Sometimes we take our hunting for granted as well as the game we harvest. I have always tried to give a small ceremony of thanks to the fallen game. I would place my hand on the animal and to show thanks for his presence.
When I lived in Germany I was educated in doing this since there is so much ceremony and customs when you hunt in Germany or in Europe. The U.S. Military had special privileges so soldiers could enjoy hunting. I lived on the economy. At that time a German citizen had to go to school for 6 months to get his hunting license. The military personnel were speed-ed up to one month. My landlord who has lived there all his life told me "I have not been able to do what you are doing and I live here". Before I could hunt I was told not to come in blue jeans. Green or grey only. I was told you are not allowed to shoot a trophy animal. You must earn this right by first harvesting that game which is inferior. The forest myster is with you at all times. You will not be allowed to jump from you hunting seat and rush to see the game. You must give utmost respect for the kill. You will place a green leaf branch (broken off and not cut from the nearset tree to the kill) and place it in the animals mouth. Its call the "letzter Bissen" The Last Bite. Another branch will be placed on the animals left side. You will give a moment of silence and thanks to this animal for givings its life. They are very serious about this. No laughing is allowed during this ritual
I learned a lot about not taking game for granted there and when I came back to the states. I going to use the last bite ceremony in any of my future harvest.
You must respect your harvest its only right.
We all have our way.
I am not into the letzer bissen ritual, but neither do I whoop and hollar and pump my fist, or shout "I smoked him" or some other vileness.
I just killed a critter, took its life, not for joy or fun, but because it is what I (we) do in life.
I am quiet, introspective and do what I need to do.
I also have a thing about butchering and caring for my critter. I was asked about that and told " you can afford to take that to the processor and not waste your time".
I don't think so. For now, I have the money, but. . I feel that it is an important part of my ritual. . field to table. I have to make the time.
We just made and smoked a bunch of sausage over the weekend. Mmmmmm
ChuckC
Wow. That's quite a contrast to the whack 'em and stack 'em mentality displayed by a lot of hunters here in the States. We could learn a thing or two from our German brothers. Thanks for posting that.
I will admit to some celebrating when an animal is down...but it is ALWAYS heartfelt and dignified. There has been many hugs and high five and tears.
I have asked for devine intervention when a blood trail petered out, and asked for help from family and friends who have walked on.
As ChuckC said (and said well) "we all have our own way"
Respect indeed...you will find much respect here on Tradgang.
Sidebuster, I spent somewhere around 20 years there. Got to know the forester where I hunted most of the time and had free rein to come and go as I wanted. If I shot something I went by his house. If not, I showered and went in to work. I really learned to enjoy the German traditions. I screwed up once and then it was a big one. I had permission to take an old buck that was known to frequent a very small area. Almost had a shot at him a couple of times, but not quite. One day at first light I saw him slipping along a ditch. He stepped clear for a minute and I dropped him. Turned out it wasn't the old one, but a 2 1/2 year old that would have been a real gold medal buck in another 2 years. Same horns, but as soon as I got up to him I knew I'd screwed up. The forester said he had no idea what this young buck was doing so far out of his normal territory and not to feel too bad about it. Collected the old one the following year and have their horns on the wall now. Lots of great memories.
interesting for sure. very much like my own personal
ceremony where i thank the deer for giving me his life and I place some tobacco on his side to send him on his way.
QuoteOriginally posted by sidebuster:
Sometimes we take our hunting for granted as well as the game we harvest. I have always tried to give a small ceremony of thanks to the fallen game. I would place my hand on the animal and to show thanks for his presence.
When I lived in Germany I was educated in doing this since there is so much ceremony and customs when you hunt in Germany or in Europe. The U.S. Military had special privileges so soldiers could enjoy hunting. I lived on the economy. At that time a German citizen had to go to school for 6 months to get his hunting license. The military personnel were speed-ed up to one month. My landlord who has lived there all his life told me "I have not been able to do what you are doing and I live here". Before I could hunt I was told not to come in blue jeans. Green or grey only. I was told you are not allowed to shoot a trophy animal. You must earn this right by first harvesting that game which is inferior. The forest myster is with you at all times. You will not be allowed to jump from you hunting seat and rush to see the game. You must give utmost respect for the kill. You will place a green leaf branch (broken off and not cut from the nearset tree to the kill) and place it in the animals mouth. Its call the "letzter Bissen" The Last Bite. Another branch will be placed on the animals left side. You will give a moment of silence and thanks to this animal for givings its life. They are very serious about this. No laughing is allowed during this ritual
I learned a lot about not taking game for granted there and when I came back to the states. I going to use the last bite ceremony in any of my future harvest.
