Cutting a deers throat..

[Jennifer]

I personally think it's something every hunter should experience. Killing an animal with a gun or bow does not give a person the same sense of what they have just done, which is taking a life, as if you actually have to put your hands on it and kill it with a knife. The sense of what one has just done and the finality is far greater and more personal when cutting it's throat or stabbing it in the heart or lungs. I think it is a good lesson for hunters. Killing with a gun or bow can remove us some from the brutality of killing, and make us forget what we are actually doing, which IS killing. It is good to be reminded once in a while the realities of it all, just so we don't start taking things too lightly.

This is my opinion, and it's okay with me if no one agrees, but I really think that every person that eats meat regularly should experience, first hand, what it is to kill an animal.

Not necessarily taking a knife to a deer's throat ; which can go wrong if you are not experienced, and heck lets face it a deer is a powerful animal and can cause you serious injury even in death throes. Often another bullet, placed well, is a much kinder and safer thing to do.

I am talking about the dispatching of any animal for food; there are still some farms out there that will let you come and they will show you the process with beef cows, chickens or other fowl, or pigs, etc. My friend did this last year (butchering chickens and turkeys by hand) and a few people thought it was brutal or dumb that she did it, it made me respect her all the more. She now has a much more solid impact of what it means to be responsible for an animal's death, and what it means to eat meat. Too many people (not usually hunters) are removed from the process... they sure do love their burgers or chicken, but could never do the deed (or even like to think that it happens! There are actually people out there that think that no animals were harmed in getting grocery store meats!). I feel we (people) should have more responsibility to the animals that we kill-- even if indirectly such as per-packaged grocery store meats-- and that everyone should have to face the reality of an animal's death for food at least once in their life.

Yes, I'm glad nobody here has actually enjoyed this or acted like a barbarian in their descriptions. I left a lot out myself.

I guess if it didn't still bother me to some extent, I wouldn't have brought it back up.

It sticks with ya for a while, especially when you have such a deep respect for these animals as we all do.

Same here. I'm glad to read so many say that it was a hard thing. It's never something to be taken lightly.

Edited November 29, 2011 by Jennifer

[steve863]

Too many people (not usually hunters) are removed from the process... they sure do love their burgers or chicken, but could never do the deed (or even like to think that it happens!

Great post, Jennifer. I do still think there are even quite a few hunters out there who really don't understand it all. I have seen quite a few hunters who have hunted for decades and have never butchered a deer themselves and some wouldn't even know where to begin. To me this is even worse than the non-hunters who don't get it.

Edited November 29, 2011 by steve863

[First-light]

Good post wooly. Jennifer and Steve I'm with you, a lot of sense made right there by your posts.

[sampotter]

Not safe- don't do it. I was with a guy this past weekend- he shot a buck- it was down, but not out. Wanted to slit its throat- no way Jose- shoot it. He shot it once more in the chest and the deer got up and ran another 50 yards before going down for good.

[Red]

i can honestly say that ive done it a few times during sonme gun season i hunt with a lot of people and if their animal is down but still a live i do it for them i dont want to see the animal suffer any longer usually its pretty quick. it is way different from when you released that arrow or bullet then walk up and have to pull out your knife but you know what we as hunters have an obligation to stop the animal from suffering after the shot.

[New York Hillbilly]

It's a nice way to get yourself killed. Doe or buck does not matter one bit when it comes to their resolve to get away at all costs. Add fear (both deer and hunter......admit it or not) and being injured to the situation it and it is a recipe for disaster in my opinion. If it requires an additional shot to dispatch the animal quickly and as humanely as possible and allows you to return safely home to your family then deliver the shot. The last thing we need to have is yet another hunter found dead in the woods leaving a family and loved ones behind. Safety..........always first! Just my 2 cents. Now back to my stand for the last of the day.

[Geno C]

never had to... i would much rather a second shot then to resort to that

[NFA-ADK]

The one time I had to finish a deer I used a bullet, not worth the risk and is much quicker. Great post's on a really hard subject! I hope no one has to go through this as we all make the 1st shot count. In so far as being connected with reality and butchering your own meat, yea I wish everyone who ate meat saw what the animals go through to appreciate what comes onto your plate. I think many hunters have that value even though we do not all butcher our meat. I feel the gutting process is enough and instills the reality into hunting and is why I will NEVER gut another hunters deer... Again great posts on a hard topic!!!

[HectorBuckBuster]

I have done it a few times over the years and been with people that have done it.Every hunting trip out is different and every deer wounded deer is acts different too.

