+1 Charliebirddogger wrote:It seems to me that when hunting is mentioned on here that a lot of people think of it as just going out and killing something. There is so much more to it than that and I have trouble putting it into words. It somewhat troubles me that sportsmen are saying they don't enjoy killing birds anymore. I understand what they are saying, but to the anti hunting crowd, it sounds like they are agreeing with them. I think field trials are great games where we can enjoy our dogs, since hunting is not what it once was. I have been passionate about hunting since I was a little boy and I can tell you, for me anyway, it is about so much more than killing something. I never had dogs because I wanted to compete with anybody, but rather to get away from the stress of every day life, enjoy the wild life and serenity of the outdoors, watching the dogs work, which I trained myself, either hunting by myself or sharing the experience with a friend or two and then sitting down to a meal of game that I harvested, if any. I so miss the days when hunting was a way of life for me and my family and was accepted and respected by almost everyone. So, if given the choice, give me the real thing!! I will stop crying in my beer now.
Charlie
I grew up in a family were everyone hunted and I want to pass that down to my children although i harvest a few birds mainly for the dogs sake it hasn't been about killing since I was like 10, and in the last 5 years it has been even less about killing and Just being out with friends family and a well trained dog (no matter his/her color or tail length
) Trialing was started as a way to extend the hunting season and have fun with our dogs but at least to me it seems as though it has become an obsession and sometimes a bit out of control but that's JMO
