Buck Fever

What vegans don't understand about hunting is that "Buck Fever" is better than an orgasm. Your whole body shakes from adrenaline and pumping hormones. It is the most incredible experience. Compared to that, nothing vegans can offer has even the slightest comparison of sheer ecstacy.

Most non-hunters probably have never even heard of Buck Fever. Let me explain...

In the moment before successfully shooting an animal it is normal for a hunter to get a surge of adrenaline. Then, once it is dead, and you have successfully killed it your body gets pumped full of adrenaline and positive-feeling hormones. So much so that many people report shaking from excitement and a feeling of ecstacy.

That feeling is incredibly addictive. It is a drug similar to Runner's High that marathon runners / exercise addicts get, but so much more potent because of the adrenaline combo.

It is also sometimes said that the bigger the game animal and the more anticipation involved, the bigger the release of adrenaline and hormones. Thus hunting big game animals isn't just a matter of ego or attaining more meat, it is also an addiction to the chemicals your body releases.

Over time as hunters become more experienced the Buck Fever will lessen, becoming less potent. It will still be there, but your brain will have learned how to cope with the rush of adrenaline and you won't shake as much.

This is one reason why rifle hunters might be tempted to try bowhunting or even spearhunting. The rush of adrenaline is said to be greater when trying a more traditional and challenging method of hunting. If they are chasing the feeling of their "first time" then trying a new hunting method will be like popping their cherry all over again.

Depending on geographic regions and languages there might be other names for Buck Fever. Buck Fever is pretty specific to hunting deer too, but the concept is often used to describe the same feeling after successfully hunting many other types of game.

Even fishermen report a similar feeling when catching a truly big fish that they had to fight to reel in. So the feeling is not restricted to hunting land mammals.

Back to my initial statement vegans will never understand a hunters need to hunt. The need to acquire your own food rather than relying on farmed meat or vegetables, to take responsibility for that aspect of your life. The need to hunt "the old fashioned way" as if it is a calling, a force of nature and fate that wants you to preserve part of human heritage. And lastly vegans will never understand the love of eating meat and being an omnivore. Food is like a religion. People have very strong feelings about it. And people don't change their 'food-religion' just because some other people want to convert them.

"Until vegans find a way to grow bacon on trees I guess I will keep being an omnivore."