[sampotter]

We used to have people come to our farm and kill cattle on the farm by slitting their throats according to their beliefs. Its not quick and the animal is concious until the last moment. I used to walk away. Looking into their eyes as the life oozes out of them is personal and makes you think twice about what you are doing. I started to stun them after that with a sledge- the people seemed fine with that and the animal was out cold and was unaware of what was going on.

[Dave]

I have done it a few times . The most recent was 3 years ago during bow season. Not something I wanted to do but had to do it. Was having a problem pulling my bow back so didn't bow hunt till the last week of bow season. Could only pull the bow back once and doing it the second to third time was very difficult. To make a long story short this is what happened, a nice 6 pt buck approached from the back of my ladder stand walking steady with it's head down. Never saw me, stopped about 15 feet from my stand with all my strength I pulled the bow back and let her fly , hit the buck in the neck shoulder area and he dropped in his tracks. He was trashing around on the ground so I knocked another arrow couldn't pull the bow back, waited a few minutes and tried again shot and clipped his ear. Deer still trashing around well finally shot my last two arrows and missed the deer. Now no more arrows the deer still alive, surprised I didn't scare him to death. All my arrows were on the ground some now under the deer from all his moving around. So I got out of my ladder stand walked over to the deer stepped on his rack and slit his throat. All the time apologizing to this beautiful deer , i surely didn't want it to end this was.

[dave6x6]

Good post wooly. Jennifer and Steve I'm with you, a lot of sense made right there by your posts.

+1 to your comments. My father is notorious for slicing throats. Finished his nice 8 point off last week with the blade. Not braggin' about it. Just his way. I have never had to deer hunting, but couldn't agree more with Steve's comments on the realities of killin'. I worked on a game preserve for yrs and had to dispatch of animals from time to time so in some ways I'm thankful for that experience. I've also seen in-experienced or less couragous bow hunters make pin cushins out of spined deer in an attempt to finish the squirming deer off. In some cases, it may be best.

[Dave]

+1 to your comments. My father is notorious for slicing throats. Finished his nice 8 point off last week with the blade. Not braggin' about it. Just his way. I have never had to deer hunting, but couldn't agree more with Steve's comments on the realities of killin'. I worked on a game preserve for yrs and had to dispatch of animals from time to time so in some ways I'm thankful for that experience. I've also seen in-experienced or less couragous bow hunters make pin cushins out of spined deer in an attempt to finish the squirming deer off. In some cases, it may be best.

Great topic hard to digest at times but it's a reality of hunting that goes un said.

[HectorBuckBuster]

I think it is just one of the things that goes along with hunting, and everyone might have to face it some days.I was raised around a farm, and remember the days when my grandfather would shot the pigs in the head or take a axe and lop off the head of a chicken. So that may be why some people its not that big of deal too.

How many people have had to kill a turkey after you shot it and it was flopping around?

[Elmo]

How many people have had to kill a turkey after you shot it and it was flopping around?

Did so to a goose. I was completely new to hunting then and didn't know about proper shot selection. I shot one with a #6 steel shot. It was flopping like crazy. Wasn't sure if it was dead and flopping or still alive and flopping. I tried to end it by decapitating it but it still kept on flopping for another minute even without it's head. It was a bit hard to take in and a real gut check.

[Karpteach]

Had to do it once, over twenty years ago. was hunting with my brother-in-law and his friends . I was on stand over a ridge. and one of his cousins was walking around. I was watching a 4 pointer walking towards me and this moron shot it over 400 yards, it was 50 yards from me. He spined it and the deer was trying to get away. he came over it and froze. I yelled at him and he did not move, he could not shoot it or anything. i left my rifle were i was. Started shaking this jacharse, no response. I took his rifle to shoot the deer, it was jammed. At this point my heart is breaking, I took my Buck Knife and put it out of his misery. When the clan gathered they all congratulated him, as if he idd something right... ARGH!!!!!!! That was the last time I hunted with those fools. It still pisses me off.

[Dave]

I think it is just one of the things that goes along with hunting, and everyone might have to face it some days.I was raised around a farm, and remember the days when my grandfather would shot the pigs in the head or take a axe and lop off the head of a chicken. So that may be why some people its not that big of deal too.

How many people have had to kill a turkey after you shot it and it was flopping around?

Hector it happens too with rabbit hunting. You get to them and they are still alive so you just ring their necks.

[nyantler]

Great post, Jennifer. I do still think there are even quite a few hunters out there who really don't understand it all. I have seen quite a few hunters who have hunted for decades and have never butchered a deer themselves and some wouldn't even know where to begin. To me this is even worse than the non-hunters who don't get it.