You must respect your harvest its only right.
I agree completely! :thumbsup:
(http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff241/waiting4fall/tgpic1-1.jpg)
Different strokes for different folks. Nothing wrong with a little respect. Thanks for sharing.
Always show respect and give thanks, in your own way.
I absolutly hate that "I just smoked him" phrase with a damn passion. I don't understand how all the television hunting "PROFESSIONALS" can act the way they do and they are the "rolemodels" for young hunters across the country. I was just talking about this today. There was a bowhunting show on the sportsman channel and there was some joker on there talking about a huge nine point he has been seeing. He had all the usuall pictures from trailcameras of the deer eating out of a four foot circle and a foot deep of whatever bait he was endoursing. He was doing the typical prehunt interview and it was so sad he was talking about it and he said I'm going to go out here and see if I can match witts with him and the very next frame was of him checking not one but two cameras on the same tree. Showed him getting in the stand as he was saying we've seen from the cameras that he has been coming through here regularly. The cameraman showed the area where he was hunting and there set another huge pile of bait. Low and behold here comes the nine point straight to the stuff and he shot it. I just don't get it how people can be proud of that.
I generally smile, thank God, thank the animal and honor its death by using every morsel I can eat. I just ground up about 20 pounds of burer this weekend from last year's kills and also made some sausage. Even then, I was thanking God for the bounty of His creation.
sidebuster, thank you!
I was taught to do the "last bite" with a hemlock sprig by the leader of our gun hunting group (the father of a college friend) in 1980 and have kept it up. I still do this, after giving a prayer of thanksgiving to God and a prayer for the deer's sake. The deer gets a sprig and the hunter gets another dipped in the blood and worn in his hat brim for the rest of the hunt; or at least back to home. His last name was Bristol - hardly German - but it could have been passed along from who knows who in his past.
Note the sprig in this year's doe's mouth. This, for me, was deer #39 and, amazingly, EVERY time I have shot or arrowed a deer there has been a hemlock tree within a few yards. I just find that interesting.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Stumpkiller/Bowhunting/HPIM2650.jpg)
Another tradition, that I think is brilliant, is that you do not clean your fist deer. Someone else always did that in our group for a newcomer. Seeing as how usually the first timer was shaking like a leaf this was a great plan. And then they always had a demonstration for how it should be done.
In my part of the world the native hunters would remove the lower legs bundle them with red cordage or yarn and put them in the crotch of a tree... I adopted this ritual and have done this for a long time... Also, I usually take just a moment of respecful silence when I arrive on my kill. Thanks for this thread. I don't think this kind of thing gets shared enough. It is a heavey thing to kill another creature and then eat it. Many hunting cultures get it. I'm glad to see so many in the tradbow world show this kind of respect.
A mixture of emotion for me............satisfaction, gratitude, no jumping up and down, no break dancing. My son and I hunt a lot together and we often exchange a hug of reinforcement-never even thought about whoops and high fives. Let the work begin.
I am happy when I kill an animal, because I worked hard for it. I've seen many hunters who show up to ranches they reserved and paid for the year before, shoot an animal with a rifle, take a few pictures, and then never see the animal again till it arrives at their home from the taxidermist. I respect my kill because I took it's life for my use.
:thumbsup: Good stuff.
Amen to what John and Bjorn said.
I thank God for his blessing . I respect the animals life I have taken by enjoying every bit of it to the max. I do not kill just for the fun of it. We should respect all life. Butttttttttt,. I worship the creator. I respect the creation.
God bless you all, Steve
I give thanks to God for his blessing. When you have the attitude that your harvest is a gift from God you cant help but treat it with respect.
