In a recent thread found here we saw a really nice discussion of terminology and euphemisms develop.
Personally I use the term hunt. However, I am not a hunter, in that it isn't my profession. Just like I won't call myself a golfer because my handicap matches my waist size...+38. But I love hunting! Even if the season is way to short in my opinion. (Theres a subject for another day)
After the aforementioned thread I did some research and found that the term "harvest" is being used more and more in place of hunt. Even the NRA is jumping on that bandwagon. Do I hunt deer or "harvest" deer. Am I hunting or "harvesting?" Where did this term come from and why?
My thinking is that we have that term for two reasons. There may be more.
One is to reflect responsible hunting. Your "bag limit" depending on where you live can be 1, 2 or more. It reflects a responsible use of the game that was just killed by you the hunter. (Yes, hunter. You hunt game, you harvest corn...) Its not like hunting so you can mount some head down in your "man-cave"(another term that makes my skin crawl) and brag about it over single malt with your "buddies" to show how better your are they them.
Another reason for using the term "harvest" is to soften the implications of hunting to the populous. Gives them that warm fuzzy feeling. "Harvest," they ask? Then we have an opportunity to explain what we do and why. (Personally, I find this annoying because what we do is far more ethical that what the food industry does to feed the masses. "Veal" Enough said.)
So, hunt or harvest?
