Could you KILL your own food?

[Celt_Ginger]

I watched Jamie Oliver kill a lamb on TV the other night, and the next day read that it caused a flood of complaints. Jamie found it very emotional to actually kill the animal, (he cut the Lambs throat) I have killed animals and eaten them, and I have to say that I did not find it as emotional as Jamie seemed to, but then again, I did serve my time as a Butcher, and am well used to working with dead animals. It set me thinking, could everyone actually Kill a live animal, and I don't mean shooting a Rabbit from 100 yds away, but actually kill something like a lamb, or even a snared animal that you have to pick up and kill in your hands. Then gut, skin, cook and, possibly the hardest of all, eat the animal that you have just killed and prepared? Jamie Oliver said that "It's not like Sainsburys" and it sure isn't. I think that people have become very sterile, and it was good to see that the reality of eating meat begins with a death. Could YOU do it?

 

[Greywolf]

I actually got into a heated debate about this a little while back, my thoughts on the subject; Yep. I'll have a go I have mercy killed an injured rabbit that had been savaged by a dog, done the same for birds that cats have dragged in.

I reckon I could go that step further and butcher, cook and eat them. I could be wrong tho, and if I am I'll hold my hands up and admit it

anyway during that debate I had an attack of the muse and put pen to paper

Fresh Meat

You know I have just realised
What’s wrong with meat today
Its wrapped up in clinical cellophane,
And sold to us that way.
Now here is my opinion,
I warn you now it's blunt
We should do as our ancestors did
We should learn to hunt.
To track our prey and stalk it.
Deliver clean and painless kill.
We'd do it all with honour
Not to derive a thrill.
Then we'd learn to butcher,
To dress the carcass, how to skin.
Find uses for each and every part
Throw nothing in the bin.

Of course, the Government won't allow it
Us hunting for our tea.
Can't have folks knowing where food comes from
its far too 'Un-PC'!


© Greywolf

 

[pumbaa]

I am fairly certain that i could , like Grey wolf says " i have mercy killed rabbit " .
I have also skined , gutted and eaten rabbit that has been brought over by a freind who shoots .
The only thing is , when killing i feel i should honour its spirt .some how
Pumbaa

 

[Goose]

No problem, have done it with rabbit, shot several rabbit with a 4/10 so had to finish them off by hand.

Should this be moved to fair game?

 

[torjusg]

I can kill animals and have done so often. But I always have felt emotions connected to it. Regret and pity comes to me. Mostly with mammals though, not as much with birds and fish. I guess one will become a little hardned in time.

Maybe you have slight psychopatic tendensies and a general lack of empathy?

Torjus Gaaren

 

[Abbe Osram]

I watched Jamie Oliver kill a lamb on TV the other night, and the next day read that it caused a flood of complaints. Jamie found it very emotional to actually kill the animal, (he cut the Lambs throat) I have killed animals and eaten them, and I have to say that I did not find it as emotional as Jamie seemed to, but then again, I did serve my time as a Butcher, and am well used to working with dead animals. It set me thinking, could everyone actually Kill a live animal, and I don't mean shooting a Rabbit from 100 yds away, but actually kill something like a lamb, or even a snared animal that you have to pick up and kill in your hands. Then gut, skin, cook and, possibly the hardest of all, eat the animal that you have just killed and prepared? Jamie Oliver said that "It's not like Sainsburys" and it sure isn't. I think that people have become very sterile, and it was good to see that the reality of eating meat begins with a death. Could YOU do it?

Hi mate,
You touch an area I was giving a lot of thought to. At one point I decided not to accept that other people kill for me and was 1 year a vegetarian while I lived in London. I didnt manage it in the end and went back to my old ways of shopping meat. It still distresses me and wanted to pick up on it again.

One week ago I ask a Sami if I could buy a Reindeer from him. Sure he said, he thought I want to get it killed and butchered. When I said to him that I want to kill it he gave me a wired look and I never heard from him again. Lets see how that story develops, I hope to establish some trust with them so I am able to buy a living Reindeer and do my own butchering.

I dont like it as I believe they want as much to life as we do, but living up here where I live you simply cant survive being a vegetarian only. One thing is for sure I eat much less meat when I kill the animals and I have a big respect eating them.
I feel guilty if my family leaves meat over from animals I kill and I am going on and on over it that the animal gave their live for them so it should not find its way in the dumpster.

yes, I am going to kill my own meat mate.

cheers
Abbe

 

[twelveboar]

Never been a problem for me, but I did have the privellege of growing up in circumstances where animals were reared and slaughtered all the time. I was sad about Tom and Flashman the pigs I remember, but was glad to see the geese get it (sorry Goose, no offence intended) the buggers chased and pecked me every morning as it was my job to let them out.

 

[RovingArcher]

I have hunted for my food, for a good portion of my life and I have never grown cold to the fact that I am ending the life of a living being. Whether it is animal, fish, plant or even an insect. Could I cut the throat of a lamb, or any other animal for that matter? Yes! Could I enjoy it, or even get used to it? Nope! Many prayers would be said and ceremony done, no matter how simple. To kill without compassion, respect and honor for the life that I take, makes me less than an animal. Even the wolf and bear honor and give thanks for their kill, in their way.