If you really want to be blessed take some of the meat and donate it to shelter or other program. Ground venison is best because they can use it in chili or stew and make it stretch farther. In states with high bag limits you might even consider donating a whole deer. Many states have programs with processors to facilitate this. It also raises our image with the non hunting public.
QuoteYou must respect your harvest its only right.
The only way? For some maybe.
I harvest my tomatoes. Is there a ceremony for for respecting them also? I kill animals to eat - been doing it since about the age of 5 on the farm and then the woods. Nothing mystical or ritualistic about it. I respect them in that I strive for a quick clean kill. Then the work starts to properly prepare them for the table. There is no ceremony needed for me to do what I do.
I don't whoop and holler, and I despise the "wack em and stack em" mentality.
I don't have any set "ceremony", but coming upon a deer I have killed is a quiet moment.
As an aside....I try and remember to thank God for more than the kill. I thank the Lord just for the opportunity to be out there.
...I just lay my hand on its warm body that will soon be cold. There are many thoughts at that moment. Then its time for work !
I agree with Sixby.
Last bite and oak or other nearby leaf in my hat. Hand on the deer and reverent reflection. Its not the only way - just the right way for me.
I was stationed in Germany from 84-87 in Kitzingen and fell in love with European style hunting. I took Chamois in the Alps on the Austrian border--Sound of Music views! I took Red Stag and Fallow deer near Fulda. Because I was fluent in German I also developed relationships with two state Forest Meisters and had free run of both places for quota Roe deer and Wild Boar. I three years I shot more than a dozen boar and as many Roe. I'd call and talk to the Forest Meister the night before I headed out and he would tell me where he or forest workers had recently seen deer or boar and made suggestions as to where I should sit. If I shot something I brought it by the office for weighing and I always purchased the meat (the state owns the meat) and took it back to my little village and sold it to either the local butcher (Metzger) or the local Gasthaus owner. I was the only hunter in a town of about 900 citizens and Germans are kookoo for cocoa puffs for wild game. So I was a local hero for bringing some in to the town--my wife and I drank for free alot. My landlady was a genius game cook and as the hunter I always had the rights to the liver/heart etc. I'd always bring that to my landlady and she made the most unbelievable WIld Boar Liver you ever tasted... Selling of game meat is completely legal as long as you have a hunting license.
Roe deer season runs from May until January! There are no bag limits. Instead the German's have a quota system and each forest knows its carrying capacity and estimates current population. Based on that they develop a shooting plan and its specific as to how many does, young deer, inferior bucks and mature deer must be taken each year. Pigs are shot on sight without regards to number as they are too prolific. I shot three one morning!
The hunting and amount of game in Germany was superb!
Cool thread. I have only killed a few hogs, still waiting for my first deer on bow. But am glad to see I am not alone in respecting and honoring the animal. I usually have just had a moment of silence and reflect on the hunt (kinda like a life flashing before your eyes moment) and thank the animal for being.
great thread, thanks for bringing this up.
I also have a great dislike for the whoop and holler, fist pumping, i smoked him attitude, then they will go straight to the animals horns and show 10 diffrent angles on them.. like the deer its self means nothing.
personally,after a kill i have a quiet moment,give thanks to the animal, then respect the meat the best I can by doing my own processing etc..
not sure I agree with the word Harvest when it comes to killing animals. unless in some way we are referring to what God has placed here for us. Harvest to me brings up images of pay to hunt high fence operations.. where the owner has basicly grown that animal for some rich or lazy dude to "harvest" them using a weapon of choice rather than a combine as a farmer would his cash crop..
I sit quietly for a few minutes and thank God. I remove the heart and bury it nearby.
My upbringing where hunting is concerned was not based on a religious ceremony surrounding either the animal or the kill, rather I was taught that hunting was a way to acquire food for the table. There was never any celebration of the kill or offering of prayer to the animal although there was grace offered to our God before each meal. I have never understood the excitement (real or not) of many hunters nor the seemingly religious ceremonies directed to the food just killed. It is just a necessary step in obtaining animal protein whether I personally do the killing or pay someone else via a grocery store. I have been killing my dinner for as long as I can remember either in the wild, in the barnyard or chicken coop.. I will admit to a taste for wild meat as opposed to farm/ranch raised although my wife doesn't share the same..
