I think it is a common problem, actually.

I know one kid, a college sophmore, who had never seen a cow until he was 18, and didn't realise that is where we get milk from. I didn't bother to point out to him that where he goes to school, if a cow is no longer producing milk, she goes to the little barn, then to the dining hall. I just didn't have the heart.

At least not while he was eating.

I'd say in this day and age, that is not peculiar at all. I believe society says that, as a whole, humans are inherently bad, and animals are innocent little creatures, warm and fuzzy, and might even talk to you if you love them and idolize them and hug them and call them George. Anthropomorphics is big business these days.

Of course, not too many of us see the cougar playing with someone's 60 lb 9 year old little girl like the housecat plays with the mouse. The Ghost and the Darkness is a good example of animal carnage. Then again, there will be those who insist that animals behave like that only because of human conflict with them. We're smarter, more advanced, therefore it must be our own fault somehow.

Maybe you get milk from cows, around here we get it from the local quickie-mart! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I hear what you're saying, -and I've got this Warm, Humane, Fuzzie side about me too. I'm Filled and Bubbling with it! Contrary to some appearances, -such as when I've talked quite hawkishly on Iraq, etc.

But for me, -this doesn't extend to the Call and Neccessities for Survival. One's gotsta do here what they've gotta do!

I of course advocate doing so in as entirely Quick and Humane way as all possible. In that here I feel precisely as you do!

I'm out Surviving now,- (Combo Standard Survival and having found myself Homeless for a while), -(Doing quite OK and Well at it too!), -but I havn't had Occassion or Neccessity to actually Hunt, Trap, etc. But I'd do so if I had to. And I'm for myself getting to "Know Up"!, -on this overall Field, -even if I weren't now so Surviving!, -in its own Right and Importance, -in any event and regard.

(On my Survival Situation itself, -I entered this considerably Rusty on actual Details, Equipment, etc, -I'm somewhat embarrassed to have to say! -But well endowed with the Resourcefulness, Spirit, Sense, and Knack of it all! I just so Apply it, -and do so quite very well. The Proof is in the Pudding, -and the Pudding is that I've been out here Successfully Surviving, -and very Well so, -even now here in a Northeast U.S. winter, -for 7 months now. As such, -this former Newbie feels Qualified to talk Authoritatively on Survivi-Prep. Though I still remain a bit Rusty, -on many of the actual Brass Tacks Prepparations, Equipment, and Details! I've recently Resolved to Rectify that though, -here in this New Year, -as some of you know. Also, I saw "War Clouds" looming ahead for awhile, -and so had made at least some "Preparations for War"! Am again Doing Quite OK and Well! Don't overly worry bout me! Thats it all in a nutshell.).

I'm NOT against Hunting, -There is so much Worthwhile, Good, and Great about it! I'm also *Not* opposed to Hunting Purely for Sport. Though I don't care to personally do so for that, myself. My Pro-Hunting is *Not* limited to only Survival and Food.

I encourage at least reading up, and equipping up on it, -on Guns and Ammo, Animals and the Outdoors, Tracks and Tracking, etc. So that you'd be Ready to Go! Should a Survival Situation so arise! and perhaps so override some of your inhibitions.

But precisely out of my Warm Fuzzy Love and Regard for Animals, -I just personally don't care to Hunt. Much the same as I just don't care for Coffee! I know well that there's some Mighty Good Coffees in the world! And I really Well Regard and Respect that! But nonetheless, -I'm just not a coffee drinker! (Hawaiian Punch is my Beverage of Choice!).(Brings to mind a motto of mine, -"The ((Original)) Star Trek is my Soap Opera!, Hawaiian Punch is my Beer!").

But I personally wouldn't hesitate to Hunt or Trap, for Food and Survival.

I once helped somebody slaughter and gut a cow. I was a good bit Uncomfortable and all at the actual slaughter, -but had No problem whatsoever, -at the skinning and gutting itself. (Same for Biology dissections back in hi school. I never understood all the Squeamish Crowing about it, from many a fellow classmate.).

