Great write-up. Much like mk, I don't love meat enough to hunt. But I love to "go hunting". I've got an avid hunter/outdoorsman for a brother-in-law. I love waking before dawn and going out in to the mountains and stalking the elk. There's nothing like it. I usually scout with him - I've not been with him when he's pulled the trigger (but did help him pack it out once). I love bugling in the elk. There's nothing like being surrounded by 50 or so elk and them not knowing you're there.
I really am excited for the elk program in Missouri to take off. Elk were native to this area, but are now extinct due to, ironically, over hunting. Now the Department of Conservation is bringing them back to help wildlife develop a more natural eco-system which later leads to bringing apex predators back. My prediction is that wolf programs will be meager and that hunting will take up the slack, so by the time my son is hunting (if he wants to of course) he may be able to take elk responsibly. I agree that being in a wild animals home undetected is a strangely powerful exhilaration. It's like spying on someone and feels amazingly natural. There is a part of my humanity that misses being wild surely.