In order for life to thrive... some other forms of life have to die. Animals eat other animals... animals eat plants... and plants may strangle other plants for space and light via plant succession.
I don't put much in stock of what 'feels' right or wrong. Rather, I follow what works. It's 'wrong' to kill animals just for the sake of killing for many reasons... among them are the squandering of limited resources for no good reason and the psychological likelihood of such a person developing into a serious threat to human life.
I like to hunt because it adds a variety to my diet, yes Doppelgaenger there is a pride issue as well (I was the one that shot the deer and was the one who prepared it... and probably will be the one who cooks it as well --- one of those, 'I worked extra hard for the food everyone is enjoying tonight' types of things), and it puts old instincts to safe use.
Do I feel remorse for the animal? Not really... because it was a prey animal... sooner or later, something else would've killed it off. The only time I feel remorse is if I didn't do everything in my power to limit the pain it felt. I respect the animal by not toying with it... dragging out its pain... or wounding it on purpose and letting it live to suffer lifelong.
Even the atmosphere of those I hunt with is rather serious... once the animal is shot and located... everyone rushes in to end its suffering --- no standing around and joking... no cruelty towards the animal. We were here to hunt for food --- nothing more. Anyone who disrespects the animal by toying with it... making it suffer needlessly... or seems to be 'getting off' on the act of killing... makes me very nervous and distrustful of them... and they would never go hunting with me again --- they're immoral and potentially dangerous.
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By saying killing is egotistical... I was referring to the person being egotistical about the act of killing... not the food they had gained from it. The emphasis is on the wrong part of the act. Someone who gains satisfaction from killing the animal without regard to the meat... or worse... kills and leaves the meat is potentially dangerous to those around them. The focus has to be on 'killing for food'... not 'killing for fun'...
If you kill for food, then it has a purpose, there are rules and guidelines to follow to keep things from getting out of control -- as it is one of our instincts to kill.
If you kill for fun, then the act is based on your emotional response, which is ever-changing... such a thing could lead to addiction... and addictions tend to grow exponentially in severity. All too easy to go from killing animals to harming people if you are allowed to kill for your own amusement.
Hunting for food is very structured... and the animal that is to be killed is respected throughout the whole process. The enjoyment is from partaking in 'old traditions'... being with friends while you hunt... and bragging rights about the meal the meat is to be used in. I don't feel much during the act of killing because I'm more concerned with ending the animal's suffering... really don't have time to wonder how I feel about it.