If you told me I could never shoot another deer it would be fine with me but I kill hogs and coyotes on our place every chance I get. You couldn't pay me to go to Africa.

No, but I did catch and release three large crappie last weekend. God only knows why

If you enjoy watching something die, there's something wrong with you. But as the old saying goes (paraphrasing, I think), "I do not hunt to kill, I kill to have hunted."

I realize the OP listed some African animals in his first post, but he was asking about "getting soft". It's always been curious to me how many are so quick to make the grand pronouncement that "I'd never, have no desire to, never interested me, etc., etc." regarding Africa. Okay, fine. 'Just never understood the drive to announce it. I've had guys do it in person, after they've asked me if I've been to Africa; usually just pompous fools. It's a magical place, not all high fences (unless you insist on erroneously substituting the southern most country in it (South Africa) for the second largest continent in the world ("Africa"), as many do, and even then, there's some great hunting in South Africa.

Of course it's not like it was in yesteryear. Nothing in this world is. There's crushing poverty, endless political corruption, and yes, you might have to let a Professional Hunter tell you what to shoot or not shoot. I know a lot of "legends" don't like that last part. But every time you go, you realize there's LESS you know about it.

I know very little about the place, but I wouldn't trade the experiences I've had there for anything. To each his own.

the way I was raised, there was 3 reasons to kill something ... 1. for food, 2. if it was a threat to you or loved ones 3. you would get some good out of killing it.

Although I was raised to fill the freezer and not waste anything, trophy hunting wasn't a part of it. Yes, it was nice to shoot a big buck but that wasn't the main goal. We kept our family, neighbors and friends freezers full and we did 100% of all of our own processing. I loved killing and shooting!!! I would fill my tags, my dad's tags, my brother's tag (that he didn't fill), my mom's (she wasn't a hunter), etc. ... until all the freezers were full. About 25 years ago, a friend (city boy, non-hunter) bought a place but didn't want to run cattle, wanted to convert to wildlife improvement exemption that he asked me to help with to improve quality, quantity, etc. of the herd. At that point my mind shift changed to management on improving the area instead of just filling the freezer. Since then, I usually hunt 50-60 days each season but only take 1-3 deer for our freezer depending on how full it is. I spend another 25-30 days during the non-season observing to see what we have available and what something might grow into. I can sit for hours on end watching nature, how the deer (and other animals) react, act, etc. studying them and their habits including moon phase and where the moon is in each cycle around earth. The older I get, the more I appreciate what God has provided and take the time to enjoy every aspect. I also enjoy helping others get involved with hunting and learning more about the hobby while appreciating the time in the woods over merely shooting and/or killing.

Nope.

When I used to pay for a lease to hunt I was all about filling my tags, now that I hunt my own place I do a lot of watching but keep venison and pork in the freezer. I have no problem dropping a coyote or cat but don't usually go after them specifically.

I'm 58 and still get a strong urge to kill fully mature deer and all hogs. Africa has not called me yet, but I hope to experience it eventually.

I enjoy watching wildlife and always have. I've never had a big urge to kill predators being one myself. I have killed many coyotes but have let a few pass as well.

I let middle age deer walk that in my younger days I would of whacked. I enjoy taking pics of those deer and seeing what they grow into. When they get to 6+ I will not hesitate, lol.

I can shed a little light on that, at least as far as my personal experience goes. I would proclaim I never wanted to go to Africa after being engaged in conversations with other hunters who traveled around and hunted away from their home state. They would start talking about their travels here, there and yon and then the subject of Africa would come up. Asking if I had been or were going and at the moment the answer was a very honest " no, I have no desire" as it did not intrigue me. I think Sable and Kudu are two of the most beautiful animals in existance and I loved the way a mature Nyala looks but I could not fathom flying 22 hours 1 way when there were monster mule deer to shoot in Sonora, Red Stag, Mouflon sheep and Fallow deer in the Czech Republic, Ibex in Spain or many of the various sheep/goats in countries that in in "stan'" ( I will add that travel did factor into my hunting dreams, just not to Africa. I've found most, but not all, hunters who say they don't want to go to Africa won't travel more than a few states away, if that, to hunt) Life has a way of making you eat some crow from time to time, but when a slam dunk opportunity presents itself, then you tend to reach out and grab it.


