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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2010 20:35:52 GMT
Disclaimer: The following contains content that might not be suitable for all readers.
So earlier today I was at a friends house and we were merrily cutting a slew of water bottles. This was his first time with a battle ready sword other then a rapier he had purchased many years ago but only kept it on the wall.
So we had gone through most of the bottles and were doing the "wrap up" chit chat about form and what kinda cutter he was thinking of getting. One of his neighbors had come up to his fence and said "Hey, come here, and bring your sword."
So I thought, "Cool! She wants to see the swords up close." Then proceeded to walk over, naked sword in hand.
She then informs me that one of the neighborhood dogs had been playing with a baby rabbit and had left it to die. I knew what would be asked of me next, and I simply inquired as to where the rabbit was. I walk over, sword heavy in hand.
So I find the rabbit, it's small chest rising and falling weakly. I knelt down and took it cleanly through the center of the skull. Unfortunately, I did not know the after effects of a violent death and didn't know if the spastic leg movement was normal. I had feared that I might have missed it's brain, so I brought another blow down landing it on it's neck. It's legs still moved, but I was sure that it felt no more pain.
I have never taken another life in such an intimate manner before.
My friend made a comment about tasting the dark side and I retorted something to the effect of a mercy kill being light side. But after the whole thing was over, I was kinda pissed.
Had I known that the lady needed me to dispatch a wounded rabbit, I would have brought my 24" latin machete that I keep in the car. My VA 303s now has a few shallow nicks in the blade from the gravel underneath the earth.
So the lesson about owning a weapon and being prepared to use it hit home today.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2010 20:48:09 GMT
I've had to put down sick and injured animals before. It's not an easy task. I don't envy you the experience.
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Post by sparky on Apr 26, 2010 21:08:28 GMT
I feel your pain Greg, just know that you did the right thing. I hit a fawn once brush hogging a field, the hardest thing in the world was doing the right thing.
It's weird but have a +1 from me.
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Dom T.
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Post by Dom T. on Apr 26, 2010 21:49:31 GMT
Ugh, not to sound like a selfish bastard, but I would not use one of my swords, especially not a nice one. I agree that you should have gotten your machete. Why didn't you go get it after hearing that she wanted something killed? Well, that's me, anyways. It's always me first for me. I do appreciate what you did. Killing something isn't something I want to do any time soon. Must be why I don't like hunting. +1, for granting that rabbit a swift and honorable death. I was scared this was going to be a backyard cutting accident horror story.
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Apr 26, 2010 21:56:04 GMT
Responsibility is frequently grim. I might go even further than that, and say that almost definitionally, responsibility is grim. Responsibility means making hard choices, and sometimes the choice will be the wrong one. I don't think you made the wrong choice. I think you made the right choice: ending the suffering of a "poor dumb brute."
I'm sorry you had to do it, but I'm glad you did it.
I've put down several suffering animals. The hardest one was a squirrel I saw that had been squished in half by a car. There was no way it was going to live, but there was no telling how long it was going to take to die. I lined up my car---including getting out and checking to make sure it was completely aligned with my left front tire---and killed it. That still bothers me. Yeah, it was "just" a squirrel. I've shot a few deer and a few pigs, but that squirrel still bothers me.
The world isn't what it should be, and never has been.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2010 22:01:26 GMT
This illustrates in a modern way the grim reality of swords. we romanticise them a even put off or belittle they're brutal truth by "fun cutting" bottles and limb realistic tatami, but still they're reality remains. Kudos to you for doing the right thing.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2010 22:04:44 GMT
Been there man and its tough.But you did the right thing.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2010 22:13:00 GMT
Thank you for sharing that. It gives something to think about.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2010 22:36:15 GMT
Well, I wouldn't have agreed to something like that, but that's due to personal convictions. I don't take lives, and I don't believe in mercy killings.
Milage may vary, I suppose.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2010 23:12:13 GMT
Yeah its a funny thing really, it's sorta fun and games until blood is shed. No you did the right thing and hey its a good thing you were around with a sharp blade to give the rabbit some peace better then the little thing dying painfully for ages. I've only been there when my vet puts my dogs down never had to do it myself. Yeah accurate, swift de-capitation is often the best route with a sword, at least seperates the head from the trauma so the last moments are pain free. Nah good stuff .......... yeah machette from the car but hey you use the tools you got
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2010 23:43:47 GMT
For having not done this before you acted wisely, through the skull rather than decapitating. Yes I know the muscle movement after death is quite disturbing. That old saying "like a chicken with its head cut off" is quite true. Snakes can do much the same decapitated yet flailing about. I know because I gave a swift death to a 4 foot rattler who had been run over. I took the proper tool for the job a madock (pick axe), and that was your only mistake made. You used a blade you would not want to be damaged. The machete, or moving the animal to a place without gravel would have been better. I do understand though, when faced with these things you don't think till after. It is ok, I am sure you will be able to get the blade sharpened up.
To be honest people often are too seperated from death. We eat meat but really don't know how a cow or chicken goes from alive to dinner. Our exposure is all too often just through TV and movies. This is a great issue with out war Vets returning. They know average people can not relate to what they have seen. As it was mentioned this story brings a small piece of the grim reminder of what a swords intended purpose is, to kill. It is not glamorous, or romantic, it is sad, grusome, and done out of nessesity.
You did right for helping the poor rabbit to its death and you should feel proud of your action and personal sacrifice for the sake of the rabbit.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2010 0:23:05 GMT
I agree that you should have gotten your machete. Why didn't you go get it after hearing that she wanted something killed? Well, the fence was on the opposite side of the yard as my car. As soon as I knew what was going on, I didn't want the little guy to suffer any longer then needed. And going through the skull wasn't a choice, I was aiming for the neck. I'm not terribly distraught over the event, I just never thought I'd have to use my sword to take a life. But thanks for the replies. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels like a mercy kill is an act of compassion.
