Lets poke the bear...

[Mr.Boiler]

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?

[finsfurfeathers]

Can go either way for me. Days I don't kill anything well I was definitely hunting. Days I come home with dinner and in company that may not embrace a more hands on approach to gathering food stuffs could call it harvesting.
Days like this one its just easier saying harvesting wild stuff.
.DSC00064 (2).jpg

[flowerjohn]

As I have said before. Hunt kill eat. It sounds to me like there is a lot of navel gazing in that thread. I am from a a large city and I just want to convey to you my fellow hunters in the countryside. City dwellers do not give a pinch of you know what when it comes to hunting. They are way more interested in cars vacations and new green eggs (preferably larger than the neighbours'). How many of us have been questioned about hunting by urbanites? I would wager very few. Ok start jumping on me! Cheers.

[flowerjohn]

OMG fins. You didn't kill some mushrooms there did you? I'm tellin.

[finsfurfeathers]

OMG fins. You didn't kill some mushrooms there did you? I'm tellin.

feel less silly saying harvesting wild stuff than hunting mushrooms.

[flowerjohn]

Fins I am a horticulturalist and it is my expert opinion that you slaughtered that mushroom. You essentially decapitated it from the rest of its living cell structure. It lives no more but you are going to eat all that food and you are going to enjoy it ( I'm envious and don't have dinner plans ) and well you should. You are living man!

[Mr.Boiler]

...I am from a a large city and I just want to convey to you my fellow hunters in the countryside. City dwellers do not give a pinch of you know what when it comes to hunting. They are way more interested in cars vacations and new green eggs (preferably larger than the neighbours'). How many of us have been questioned about hunting by urbanites? I would wager very few. Ok start jumping on me! Cheers.

Depends on the circle of friends. I too live in the big city and most of my friends ask when they can come along. However my wife's circle of friends are a different story. University educated and very opinionated bunch of vegans. When it was found out that I hunt and that I come from a long line of hunters they looked the other way figuring it was just a phase in my life. I now use the word hunt to rattle them all. LOL!

[flowerjohn]

Depends on the circle of friends. I too live in the big city and most of my friends ask when they can come along. However my wife's circle of friends are a different story. University educated and very opinionated bunch of vegans. When it was found out that I hunt and that I come from a long line of hunters they looked the other way figuring it was just a phase in my life. I now use the word hunt to rattle them all. LOL!

Do you fear that your vegan friends are going to engage politicians to put an end to legal hunting? They may look down their collective nose at you but just make sure that you don't try to build a bigger house next door to them. Then you will have a problem. Lol. Cheers.

[blasted_saber]

What does not being your profession have to do with shying away from using the term hunter?

If it was your profession you'd be a "Professional Hunter"

The rest of us can still correctly be called hunters. If you termed me a "harvester" I would say "no, im a hunter"

[300Sniper]

I'm a hunter, I hunt. No other words for me....

The word 'harvest" to me is for farmers and their crops....

Hunter / Gatherer = Yes
Harvester / Gather = NO