I think collectively, as hunters, there is a big bell curve, with the majority being happy and content shooting whatever game is available locally and never having a want to venture outside that.

Priorities, wants, desires...….they all change on a daily basis for most if not all of us. No shame in that.

"Hunting"......just the thought of that word sends my mind into a whirlwind of adventure, yet during different parts of my life it has had a significantly different meaning. Ever since my father gave me a BB gun I dreamt of going on "big hunting trips". With the BB gun, that consisted of sneaking out the back door quietly, thoughtfully plotting my way from cover to cover (oak tree to oak tree) to get on a squirrel or a cottontail. As I got into my teens and my first rifle was given to me, that consisted of going to the deer lease in Comanche County with my father or to my Grandfathers ranch in Oklahoma hunting for whitetail. Once married and stable with finances and family...that consisted of Elk hunts in Colorado (helps to marry into a family with private ranch land in Colorado....I ain't no dummy ). As the years have passed the last little while it consisted of taking my sons to the deer lease, not for me to hunt, but for them to live the same adventure hopefully. I have shot my whitetail of a lifetime and so have my boys over the past few years. The adventure of whitetail hunting has faded from me....to some degree. My boys still love it and my girls are interested in doing it....so I keep the adventure alive. Hunting for me is now hopefully getting to Alaska for a moose, mtn, goat, or bear. Day dreaming and planning about a sheep hunt some day. Africa?....absolutely. Both on safari taking thousands of photos as well as hunting the various animals found there. No, I don't have a desire to shoot an elephant or a giraffe but I have no problem with anyone that does. I love to travel, I love adventure and I love hunting. I guess what I am trying to say/convey is that as we get older or "CHANGE", so do our priorities, wants and desires and there are multiple reasons as to why. Am I to the point to where I don't want to shoot another Elk. Maybe, but that thought would only cross my mind if I am without someone else around to help pack it out, almost. But I still love the hunt, whether there is a kill or not. What that means to me and to anyone else is expectedly different and that's okay. My "hunting adventure" lives on and I hope part of it will do the same for my kids as I know my fathers and Grandfathers love for "hunting" did for me. My 5 yr old girl wants to shoot a pig and my9 yo girl wants to shoot a rabbit. That is the current desire and it may end there, or they may be the next Eva Shockey, who knows. But I won't ever measure a man /woman by what they want to hunt or have hunted or if they ever hunted. There is more to life...….

Killing in and of itself has never been an issue for me. I grew up knowing where meat comes from. I am not grateful to the animal itself but I am grateful to God for providing it. And I will never disrespect His creation that we are to be good stewards of.

But there are some animals I have no desire to kill and some methods of hunting that I don’t care for and never will.

I’m sure that’s true of most.

Hmmm, not sure, after hog hunting yesterday afternoon, I stopped the truck to cut the head off a water moccasin in the wet roadway with a spud bar then got home and picked up a cricket and set him outside. Whatever the urge.

At 76 I don't really look forward to hunting season like I used to. I've hunted/killed most of the American animals but never shot a bear or moose. I own my own small 133 acre place in Montague County that I hunt and doubt that I'll ever hunt anywhere else. Never figured I'd hunt Africa or go back to the Rocky Mountains due to the $$$$ involved. Then, a couple of years ago my Grandson and his best friend graduated from High School. Daughter asked what they wanted for graduation. They said Africa. Daughter called my Wife and asked if WE wanted to go. She said yes. I saw dollar signs and said I'd go but didn't want to hunt. Then we briefly saw a Kudu and my mind/desire did a 180. Didn't get a Kudu but did shoot a nyala, wildebeest, and Impala. They're on the wall with the deer and elk.

