feed on trash, gardens, and probably family pets too.

I’ve never eaten bear, but I sure want to, and I make a trip to a northern WMA during deer/bear season every year with hopes at an opportunity while deer hunting. I have heard far too many people say how delicious it is to pass up on trying some bear meat.
 

Hooty Hoot

Gone but not forgotten
I spent my youth shooting anything and everything that I could. Many times, just to get a good look at it. I no longer do that. If I don't have a legitimate reason or use for a critter, I will not take its life. I have hunted and fished all my life but do not understand why anyone would kill an animal just to say they did. I have no interest in bear hunting but have eaten bear a number of times. It is pretty good if cooked correctly. I realize that others see things differently but can't grasp why anyone would want to kill a giraffe or an elephant. What do you do with it after it is dead?
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
Animals that are bred and raised for slaughter is an entirely different issue, as you very well know. I was referring to wild life only....as you very well know also.
I shed no tears over the fish I catch and clean either. But I make sure I'm not a 'fish hog' and load the boat when it's not necessary so I can show off my picture in a magazine somewhere.
Again....live and let live comes to mind. Not dealing in absolutes does also.

the only difference is in your mind. One is condemned from birth to be killed and eaten after a lifetime of captivity. The other runs free, does as it pleases and may someday be slaughtered for food.

And you feel sorry for the one that actually had freedom. Weird.

Why do you think that the slaughter animal is any less living, or its life is less valuable than the wildlife? The facts are that they all die to put meat on our tables. You are just attached to the idea of a bear being killed. Probably because of some cartoon, movie, book or that you were exposed to in the past.
 
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