 

[morch]

I too have finished off rabbits with mixy, and also shot rabbits, hare and pheasants and cleaned and eaten them. I do admit to feeling a little strange while cleaning them though, kinda like wondering if what i was doing was the right thing. In the end i thought that it was no worse than buying meat from asda et al and not knowing where it was from or how it had lived. Tasted good though

 

[ssj]

I could (can) do it but I don't like it. I have to be honest with myself and say that an animal dies when I eat meat, I need to have the character to do it myself. Otherwise I will have to become a vegetarian. The key for me (one that doesn't help the animal much) is to honor the kill and not waste it. Also, do not kill without need.

I can take this one step further and state that whenever I eat, something has to die. This may seem silly to some of you but it's a fact that something has to die whether it is an animal or plant ( I may be missing some totally synthetic food made from petroleum products or whatever). Who says that plants don't hold their lives as dearly as animals do. If you say so, prove it.

The fact is that for us to sustain ourselves other lives have to end. We at least need to have the courage to understand that and be willing to end that life for good reason.

Steve

 

[Kane]

It's a sad indication of how far removed modern people are from the source of their food - praise due to JO for showing reality.

Kane

 

[Spacemonkey]

I just boiled my pasta to death, does that count??

I think this is something that Hugh F-W fimly believes in teaching too, but i suppose that Jamie Oliver get's a bigger press coverage.

Could i kill something close up to eat it? No, probably not, to be honest. I have mercy killed mixxy rabbits, but it really cuts me up. I have shot things at range and thought nothing of it, but close up and personal is another thing. I would rather see the animal alive. Funny, though, that I don't think twice about clubbing a fish over the head for the pot. This is something that I feel must be conquered, as even though I very rarely eat meat, (I'm not a veggie though) I feel that it doesn't seem right to allow someone else the responsibility of killing your dinner. I guess when you have seen as much death as I have, you kind of appreciate all forms of life...

 

[jwmagee]

Yes and I do.

I would say any life is precious and to kill and consume is what we are programmed to do through evolution. As with any kill it is a matter of respect for the animal that has died and I do think that "We at least need to have the courage to understand that and be willing to end that life for good reason". I can't say I like those who hunt/kill for fun only (ie don't eat the animal) or who show an animal no respect either during or after death.

At the moment I have a couple of pigs fattening up, and I have no doubt that I will be sad to see them go (as I have others in the past), but I am happy they that they will have had a good life and will be despatch quickly and with the respect they deserve. This is what I believe anyone with half a brain and half a heart should understand and appreciate when considering hunting/killing.

John

 

[bilko]

This may seem silly to some of you but it's a fact that something has to die whether it is an animal or plant ( I may be missing some totally synthetic food made from petroleum products or whatever). Who says that plants don't hold their lives as dearly as animals do. If you say so, prove it.

Steve

doesn't sound silly to me mate. From death comes life and sometimes vice-versa.

 

[stovie]

Could YOU do it?

Yes.

Have done on many occasions. Fish, rabbits and Deer (shot with a longbow as part of a cull). Game birds I have shot, but never with a bow (I'm not that good).

I do not hold with killing for the sake of it, which many organised shoots seem to be these days. The bag outweighs the demand for game, and much of it is wasted

But from my own point of view, if I'm hungry, and there is food in the vicinity, I'll do my best to eat it

 

[running bare]

yes i can and have. ive enjoyed the meat and the knowledge of where it came from,not some pre packaged,dyed, over salted, tampered with and god knows how old it has been stored for, supermarket commodity. dont get me wrong i buy meat from supermarkets and butchers, so i dont go out and kill my food fresh from the wild all the time, that way wildlife has a greater chance of thriving. I personnally dont have an emotional hang up about killing my own food.but each to his own, i think the hang up would be if you spent three years or whatever feeding and nurturing your live stock.then i guess one ( myself included ) could become emotionally attached. just a thought for all to muse over ; if you take a chicken to feed your family then only that one creature has given its life for several others. BUT if you take an egg for yourself then you have stopped a countless number of chickens having a life for the sake of one persons meal??

tom

soz went on a bit there :sulkoff:

 

[george]

I have hunted for my food, for a good portion of my life and I have never grown cold to the fact that I am ending the life of a living being. Whether it is animal, fish, plant or even an insect. Could I cut the throat of a lamb, or any other animal for that matter? Yes! Could I enjoy it, or even get used to it? Nope! Many prayers would be said and ceremony done, no matter how simple. To kill without compassion, respect and honor for the life that I take, makes me less than an animal. Even the wolf and bear honor and give thanks for their kill, in their way.

The same

But it costs me every time.

George

 

[wolf]

These days everything comes ready convience plasticty wrapped.
to take an animal is to take it with honour,there is a code of honour between hunter and prey,and at the end of the hunt the hunter respects this...

 

[Brian]

I have in the past killed a rabbit and a couple of chickens, skinned/plucked, prepared, cooked and eaten them. This was not something that I do regularly or particularly enjoy but under the circumstances I had to do it to eat as I was hungry and there was nothing else on the menu. Killing to eat I can do if needed, but not just for the sake of it. The problem is that to learn how to prepare animals for food they have to be killed by someone as it's one of those things that you can't really learn from a book. My brother used to be a butcher and told me how to prepare meat but it didn't really mean anything until I actually had to do it for myself. Having done it I know that I can but I probably won't do it again unless I have to.

Brian

 

[martin]

I have killed for food. Fish, birds and mammals. I have gutted, skinned, filleted and butchered. I have never done this lightly and always with respect. To me its the only way.
I believe if you can't kill it yourself you shouldn't be aloud to eat it. Take the responsibility for yourself if not become a veggie.
I also believe if you not eating it you don't kill it (other than mercy killing). I always walk around ants not over them like most folk.