As for speaking of the act of killing a food animal for the table as harvesting something, I supposed that in the greater scheme of things the word could be construed as appropriate since as a transitive verb it means to gather... But it isn't my usual way of expressing the act of obtaining animal protein for the table.
that sounds like a pagan ritual - not my cup of tea
I personally hate much of what hunting has become as the tv shows show it
While I don't worry about any religious aspect of killing an animal, I do think it's a good idea to stop and reflect on what I've just done.
I've actively sought out and killed a high order animal that was minding it's own business for reasons I have to justify to myself.
I certainly don't see anything wrong with the ritual described in the original post (in fact, I like it.) Something to make us more thoughtful of our actions.
I always place a hand on the animal I killed and give thanks to God for allowing me to hunt and kill the animal. It doesn't matter if its a squirrel, turkey, deer ect. I always give thanks. I also give thanks again when the animal is on my table ready to eat. Great thread!
I do get excited when i kill an animal with 2 sticks and a string, most of the time i do hoop and holler i feel in no way that this is disrespectful towards the animal. But i understand that others are different than me.
In my opinion, i do not "Harvest" animals, because i dont own them, i didnt make or "plant" them. I kill animals, and i wouldnt sugar coat that for anyone. But like said before "To each their own"
I learned a lot on my second deer kill. I shot a buck with a traditional muzzleloader while he was running. It was pretty close (within 40 yards) and I hit him. There was a group of us, and we hit the blood trail right away and found him still alive but dying. The other hunters started slapping me on the back and congratulating me (the buck wasn't a trophy, but he was a large, heavy 8-point). Meanwhile, the buck was taking it's dying breaths right at our feet and I was getting slapped on the back. I remember feeling awkward. I didn't like it. I didn't regret killing the deer, but I later regretted not putting it out of its misery with a shot to the head. I was going to, but the other hunters stopped me to not 'ruin the mount'. I never mounted it and I didn't want to. I just want to respectfully hunt game and eat the wild meat.
To me being excited when taking a game animal is just fine with me. Respecting that animal by reflecting on the act and making sure no meat goes to waste is the most important thing to me. I always feel a little remorse by taking his life and who knows what is in anothers heart? I believe in Germany they believe it is not humane to bowhunt so no thank you to that.
Mint you hit it dead on the head for me.
I thank God, and offer thanks to the animal for what it has provided me and my family.
I don't preform any ritual to speak of, that's just not my thing. I love hunting and have since I was a boy. I still get the adrenaline rush no matter what I'm shooting at. After the shot I try and hold my composure only to have it broke by child like giggling and uncontrollable smiling. As I make my way to the downed critter I think about the events and things that brought me to that point on that particular hunt, and usually sit down beside it and reflect for a few minutes. I always thank the good lord I was born where I was, and have the oppertunities that I have. As far as paying my respects to the animal, I figure I pay my respects to the animals I kill long before I kill them with preperation. I owe it to them to make the kill quick and clean. JMO.
To each their own I guess.
I'm overjoyed when I shoot a deer.
I haven't got one with my trad gear yet, but when I do I hope a buddy will be there beside me to "high five" or something.
I'm sure I'll give out a "YYEESSS!"
I respect the animal. I don't want it to suffer more than it has too.
I'll be happy as heck my hard work has paid off.
At that point though, I'll have committed the ultimate trespass against that animal.
In all truth, if I respected it all that incredibly much I'd never kill it.
I always thank God first for his blessing me with his creatures. I also don't get all excited and loud so that I can remain humble.
QuoteOriginally posted by Sixby:
Amen to what John and Bjorn said.
I thank God for his blessing . I respect the animals life I have taken by enjoying every bit of it to the max. I do not kill just for the fun of it. We should respect all life. Butttttttttt,. I worship the creator. I respect the creation.
:thumbsup:
I realize that without God's blessings, I wouldn't even have the health or strength to draw a bow, or pick up a rifle, so he gets all thanks for every animal taken, and even for all empty trips, I still enjoy his creation.