Last season I killed 2 bucks on my place but couldn't find either one of them. That sickens me and no matter what the excuse, it's my fault. I don't shoot as well as I used to so not entirely sure what next season will bring. What I know it will bring is $$$$ for corn, rice bran, batteries, replacing game cams and feeders. I no longer bow hunt; just not steady enough. I'm pretty well a "has been" but not a "never was".

My place is butt deep in hogs but I have zero interest in shooting anything just to make it dead. No way I can make an impact on their numbers anyway since none of the neighbors hunt. The last time I planted wheat, the hogs destroyed it.

This year, I expect most of my "hunting" will be an attempt to identify/catch the poacher who uses my land more than I do.

There are some who would attack you for killing that water moccasin because it was causing you no harm and because it provides some benefits. However, to me that equates to not spraying for mosquitos because you end up killing the ones that will never bite you. If something is abundant and has the potential for causing harm to humans, I have no remorse when killing it. In fact, I often enjoy it rather than feeling I am somehow better than others for not doing it. As far as I know, crickets cause no harm and are considered my some to be good luck when found in the home.

It's not so much watching something die as it is knowing a potential harm has been eliminated.

I have never and will never shed a tear when killing mice, rats, venomous snakes, feral hogs, coyotes, mosquitos, and fire ants.

I'm 22 and I've been hunting since I was 6. I use to be all crazy about getting my hands on the next animal worth shooting, but times have changed for me. Of course I get in the duck hunts, dove hunts, and bow hunts, but I guess I've matured and understand more? I only shoot what I know I'm going to eat. Any pig or coyote that stands in my way is a goner, but all other animals I enjoy watching unless I need some meat. And more importantly, I've really enjoyed the fact of taking new people out in the woods to share the experience with them. My grandfather shared it with me, so it's the least I could do for my friends.

Depends on circumstances.

Coyotes, good.
Hogs, good.
Armadillos, good.
Prairie dogs, good.

Whitetail does, in Runnels county where they are over-populated, little remorse, thankful for the meat.
Whitetail does, in Fannin county where I don't see enough, let em all walk, glad to see them on my place.
Whitetail bucks in Fannin county, where I don't see enough, let em all walk, unleee I see a biggun.
Elk Bull, depends on what I've seen thus far, +/- for the acreage.
Elk cow, depends on what I've seen thus far, +/- for the acreage.

You get the idea.

My Dad was an avid hunter for many years - he even wrote a hunting and fishing column for the newspaper for many years called Rod and Gun. Then when he was in his 60's he quit hunting with a rifle and starting hunting with a camera. He just said he was not interested in killing animals any longer. I am 66 and have not lost the hunting bug yet

As old age creeps up on me and my health is dwindling. I enjoy the hunt and the kill more than ever. I have a couple of sayings. One is the last animal harvested is my favorite (this goes along with everything I do, from finding an arrowhead, playing a round of golf, catching a fish etc...). The second is there is no guaranteed tomorrow.

It's called the appreciation stage of your hunting career I have a deer stand behind the house and enjoy just sitting and seeing the animals, but if a good buck comes in he's going to have a bad day. Shoot or not it's still a good day in the woods.

I’ve always felt that way about African game for some reason. Would never want to shoot an elephant, giraffe, etc

Unless I’m gonna eat it, I don’t really care to kill it. Rattlesnakes are pretty safe, unless they’re on the porch or something.

I got no problem killing a critter for food, though.

Enjoyment or not, do you appreciate the thousands of packing plant workers that allow me and you to run to HEB and get a prime ribeye and some Jimmy Dean sausage??

I have no earthly idea what my post has to do with packing plant workers...but, yes?

No!!!!! i almost run over one of those drunk idiots every time I go through Cactus TX and it’s posted 45 mph!!!!!!!!

Well, idk but if I hit the lotto and could hunt whatever

I can honestly say, I can’t imagine ever hunting any African animals

I don’t care if others do but I just never had any interest. Not a single one appeals to me

North America offers everything I’d even consider