Petting your trophy

[seeth07]

I've been watching a few hunting shows lately as the itch to get out myself here in about a month and there is something I haven't really noticed before that caught my curiousity and got me thinking.

Why do you think almost everyone when admiring their trophy, whether it be a big game animal, a pig, a grouse, a duck decides to pet it? Thinking back on my experiences and I think I've done it almost every time. We pet our dogs and horses so maybe it's an extension of that? Maybe its a natural sign of compassion? Maybe we are thanking the animal with a kind gesture? Idk why I do it as it's not something I've caught myself doing and thought about it before but after seeing literally almost every single person in hunting videos doing it, thought it would serve as a good topic to discuss.

 

[thomas89]

Probably some subconscious thing that helps create memory, the senses all working together to store the moment. Someone smarter than I would be able to explain it, if it’s even a real thing.

As for me? I just genuinely appreciate the critter and always love the feel of the different furs/feathers.

 

[wyoboypt]

I never pet them. The oils from your skin will cause the hairs and hide to break down faster than they already are. Mounts are for LOOKING at.

 

[p_ham]

I never pet them. The oils from your skin will cause the hairs and hide to break down faster than they already are. Mounts are for LOOKING at.

He's talking about after the shot. Not after it's been mounted.

 

[406dn]

I know that I have done it. When I've thought about it in the moment, what I was doing was making the feathers or hair lay more perfectly. It is a respectful gesture to an animal that has just given its life.

 

[JMG]

It's just an extension of your five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch). It creates memories in your brain.

 

[noharleyyet]

More a reverential reflex...never really thought of it as petting.

 

[Hunting Wife]

I think it would be unnatural NOT to use your tactile sense to experience an animal you just killed. Predators use all their senses...I think it’s just an extension of that in some ways. We are somewhat unique in that we don’t physically contact our prey until after we’ve killed it in most cases. That’s our first chance to use our sense of touch. Part of it is probably conscious for deliberate purposes, but some of it is probably not.

 

[jmveverka]

Yep, I've done it and do it regularly - though there are some early season tick covered deer that I will try my hardest to touch as little as possible.

 

[Scrappy]

Brings up a memory from another forum where a guy on there was a supper kill of giant bulls with his bow. In every picture he would be sitting on it like he was riding with the giant antlers as the handlebars. I would laugh at the dudes going nuts over his extreme lack of respect for the animal he just killed.

 

[geetar]

Beats kissing them on the mouth.

 

[mtmiller]

Beats kissing them on the mouth.

That's just sheep guys.

 

[Rzrbck918]

We are tactile by nature. It certainly helps with memories but we are naturally curious and it cements the reality of what we see/hear etc.

 

[psycho]

its like petting a new dog/cat. Building that connection in your mind. That's my guess. I would think subconsciously everyone is thankful for one reason or another to be able to get their hands on that critter so a sign of respect as well. Even when i am alone i take a minute and let the encounter sink in and that's what my hands end up doing without thinking about it, petting the fur.

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

I never pet them. The oils from your skin will cause the hairs and hide to break down faster than they already are. Mounts are for LOOKING at.

Bears are for eating.

 

[geetar]

That's just sheep guys.

More specifically a certain type of sheep guys but yes you are correct.

 

[noharleyyet]

That's just sheep guys.

There's an Aggie joke in there somewhere....

 

[Islander]

I do it for any large animal. It's a way of thanking them for the meat and the challenge. Probably deeply rooted in our evolution. Similarly I always pet my dogs when we put them down and also just before I bury them. Usually it's while thanking for their companionship over their life.

 

[Dave N]

Sometimes, but not always. Last year my whitetail doe must have wanted to pet ME as she slid over my legs on her death run!

 

[Panda Bear]

If we treat a dead Polar Bear with respect and are nice to him, he will share this with other living bears and they will make themselves available to us. If we did not show respect and appreciation to the dead bear then living bears will hide from us.

therefore, I pet them, brush them, kiss them and use them to keep us warm and feed us and of course thank them for offering themselves up to us. When we run into a Polar Bear who tries to kill us we assume he was not in on the conference call that the dead bear made that we were good people