Horismus (hor-is’-mus): Providing a clear, brief definition, especially by explaining differences between associated terms.
As you become more deeply involved with “hunting” you should know the difference between a bullet and a pellet. A bullet is a single projectile, often called a slug. When well-aimed it will blow a hole through its target causing blood to spurt out if a heart shot, or ooze out, if the strike is elsewhere. For example, it may blow off a leg, become lodged in the rump, or somewhere along the spine, causing a slower bleed-out and a more agonizing death.
A pellet is a lead sphere. It comes in different sizes, from bird shot, to upland game, to buckshot— which comes in different sizes, the largest of which is called “00 Buck.” Coming from a shotgun, pellets are sprayed in a lethal pattern, mutilating one’s prey, or blowing a big hole in it, if fired from close range.
Remember, if you’re going to kill animals, you should choose the right projectile. You should only kill people in self defense (broadly defined).
Instant killing is a fun thing to do, but you might want to consider wounding your prey so you can have the satisfaction of tracking it’s blood trail and finding its dead body somewhere in the woods. Imagine, wounding a rabbit and trying to find it. What a challenge, building the character attributes of patience and perseverance as you crawl through a thicket in your camo overhauls, dragging your new Remington over and under beside you.
Bullets and pellets. Vehicles of death, makers of meals: deer, squirrels, ducks, raccoons, pigeons, chipmunks (if you’re really hungry). Remember, that Bible commandment about killing is just about killing people. If there’s a season on it, it’s fair game. Unless it’s a cow or a chicken, you can kill it. Cows and chickens can be killed any time, but you, unless the chickens or cows are feral, should let the farmers do the killing. Don’t worry. You can get farmer-killed meat at the grocery store!
Now, you’re one step closer to being a hunter. Every time you load up, take aim, pull the trigger, and kill a living creature you become a better person.
Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu).
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