celebrate - and not entirely in the way you're thinking.

The first elk I ever killed was when I was 17, I'd hunted elk every year since I was 12 and never even gotten a shot. After 5 hard days of hunting (via horseback in the back-country, not "road hunting") I finally killed an elk. It wasn't a monster bull, it wasn't even a bull at all. I shot a cow elk. But, it was the culmination of YEARS of work and dreaming and I was in the mountains with just my Dad who was the one who taught me to hunt. I celebrated.

My celebration wasn't because I ended a life (or because it made me feel powerful/pick your cliche), it was because I'd finally accomplished something difficult that took me years to do. Who doesn't want to celebrate after accomplishing something hard?

Again, not all hunters are the same. Anytime you have a large group of people belonging to any category you're bound to have some who are idiots. And hunters are no exception. And even in the hunting arena you have people who celebrate in different ways and those who look down on any who celebrate at all.

For me, even after harvesting lots of animals I don't revel in killing and never have, but I celebrate accomplishing a goal/being outdoors/aiding in conservation. I don't limit my conservation efforts to hunting alone - I've donated lots of hours to trail improvement, construction/fencing projects and lots of other service opportunities. That's just me.

Lastly, I LOVE wild game. I love food in general.
Tonight was leftover antelope steak.