Clay or Flesh

[TheMightyGreg]

I'm going on a stag do next weekend and one the the activities is going to be shooting - apparently of both the clay and the more mobile variety. Just wanted to get some opinions of you all on this.

I've asked a few people about what they think about shooting living things and it's ranged from disgust and disappointment (sadly, my girlfriend) to excitement and everything in between.

Truthfully, i just don't know what I think about it. I eat meat, so can hardly take the moral high ground when it comes to animals as fodder, but am pretty sure there's something different from simply eating flesh to being the sole cause of it's demise.

Any thoughts/experiences/banner waving gratefully appreciated...

[DIDI]

Re: Clay or Flesh

For me it's a difference between killing animals bred to be killed under controlled circumstance, and killing for sport.

Even as a meat eater I feel uncomfortable with the first. But I obviously can't take the high moral ground there either.

The second, I just can't understand how people take pleasure in killing another living thing.

Even insects and rodents I take preventative measures rather than kill them.

Target shooting is great fun though!!

Good luck with your dilemma

[floridaorange]

Re: Clay or Flesh

If you havent been hunting your whole life, definitely go with clay if you have the option. You most likely won't be good enough to accurately shoot much of either if it's your first go.

[Jenks]

Re: Clay or Flesh

Having hunted a lot of different species of animals, the only one i have trouble with anymore is killing deer. My last kill was when i was in college, and i had to slit it's throat because it wasn't quite dead when i arrived upon it's fallen body. That one sat with me a bit and i've not hunted deer since. They need to be hunted, disease, over population etc...just not by me. Hunting birds is a blast and way more challenging than shooting clay, plus birds are tasty. All the small game, squirrels, rabbits, etc, i don't hunt anymore because i'm not eating tree rats, and shooting them just for shooting sake doesn't do anything for me. I mostly just fish these days, more because there are many more places to go and it's more challenging to me gaming for trout than waiting on a deer to walk close enough to me so i can shoot it. I'd still quail/duck hunt anyday tho. I guess i'm in the if you're going to eat it, fine to kill it, category. If you're just sporting, shoot trap.

[floridaorange]

Re: Clay or Flesh

^i'm the same way w. deer now too.