My dad has been bow hunting and black powder rifle hunting for my entire life. he only uses primitive arms because he says “it’s called hunting, not killing” and advanced weapons make it unfair. Most years he gets one or two deer. Some years he gets none. Sometimes he just sits in his tree and watches nature and doesn’t even pick up his bow. Sometimes he gets incredibly emotional when he gets a kill.
A few years ago I learned how to tan the hides because I’ve always wanted to, and because he was becoming more and more passionate about not wasting any part of the animal. You can do it with simple chemicals or you can use the animal’s brain!! (Unrelated fun fact, every mammal except the squirrel and the bison have exactly the right amount of brain matter to tan their own hides!)
I think it’s great if you’re doing it respectfully and consciously, and abiding by local conservation guidelines.
This is mine too. Pre covid, my thought process was “I’m young and healthy and have had the flu twice in the last 15 years, I’d rather save the shots for someone who needs them, not me! I’ll just keep working my retail job and going to school even if I’m a little achey and sniffly, I can tough it out!”
Now I get them both every year. I still kinda feel like I’m taking a shot away from someone who needs it more, but I’m just trying to do my part!