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Major, Cory J.~
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Post by Major, Cory J.~ on Apr 27, 2010 0:37:29 GMT
Hmmmmmm.... Guessing you didn't grow up in the country? I can remember shooting squirrels (chewing our wires, and getting into the attic), Partridge (mmmmm, tasty!), raccoons (hit by cars, and such.), Porcupines (pests), and helping my uncle on his farm, remove whole litters of kittens from the property (lets just say they didn't get adopted) all before I turned 14. Then when I shot my first deer, I had hit it quite low (pesky 30-30) in the gut, and it was down, but suffering, I wanted to shoot it again, but was told NO, by my father. So I had to take out my buck knife and do the ol' slit of the throat (only took bout 30 seconds before she went.) I even had to shoot my neighbors dog too, after he had been hit by a car.... (still gets to me sometimes, first time I had to kill something that I had actually had feelings for... good lil' Copper... ) Now being a Chef and taking a tour of a local slaughter house, I really understand how food goes from chewing cud, to being a Prime Rib steak. I have a whole new appreciation for the process and make sure that that cow (or whatever I am working with) doesn't go to waste, I will use everything that gets shipped to me. I just can't bare to see waste with any type of meat. I do understand your pain, you did do the right thing (other then the sword bit, but still how many people can say they killed a rabbit with a sword?). Cory J.~
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2010 0:48:12 GMT
You did the right thing there... but if I may suggest... things like this are why I always carry a large, inexpensive folding knife. I've never used a sword to take a life (except for that one bee), but I've used plenty of knives to that effect.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2010 0:51:37 GMT
plus one from me for doing the right thing.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2010 1:13:39 GMT
But did you cook it? Tan the hide?
Please tell me you didn't let it go to waste...
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Avery
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Post by Avery on Apr 27, 2010 1:17:01 GMT
I too grew up in the country, so to speak. Can't really recall, nor do I want to, how many animals I've dressed from start to finish. It's a way life here. But I'll say this Greg. When I was a young kid I heard a rabbit scream. Worst sound I ever heard. I don't if it was because I was young, or if it was something else. But I wont allow rabbit hunting on my property, nor will I kill a rabbit. Even if it's eating in my garden. I guess I say that in order to say you did the right thing. As hard as it may have been. You have my respect; but trust me, if it screamed thats a sound you'll hear for a very long time. But did you cook it? Tan the hide? Please tell me you didn't let it go to waste... Baby rabbit, you can't be serious man.....
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2010 1:17:54 GMT
killing your first creature is definitely a sad thing... I remember my first time...
BUT, look at the bright side of it, that rabbit probably suffered for about 20 seconds, as opposed to hours and hours otherwise...
that and it gets easier from there...
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2010 1:24:27 GMT
She then informs me that one of the neighborhood dogs had been playing with a baby rabbit and had left it to die. Ah, yes. I missed that word. In that case, I'd probably have tossed it in the pressure cooker for the dog food and tossed the scraps of hide. My stupid dogs have to have specially cooked food. They're allergic to the commercial stuff.
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Post by Brendan Olszowy on Apr 27, 2010 1:50:02 GMT
Greg - Yep it's an awful feeling to face and feel death like that. We're so sheltered from it in this society - it's taboo. I'm sorry mate. Ive had to do it too, and do it in prayer to help the little guys. Obviously you come from the right place and yes it's a loving mercy you allowed not a dark thing at all.
Avery - I feel you. I'm a rural type too and when I was a little kid I went rabbit shooting with my dad once, which my older cousins were doing. He shot a rabbit with his shotgun and didn't kill it. We went up to it and there it was suffering. He told me to smash it's head in with a rock. Well, quick to the end of story I was disturbed, crying, and never went again. A couple of years later I remember playing swords with a cardboard tube on the lawn and a butterfly was flying past and I thoughtlessly used it as a target and hit it immediately, and then regretted using a living thing as an easy target. When I was in my late teens I was air-rifle target shooting with a friend and as I was such a good shot they said ' I bet you cant hit that bird' - and I asked them if they really wanted me too, and I stupidly did, and killed the bird, and we both felt awful. Bottom line is it's far too easy to kill animals - I'll never again use one for my own ego building. Now I help animals and love it. It took me those few experiences to help shape me into my correct path.
T- Yeah real food for for dogs and cats for the Win. I don't understand giving dogs that commecial crap. IF we ever have to buy tins cos we run out of real meat for them we call it McDonalds. It is nasty semprini, full of god knows what additives. They are all allergic to that stuff. If we feed it to our dogs their eyes go red, their breath and farts reek.
We get freshly bagged diced Kangaroo which we fill the chest feezeer with, which is culled from stations (ranches) up north. It's just straight up meat chopped up and put in a bag, no additives. Some places add Beef if they're low on Roo which we avoid, beef isn't a good dog food.
We don't cook their meat often, but I do know that it helps their digestion of vegies if you boil the semprini out of them first. Once a week we make our dogs a pot of vegies to mix with the meat through the week. It'll be everything you can imagine putting in a vegetable soup, plus we add Oats or Rice for cereal content, and we add gravy powder to make it tasty and to congeal it so we don't have to toss any of the water. Yum Yum Yum. Yep our dogs eat better than my sister does that's for sure. But we don't cook their meat... Have done in the past though...
We give them that mix for breakfast. For Dinner at night we give them a Chicken carcass which we get from 'Lenards Chicken' which is a franchise butcher that just sells chicken creations - raw cook them yourself style. They sell crates of 30+ raw carcasses for $5, so like 16 cents a serve - you can't beat that. There's always good meat on them, and we break a couple in halves for the cats.
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