The Death of Animals: Two rationals, one result

Kumin's "Woodchucks," and Stafford's "Traveling through the Dark," are both centered around the theme of the death of an animal.  However, the two poems differ in that while the narrator of "Woodchucks," feels distant from the animals, the narrator in "Traveling through the Dark," feels more sympathy towards the animals.  The narrator of "Woodchucks," feels a "righteous thrill" as the "murder inside [him] rose."  The narrator's does not care for the gofers and indiscriminately annihilates each one he sees. One can compare him to a "Nazi," who feels no sympathy for his/her victim and will not rest until his prey is dead.  The narrator in "Traveling through the Dark" feels sympathetic towards animals and hesitates tossing the doe to the side of the road, once he realizes it is pregnant.  He feels more connected to the nature and "hears the wilderness listen."  However, despite knowing that the doe is pregnant, the narrator takes human life to more importance and ends up tossing the doe aside and continuing his journey.