You know Many,
A Porcupine played a big part in my life, positively for me, but negatively for the porcupine, imo.. for when I was about 15 or so, I was into archery. I had been for years, and still am but to a much lesser extent.. I was pretty good then..
But anyway, when I was about 15, I was bow hunting, probably for ground squirrels in a nearby orchard when I spotted this porcupine up in an apple tree.. So, because, I grew up in sort of a "frontier mentality" environment, where porcs were swatting cattle and dogs, I shot it, again and again and again, hitting each time. until it finally came down..Dead..
It has haunted me since, for it wasn't hurting a damn thing.. I was the bad guy.. I quit using the bow for a long time after....
And then when I was about 15 or 16, or shortly after, I was hunting deer, as we all did for meat.. I seen a yearling bear a couple hundred away, it was in season, so I shot it..I have regretted that too to this day.... My uncle, a real "frontier cattleman" was so proud of me, he had the whole skin with head tanned and gave it to me.. I gave it back to him about 7 or 8 years later, for I didn't like the reminder..
An then a little later, a year or so I mean, I was outside and I heard a lot shooting going on in our pasture just north of our house where some of our cattle were.. I went in and told my mother. So we went up there.. To find a bunch of bastard "sportsman" hunters shooting up the sheet.... Well they had shot a that year's fawn in the hams. It was legal for it was doe season, but they didn't want to tag it, use up their tag, I mean, but we hung there until one did..
We always had courage..
I am not saying all hunters are like this, but it left an impression on me.. Only a small percentage are, I know.. But we had our fill.. We always kept our land open, and we had a bunch, for city folks to come out since my dad thought it was only right since they didn't have the opportunity to live like we did.
My dad was always very honest and generous.. For example he would always throw an extra bale on per ton, after they were weighed in front of the buyers, to make sure they had their fair share, when we sold hay..
But when, they would steal Xmas trees near our roads, a source of living for us and think they were there for the taking.., And expect to drive through our cattle yard to get to a road they seen from the county road and get pissed when we would stop them..
We finally got sick of "hunting" when one doesn't have to do it.. As I did too.. I got the message when I was about 21..
Not that I am saying all huntinf is bad, for when one has to hunt for survival and uses it all, I am not against it.. I am no hypocrite for I know, something has to die for me to live.. It is just the way it is..
I just don't condone "sport" hunting, for the "thrill of the kill", for in my opinion, there is no thrill..:(
I have more examples but I will quit now..
Thanks for the space..
Take care,
c
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