My dad took me hunting as a kid. We shot one squirrel that was meant for my uncle’s stewpot. My dad said I was a good shot and was happy I would know how to feed myself (which was a part of his childhood growing up). We went a couple more times, but he always discouraged any other kills and, instead, turned it into a long walk in the woods carrying our rifles. Dad taught me to appreciate animals and to protect them even as he taught me how to be a good steward of the land by responsibly taking wildlife.
Otherwise, my experience with animals was hunting crawdads and salamanders or spending all my time wishing I had a cat or a dog.
These days, I don’t have reason to hunt and the majority of my shooting is done with a camera. My love of the wildlife we encounter or have sitting next to us on couches is enough that the shots of them have become their own subgenera of my work.