I slowly pulled the trigger on the release, and watched the arrow hit exactly where I intended it to – right behind the shoulder of the lead doe.  She wheeled 180 degrees, went on a dead run for 40yds or so, stopped, and fell to the ground.  I figured death would soon follow.  But then, to my utter amazement, she stood up and tried to walk away.  For a moment I wondered about the placement of my shot, but as she fell back to the ground, I watched as death quickly overcame her; it didn’t take more than a minute.

And I was pleased, because I didn’t want her to suffer.

All of us hunters – or anyone who is a true hunter – work very hard to minimize the amount of suffering that any animal we decide to kill has to endure.  We practice hour after hour, and month after month in order to ensure that our shot placement is perfect and provides for a quick, efficient kill; a well-placed arrow or bullet brings quick death to our quarry, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

But if we’re being honest, all of us hunters have experienced and witnessed an animal suffering.  Sometimes even a well-placed shot doesn’t kill our intended quarry as quick or as efficiently as we would like.  And even though the doe in my story didn’t live more than a minute after I punched the release, watching her stand back up and try to survive was a little hard to handle.  I knew, though, that my well-placed arrow provided a much quicker death than starvation, or being torn apart by a pack of coyotes – neither of which would give a damn about how much she suffered.

And that is where the differences lie.

Many anti and non-hunters would point to the perceived suffering of the animal as a big reason they despise hunting.  But hunting is really all about minimizing the amount of suffering that any animal we encounter experiences.  And  while I can’t truthfully say that none of the animals I have killed didn’t feel any pain, I can definitely say that I did what I could do to minimize the amount of suffering they endured before providing food for my family’s table.

That is what sets us hunters apart:  Of all the predators on this Earth, we are the only ones who demonstrate compassion in pursuit of our quarry.  As we set out to provide sustenance for our table, we do whatever is necessary to ensure that the animals we pursue die as quickly and humanely as possible.

Wolves rip and tear at flesh while the animals are alive; Great Whites pursue seals, and savagely drown and eat them while they swim for their lives; A variety of big cats run down their – often young – prey, and instinctively grab their throats in order to systematically, and slowly suffocate them; and winter deals its ugly blow through starvation – a long, slow, painful death.  But hunters go against nature’s other predators, and the cruel ways that Mother Nature can deal her death blow, and do whatever we can to kill quickly and efficiently.

You will not find a Grizzly, a wolf, or any of nature’s other predators doing that.

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As we all celebrate Memorial Day 2010, may we not forget the reason for the holiday.

We at SimplyOutdoors thank those of you who have served, or are currently serving this great country of ours.  Without all of our men and women in uniform, we wouldn’t have the opportunity to celebrate.

We thank all of you from the bottom of our hearts.

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300-plus gathered at Michigan’s capital yesterday in order to demonstrate their Second Amendment rights.  As anyone who reads this blog knows, I would, under normal circumstances, walk right alongside them and support them every step of the way.  I’m an NRA member, and everyone here at SimplyOutdoors supports the right for “We the People” to own firearms……and even carry them if they so choose.

As I read an article about this gathering in the Lansing State Journal, however, I became somewhat concerned.  And as I came to part of the article where it stated “Wearing camouflage, Savino once again was packing his loaded handgun this afternoon while attending a Second Amendment March rally at the state Capitol.” I became even more concerned.  And, of course, closing out the paragraph with “Slung across his shoulder was the semi-automatic he uses to train with his militia group, Michigan Militia Corps Wolverines.” didn’t help to ease that concern whatsoever.

Now, this is America, and everyone is entitled to their opinion and way of life.  And, if you choose to do so, Michigan is an open-carry state, so, obviously, no laws are being broken.  I can deal with that.  What I’m more concerned with, however, is twofold.

First, I’m concerned that this particular article, by only covering one particular type of person at the rally – and a noted controversial one at that – is being spun to make it look as though extreme right-wingers, with guns on their sides and “semi-automatic” rifles and shotguns slung over their shoulders, are the only ones who support Second Amendment rights.  I’m concerned that they are only using an extreme example of who the pro-Second Amendment individuals are, thus painting a possibly flawed picture of who the typical pro-gun person is.

Second, even if we can, by law, openly carry in Michigan.  And even if we can openly sling a gun over our shoulder to demonstrate our right to the Second Amendment, is that the way to do so?  Is that the type of visual we want people to associate with our cause?  One day I hope to obtain my CPL, and will proudly conceal-and-carry, but I’m not sure that openly displaying a weapon or slinging a gun over one’s shoulder and walking up the capital is the visual I would like attached to all the pro-gun individuals out there.

More of this story is supposed to be covered at a later time, so hopefully that will answer the first part of my inquiry – the is-it-being-spun-a-certain-way part – but what are everyone’s thoughts on the second part?  Is that the image we want portrayed and associated with those of us who believe we have the right to bear arms, and that we have the right to protect ourselves?

Your comments are appreciated.

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“But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.”  — John Adams

Last weekend was not a great weekend for me.  As the health care bill became law, my feelings towards this country changed dramatically.  And before everyone gives me grief, I completely agree that this country needs health care reform, but forcing government-run health care on a populace who obviously doesn’t want it was just too much for me to handle.  What happened last weekend is not how I thought this country operated.  This isn’t my America.

And regardless of my feelings about health care reform, the biggest problem I have with this legislation is this:  I used to think that this was a country that allowed its citizens a voice.  We vote our representatives in, they represent we the people and vote accordingly.

Apparently I’m wrong.

I know there is corruption on both sides of the aisle – that is a plain and simple fact – but the amount of corruption that went hand in hand with this particular legislation – the backroom deals and bribery – astounds me.  And the way this legislation forces itself upon the masses – despite over 70% of voters opposing it - goes against everything this country was founded on.  I’m sure that when the Founding Fathers wrote “that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” – despite anything that Nancy Pelosi says – they were not referring to nationalized health care.

Limited government is what our Founding Fathers were about, and I think the path this country is currently heading down is very troubling.  I value the personal freedoms that this country offers me, and every day I can feel them slowly, but surely, slipping away.

I hope this is the wakeup call that this country needs to get back on track.  And I will be using my vacation to Gettysburg and Washington D.C. this summer as a means to remind myself – by visiting the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Vietnam Memorial, Cemetery Ridge, and the Constitution Gardens -  about what and who made this country great.

By learning and reflecting back on the principles this country was founded on, America can once again become our America; my America.

And I think our politicians will definitely figure that out come November.

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Last week I wrote a post that conveyed my displeasure about Michigan’s Governor proclaiming last Saturday as Michigan “Meatout” day.  Well, the Governor never did rescind her proclamation, but she did try to save face by declaring Saturday as “Michigan Agricultural Day”.  It didn’t stop a bunch of Michigan residents from grilling out on the capitol lawn, though.

There is nothing like a peaceable assembly to convey a point.  And to have it involve hamburgers, hot dogs, venison, as well as a bunch of local Michigan meat vendors, is just awesome.

And, one of our well-known local meat vendors, Linn Merindorf, of Merindorf Meats in Mason and Williamston, said it best when he told our local paper:

I don’t mind people saying they don’t want to eat meat,” he said. “My problem is when they force it on other people.”

Amen!

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