# Confessional



## JasonStonier (Jun 17, 2013)

First post, and I thought I would open with why I feel guilty today...

So I have been hunting with a air rifle for a while and decided it would be more fun and challenging to switch to a slingshot. I bought a cheapo flea market wrist braced catty to get the feel of it, then bought a Black Widow. I spent the last couple of months practicing until I cold hit a coke can every time at 30 feet, I can hit a shotgun cartridge about half the time, a clothes peg about 1 in 3. Yesterday I decided I was accurate enough to try hunting pigeons.

So I shot a wood pigeon from a bit over 30 feet, aiming for its crop but was a bit off and ended up hitting at the root of its wing, stunning it and breaking its wing. Had to then break its neck for a humane kill. Then had a shot at another from about the same distance but it flew at the sound of the band release and I hit and killed the sparrow that I didn't see was perched behind it. I always tell my kids we don't kill anything if we're not going to eat it...but I didn't think we would be eating that sparrow.

I always feel a bit of remorse at killing, but right now I am feeling guilty for the unnecessary suffering.

Thought I would share.


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## bullseyeben! (Apr 24, 2011)

Well your honesty and and recollection of this shows you are only human and a humane also lol..
This can happen to anyone & you werent intending to injure or make suffer these birds..
Head shots are hard at times, but recommended.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Its life being ended by a cat or a cold winter would have involved a great deal more suffering. That's nature for ya.


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## dannytsg (Jun 16, 2013)

That's just the riggers of hunting. An animal is reactive as well is the ammunition you shoot. You can't control all the factors pertaining to your shot so you shouldn't trouble yourself too much. The fact that at 30 meters you manage to hit and bring down both birds is a good testament in itself.


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## JasonStonier (Jun 17, 2013)

Heh...30 metres - I wish. At 30 metres I could probably just about hit a bucket.

30 feet...10 metres


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

cant fault an honest man. its always difficult in the beginning with a new weapon, but then we learn how it functions for us. inbetween birds, keep practicing, use smaller targets at a comfortable distance to help you improve your aim.


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## bigron (Nov 29, 2012)

well if you show respect to the pigeon by eating it then feed the sparrow to the cat nothing died in vane one shot instant kills do happen but if you finish your prey quick and humane as you can then thank it for its sacrifice you will be right with nature welcome to the site


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## ceedub (Apr 22, 2013)

I have as much respect for animals as the next guy, but having said that a kill is a kill in my book. I would never intentionally shoot to wound but I was raised hunting as a source for food for the family and these days have little compassion for an animal that I intend to eat. Its good that you have some empathy for the game but having said that if it affects you this much to kills sparrow that got caught in the cross fire you may want to reconsider hunting as a practice.


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## Jaximus (Jun 1, 2013)

Sounds to me like you practiced diligently and took a shot within your proficient range. There's not much more you can do, really. Nothing to feel guilty about, in my opinion. Not every shot is going to be a bullseye. That's just part of hunting. It will happen again.

Blame the pigeon for the sparrow. It obviously intentionally baited you into taking that shot so it would kill the sparrow. Pigeons are notorious pranksters.


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## JasonStonier (Jun 17, 2013)

You know, I think you're right. I've never really trusted pigeons.

It's not like I'm torn apart with remorse. If I was that kind of person I don't think I'd be out taking potshots at the local wildlife, and I do have a freezer tub full of pigeon breast (12 sets by air rifle and now 1 by slingshot). I just want to be as humane and conservative as possible when I hunt.


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## ceedub (Apr 22, 2013)

Well I take my statement back then and apologise for assuming you may lack the constitution for hunting. Sounds to me like you do alright taking game.


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## ghost0311/8541 (Jan 6, 2013)

Well its part of hunting if you are trying to make clean kills that is good bad shoots happens its part of hunting if you teach your kids that you can use the bad shot as life lessons


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## mrpaint (May 16, 2012)

don't let this get you down man, I have taken close to 20 prarie dogs in the last 2 weeks with an air rifle, and a few with slingshot. Occasionally I won't get a solid shot, and they will scamper back down the hole and leave a nice blood trail on the way. I can always make myself feel better by telling myself that they died within a few minutes of the shot, which is more than likely true. I am sure its less painful / traumatizing then getting tagged by a rattlesnake and then consumed whole.


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## JasonStonier (Jun 17, 2013)

ceedub said:


> Well I take my statement back then and apologise for assuming you may lack the constitution for hunting.


No apology necessary my friend, you called it as you saw it.


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## halbart (Jan 23, 2013)

There is only two ways to avoid this kind of thing Jason. One is to become an infallable shot, the man who never misses. If you do you'll be the first one ever. The other is to shoot targets instead of hunting and thats harder not easier; a blank target leaves us no excuses. I know men have hunted for 500,000 years { its our heritage blah blah blah] , I've said the same excuse myself many a time and I hunted for over 30 years legally and illegaly; I choose not too now because I won't risk injuring game when its not necessary. Thats just my choice mate and its yours too. H.


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