I've been following the board here for a while, and it seems like everyone is a good person and there is lots of knowledge out here, so i feel pretty safe in asking this and hope it doesn't backfire on me.
With the end of deer season, it seems many are still out trapping and hunting. But as I read through the threads I can't help but ask myself one question, and I really hope I don't offend anyone here, but why do some want to kill an animal such as a wolf or cougar?
Now, when I say that please don't let the ambiguity of the internet get your dander up. I'm by no means judging or putting others down for what they do. While I don't think it's for me, it does't take away any of my freedoms and it's legal, so I don't entirely care what you do in your spare time. But I just gotta know why some do it.
What I'm curious about is the drive to do this kind of hunting, what is it about it that you love so much? What kind of skills do you get to exercise in wolf/cougar hunting that you do not in Deer/Moose/Elk hunting?
What about after the kill? Can you eat cougar or wolf? Are the pelts sold and if so, who buys them and what do they go for?
Is this also a good wildlife management aspect? Less cougars/wolves mean more deer?
I really hope that I don't tick anyone off, as that's not my intent. I'm just trying to figure out why people hunt these animals.