Todays hunting does not require that we need to experience anything other than taking the animal from the herd... the only reason there is still hunting is for the purpose of conservation.. hunters may think differently... they may say its for the meat, or the sport... yeah that might be their reason.. but that is not the reason that hunting is still allowed.... it is the only proven means of population control that still allows the rest of the animal in the herd to live in their habitat normally.. there is absolutely nothing to be gained by killing a deer with your bare hands that has anything to do with hunting. Killing deer is meant to be as efficient as possible and not an educational tool to learn about death.

[the blur]

Bow hunters can't carry guns, so they let the deer bleed out for 4 hours before pushing them further....... that doesn't sound so human. But gun hunters try to do it humanly. Another reason I don't bow hunt.

[sampotter]

Bow hunters can't carry guns, so they let the deer bleed out for 4 hours before pushing them further....... that doesn't sound so human. But gun hunters try to do it humanly. Another reason I don't bow hunt.

Whoa-whoa-whoa- that was a cheapshot, and off topic. You should have seen the poor buck fawn we found alive on thanksgiving with his ass blown apart and gangrene setting in. The only thing he was thankful for was a bullet in his head. All types of weapons wound and lose deer. There is nothing inhumane about bowhunting. At least the last thing a bow shot deer sees isn't a smiling human.

[Caveman]

Todays hunting does not require that we need to experience anything other than taking the animal from the herd... the only reason there is still hunting is for the purpose of conservation.. hunters may think differently... they may say its for the meat, or the sport... yeah that might be their reason.. but that is not the reason that hunting is still allowed.... it is the only proven means of population control that still allows the rest of the animal in the herd to live in their habitat normally.. there is absolutely nothing to be gained by killing a deer with your bare hands that has anything to do with hunting. Killing deer is meant to be as efficient as possible and not an educational tool to learn about death.

Todays hunting does not require that we need to experience anything other than taking the animal from the herd... the only reason there is still hunting is for the purpose of conservation.. hunters may think differently... they may say its for the meat, or the sport... yeah that might be their reason.. but that is not the reason that hunting is still allowed.... it is the only proven means of population control that still allows the rest of the animal in the herd to live in their habitat normally.. there is absolutely nothing to be gained by killing a deer with your bare hands that has anything to do with hunting. Killing deer is meant to be as efficient as possible and not an educational tool to learn about death.

Let's face it hunting IS meant to be as efficient as possible and anytime we can dispatch an animal quickly we certainly should, but that's not always reality. Reality is that sometimes bad shots happen and we come on wounded deer in the final stages of death. It's hard to watch and a sobering experience but I think it can be valuable without being preferable. To say that watching an animal die, or doing it in close proximity has nothing valuable to offer a person is just untrue IMO.

[sampotter]

I would say that the biggest reason not to do it is not to get hurt. Deer feet can cut like knives and the antlers- well we all know what they can do.

[nyantler]

oops wrong thread!!

Edited November 30, 2011 by nyantler

[nyantler]

Let's face it hunting IS meant to be as efficient as possible and anytime we can dispatch an animal quickly we certainly should, but that's not always reality. Reality is that sometimes bad shots happen and we come on wounded deer in the final stages of death. It's hard to watch and a sobering experience but I think it can be valuable without being preferable. To say that watching an animal die, or doing it in close proximity has nothing valuable to offer a person is just untrue IMO.

I didn't say that.. I said there is nothing to be gained as it pertains to hunting.. there is no reason for a lesson to be learned about death while hunting... slitting a deers throat has no bearing on why, where when or how we hunt... watching an animal die can be done without hand to hand combat... I get no appreciation for anything watching someone or cutting a deers throat myself... what have you learned other than you are capible of killing something with your bare hands.. I learned that in 28 years of martial arts.. I didn't need to actually kill something to learn it.

[nyantler]

Bow hunters can't carry guns, so they let the deer bleed out for 4 hours before pushing them further....... that doesn't sound so human. But gun hunters try to do it humanly. Another reason I don't bow hunt.

This humane stuff is crazy.. deer don't process pain the same as humans... suffering is a human emotion and doesn't exist in the animal kingdom as an emotion... it is only relative to what humans consider suffering... our suffering is not their suffering... so a shot to the heart, head, ass, foot with a bow or a gun means nothing to a deer, only to the hunter.. that is why many times hunters see badly wounded deer going about their regular daily routine .. they exist on instinct and instinct alone... they live.. they die.. its that simple