Mixed Emotions!

Weird night tonight.

Wills friends dad had borrowed an air rifle to hunt rabbits and asked if Will and I fancied going with them. I used to shoot one at targets, in a mates back garden when I was a kid and Will really wanted to have a go, but killing bunny rabbits isn't really my cup of tea so we agreed to take some targets instead.

When we got there, it was good fun scoring against each other, obviously teaching the boys how to handle the gun carefully and fully supervised.

Then Curt(Wills mate) really wanted to go after some rabbits to which his dad agreed. Will got really excited and the two of them went off prowling trying to find some. To be honest the chances of them getting one would have been really remote! They made so much noise you could see the rabbits scampering into the hedge way before the boys got anywhere near them. This was the only reason I let Will carry on as I didn't want to cause an awkward situation. However, the truth is I found it really uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, I don't actually disagree with hunting them. We had permission from the farmer as they are actually pests to him. Lee also takes them home and cooks them so it's not just cruel fun. I just didn't like seeing my son so comfortable with the concept of killing a living creature. What started out as a point scoring sport became an (albeit half hearted) hunting trip.

I suppose I have double standards really, as I love meat as much as the next man. I just prefer somebody else to kill and skin it for me. I don't think I'll be going again.