A Personal Gripe

[Justin Crossley]

Am I the only one bothered when hunters say they "harvested" an animal?

We aren't farmers. We are hunters. We kill the animal and harvest the meat. Why are we so afraid to say the word kill?

 

[CorbLand]

Political Correctness.

Watch at your own risk.

 

[Customweld]

IFG uses harvest for the term as well.

 

[180ls1]

Great discussion topic as word choice does play a large role in perception.

I'd love to see it debated.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

It’s PC bullshit. Most state fish and game agencies use the term Harvest as well.

 

[Geewhiz]

Hunters vs gatherers. Gatherers harvest. Hunters kill.

 

[insanelupus]

Of all the things in my life I can concentrate on which frustrate me or demand my attention, the use of harvest in reference to hunting and killing an animal doesn't even enter the top one hundred.

 

[Megalodon]

Cowardice and pandering.

 

[Skerhunter]

That and when people ask - did you catch any (insert any animal) this year?

 

[Justin Crossley]

That and when people ask - did you catch any (insert any animal) this year?

That is always funny when it happens.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

That and when people ask - did you catch any (insert any animal) this year?

Native in Alaska use that term - I can’t count how many times I was asked if I caught a moose.

 

[Huntin Fool]

I’ve never used the word harvest in that way, but there’s a lot bigger issues in this world to let something that simple bother me. And to be fair if you’re killing something for food, you’re technically harvesting it….

 

[NRA4LIFE]

That and when people ask - did you catch any (insert any animal) this year?

People at work used to ask me this all the time! My reply was always "No, I cannot run nearly as fast as a deer".

 

[Geewhiz]

And to be fair if you’re killing something for food, you’re technically harvesting it….

Technically not, unless you consider the animal your "crop" lol

 

[Speaks]

I think its lack of a correct enough specific term. I may kill a rat or a bug because its a nuisance, someone might kill some species for fun. Killing a deer with the objective of eating it is fundamentally different than killing it just to kill it.

Given that many non-hunters think we "just like killing" people searching for a distinct word makes sense. Harvest while maybe not quite correct may convey the meaning they are going for, anyone knows that harvesting an animal involves killing, we dont invite them back for tea and receive back straps as a gift. But it emphasizes the food aspect over the killing aspect.

I do get your point but I think its that we lack the right specific word and the imperfect meaning of harvest has some advantages over the imperfect meaning of kill. Around here in 95% of conversations neither word is used and "did you GET a deer" "how many grouse did you GET" is a far more common term.

Either way its not something Im loosing any sleep over.

 

[MuleyFever]

Wild game is a renewable resource that we grow and manage. We do the same with trees and crops that we harvest. I dont see any issue with using the term for deer or elk.

When we talk about fawns we say we had a good or bad fawn crop. We harvest crops.

 

[jolemons]

From Merriam-Webster

b
: to gather, catch, hunt, or kill (salmon, oysters, deer, etc.) for human use, sport, or population control

Doesn't really bother me, we all know it means killing.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk

 

[180ls1]

I think its lack of a correct enough specific term. I may kill a rat or a bug because its a nuisance, someone might kill some species for fun. Killing a deer with the objective of eating it is fundamentally different than killing it just to kill it.

Given that many non-hunters think we "just like killing" people searching for a distinct word makes sense. Harvest while maybe not quite correct may convey the meaning they are going for, anyone knows that harvesting an animal involves killing, we dont invite them back for tea and receive back straps as a gift. But it emphasizes the food aspect over the killing aspect.

I do get your point but I think its that we lack the right specific word and the imperfect meaning of harvest has some advantages over the imperfect meaning of kill. Around here in 95% of conversations neither word is used and "did you GET a deer" "how many grouse did you GET" is a far more common term.

Either way its not something Im loosing any sleep over.

Yup, I can't tell you how many people ask what I do with it after its dead.

I'm definitely not a fan of the smart ass or passive aggressive remarks some people respond with when someone is asking about the hunt/kill. Mocking people for saying "catch" or "get" is not cool.

 

[TSAMP]

I think its lack of a correct enough specific term. I may kill a rat or a bug because its a nuisance, someone might kill some species for fun. Killing a deer with the objective of eating it is fundamentally different than killing it just to kill it.

Given that many non-hunters think we "just like killing" people searching for a distinct word makes sense. Harvest while maybe not quite correct may convey the meaning they are going for, anyone knows that harvesting an animal involves killing, we dont invite them back for tea and receive back straps as a gift. But it emphasizes the food aspect over the killing aspect.

I do get your point but I think its that we lack the right specific word and the imperfect meaning of harvest has some advantages over the imperfect meaning of kill. Around here in 95% of conversations neither word is used and "did you GET a deer" "how many grouse did you GET" is a far more common term.

Either way its not something Im loosing any sleep over.

That's why I just use the word "ate". The killing is implied. I ate a solid 155" deer last year. This year I'm eating a decent one. Got a pile of deer i ate on the wall.

I don't really do this, but maybe ill start

 

[LongWayAround]

I have no issue with it. I wouldn't tell my buddies that I "harvested" a deer, or anyone for that matter, but it does have a tone of specific selection.

When state game agencies survey success rates, they typically call them something like a "harvest survey." That sounds quite a bit more professional than "kill count." When you buy a small game or waterfowl stamp in my state, you must register for a HIP (Harvest Information Program) number. It would sound silly to call that anything else.

I also think it's funny when people (non-hunters) refer to "catching." Some of them do it to be humorous, others to show their interests without feeling morbid. No problem, I'm happy to indulge.

It's only as self-righteous as the person saying it.