At my own present Campsite, -I've recently pitched a nestful of rat or ratlike infants, down the hill. No problem or Hesitation whatsoever, -but I nevertheless Well Respected, and Did Feel, -for these Animals! (I've gotta do what I've gotta Survival do! I've gotta keep such Animals, -who incidentally of course try to compete with me for my Food Supply, -at bay. Utilizing such an oppurtunity to reduce their population some, -is one of my Survival Do what I have to Do's.)

However, -weeks earlier, -I also came across a nest of older ones, -very small but certainly beyond infanthood. (Bodies, not counting tail, no more than two inches long.). I couldn't and didn't kill them, -at least not directly or knowingly. They were just staying there in one spot, -obviously wondering what was going on, -preferring just to be back in their Nest. To get Back to Normal!, as oppossed to the uncomfortable enuff abnormalacy they now found themselves in. I just set them over within a nearby rockpile, -I had recently built. Gently and all, of course. Out of their nest now, -they probably eventually died there. If so, -thats all to the Well and Good, -in that they otherwise would have only eventually grown, -to join with what others there be there, -in Competition for my Food Supply! Then I Would have Really Regretted and Rued!, -the day back when, -when I *Didn't* "Do What I Had to Do!". And of course also for the other various reasons we don't want this particular Animal around, -did I do this over. But Humanely and all speaking, -I just didn't wish to kill them! At least not outright.

I've thought of just feeding them to some nearby Cats, -on both occasions. -Shudda, -but didn't. These Cats get a lot of my "reject food", -as well as some good food, -from me anyway.

Again, -I'd "vote" for you're "Getting Up the Steam", -not that you're weak, -to Do what you may thereby Have to Do, -in a potential Survival Situation. Once again, -as quickly and Humanely as all possible!, -of course!

(Skinning Rabbits or other Animals alive, however, -I feel to not only be utterly Repugnant!, -but also Utterly UN-Neccessary! In most cases anyway.). [color:"black"] [/color] [email]Chisel[/email]

Having lived in Colorado in the 60s-70s, I'm familiar with the story. In fact, I've enjoyed a good hamburger at the Alferd Packer Grill, on the CU campus, Boulder.

It's only rumor that his headstone says, "Never met a man he didn't like." <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Susan wrote: "To tell the truth, I would probably have less of a problem killing a person who deserved it than an animal (unless it was attacking). That sounds kind of peculiar, doesn't it? If I had to do it, I might not feel the same afterward, but I have the sneaking suspicion that I would."

My alternate daughter (long story) went to the range with me try out the new .38 I bought her. She wouldn't shoot at the steel animal silohouttes <sp?> but she had no problems stitching a B27 target (man shaped) target from crotch to head with .38 holes!
gino
<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Very valuable views , thanks everyone

About skinning live rabbits, I guess it was to de-sensitize the soldiers as someone said. Seems they wanted them not to thiink about it if they had to kill a person.

I remember seeing Survivor. A man was carrying a chicken and talking about having to kill her for food. He broke her neck quick and the ladies were in tears. Later one of the ladies buried the chicken legs with thanks for the creature that offered herslef to sustain them.

ummm, too phiolosphical maybe, but OK.

I saw a film once , when two guys were lost in a snow covered land. One of them had a dog and the other guy told him they had to eat the dog. He refused as he considered the dog "like a family member". So, that is another dimension; eating an animal that is somehow attached to you, or you are attached to him. Perhpas in such case, you could use my trick: let someone else do the killing.

Also, do you think you can kill & eat your son/daughter pet ??

I would rather eat a relative than my dog or cats. It would be a combination of survival and tidying up the gene pool. OTOH, it wouldn't bother me a bit to feed the relative to the pets! <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Sue

I'll second that motion. I like my cats a lot more than I like most of my family.

And besides, several of my cousins are vegans- they already eat what food eats. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

There, too, brings up an alternative. My pets are trained hunters. We work as a team to get food we share. They are much better at their job than any human, and I am much better than they are at killing food. Symbiosis at it's finest. I like to think I am the leader, but sometimes I wonder if Wyatt knows who's the boss.

Having raised and eaten pets, I can say the taste of their flesh differs considerably from that of other members of the same breed.