How do you feel about safari?

[Eleanors38]

9. Concerning "bravery."

Somewhere between newsreels of someone shooting a cape buffalo (highly dangerous to both shooter and animal) and Hollywood, some in the general public have gotten hold of the notion that most hunting requires bravery and courage. Most does not. Unless the animal you are hunting is a dangerous creature, the only real danger is falling out of a tree stand or heart attack; even being shot is increasingly rare.

Hunting for most people is hard work (esp for deer and ducks) but not some act of bravado, unless you make it so. I respect those who go after a feral hog with a knife; but even here, the use of dogs is required, and the pig is bayed before one moves in with a knife. Still dangerous, but contrived when a powerful revolver would do the deed.

There is a disconnect with some anti-hunting folks who see no "bravery" when shooting a deer with a modern rifle (I don't either), then try to slap on some requirement that a knife or atlatl be used. What is the objective, here? A hunter proving his gutsy bonafidas, or getting a clean and recovered kill?