What do you think of hunting?

[lute]

i don't hunt. my dad is going turkey hunting later this year. i told him i'd like to see the bird, but i don't want to know all the details on how it died.

[shihtzulover850]

i don't hunt. my dad is going turkey hunting later this year. i told him i'd like to see the bird, but i don't want to know all the details on how it died.

lol i wouldn't want to either

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I think there's something weird about people who can find it enjoyable to watch something die and know that they killed it. I acidentally hit a bird with my car once and I cried my eyes out, I couldn't imagine actually aiming to kill something. That being said, I also don't eat meat. I have a big problem with certain animals being hunted- like bears and cougars, whose numbers are limited but they are not technically "endangered" so in most states it is legal to kill them. I know that many of them are picked off because livestock farmers have their own interests in mind, but wildlife also needs food and a place to live. We also wouldn't have such a huge overpopulation problem with deer if all their natural predators weren't hunted into near-extinction or driven away.

[Miss Z]

I think there's something weird about people who can find it enjoyable to watch something die and know that they killed it. I acidentally hit a bird with my car once and I cried my eyes out, I couldn't imagine actually aiming to kill something. That being said, I also don't eat meat. I have a big problem with certain animals being hunted- like bears and cougars, whose numbers are limited but they are not technically "endangered" so in most states it is legal to kill them. I know that many of them are picked off because livestock farmers have their own interests in mind, but wildlife also needs food and a place to live. We also wouldn't have such a huge overpopulation problem with deer if all their natural predators weren't hunted into near-extinction or driven away.

Exactly.

Hares used to be very common in Britain. Since medieval times they have been hunted for food, and more recently 'to keep down the population'. That's pretty much the same reason my myxomatosis was introduced, to keep down the population of wild rabbits and hares, and I think in a way that is a form of hunting. Now it's quite unusual to see a hare. And the myxomatosis virus kills hundreds of pet rabbits each year And also, since many rabbits and hares were killed, the amount of predatory birds, such as red kites, fell dramatically. Why do some people feel the need to interfere with nature?

[Cataholic]

I think there's something weird about people who can find it enjoyable to watch something die and know that they killed it.

Very well put. I have YET to meet (and I am 40 years old) a 'hunter' that didn't make me go "hmmmm....".

[BOBS DAD]

Very well put. I have YET to meet (and I am 40 years old) a 'hunter' that didn't make me go "hmmmm....".

It may very well be though Cat, that "You have" met hunters that seemed very normal to you. You just did not know that they were hunters. Because like a lot of things, most people participate in activities in moderation and are not consumed by them. I also do not agree with hunting merely for sport but I have hunted and still do on occasion. I once posted on this same subject (but was more on the theme of "hunting dog" breeds). In that post I mentioned how we (my family) hunted for food. We had no real pleasure in seeing anything die, but was more of a natural order of things. In order to eat, you had to kill and clean and process your meat. It is a bit hypocritical to eat a hamburger and think that you are totally against any sort of brutality or mistreatment of animals. It may in fact be more respectful of nature to hunt, forage and gather your own food than to rely on others to do so and pretend that your Big Mac was born a patty!!!

In my previous post I said: I am no longer a Hunter (per se), but I used to hunt frequently with my father. Growing up my father always had Beagles as he was an avid hunter. He taught us to love and respect nature. He also taught his boys to hunt. As a family, we did not have much (in the way of money) and so any game that we bagged was cleaned, processed and prepared as food. Rabbit, Pheasant and Deer (processed and frozen) sure helped to lower my Mom's bill at the market. To this day nothing makes me feel more relaxed than a brisk, sunny morning, walking in golden fields, smelling the fresh air and hearing a Beagle off in the distance howling. It reminds me of a simpler time. A time when my biggest worry "was for Christmas, what would be my toy" - thanks to Stevie Wonder for that line.

Just weighing in on the subject! Following are Ginger shots on an early morning hunt... She Hunts - I Watch and Listen!!!

[Karen]

I do not hunt deer, but do not see a problem with it, as it is a huge problem that we, the humans, have created. We hunted to near extinction all the white-tailed deer's natural predators - wolves are extremely rare back east (here), for example. I have seen deer, dying of starvation or dea by the side of the highway in upstate New York years ago. It is far less cruel to shoot a healthy animal and use its meat to feed people than to see the forest ecology destroyed, and the deer population slowly starving to death.

[Vela]

I do not hunt deer, but do not see a problem with it, as it is a huge problem that we, the humans, have created. We hunted to near extinction all the white-tailed deer's natural predators - wolves are extremely rare back east (here), for example. I have seen deer, dying of starvation or dea by the side of the highway in upstate New York years ago. It is far less cruel to shoot a healthy animal and use its meat to feed people than to see the forest ecology destroyed, and the deer population slowly starving to death.

Very well put. I agree with that. Whether it was wrong or not to kill off the natural predators, we can't change that at this point and the deer would all die of starvation if they weren't kept down in numbers by hunting. Since man has destroyed most of the natural predators for the deer population, we have to take its place or it messes everything else up too. I couldn't do it myself, but I don't mind if people do, providing they aren't doing it just to kill something, which to me is kinda sick of a person to want to do.

[Lobodeb]

I voted that I dislike it, but in truth, I dislike when it's done improperly. I totally despise bow hunting as I think you'd have to be an expert marksman to kill the animal instantly. I think the chances of the animal suffering are pretty high. I also don't like the idea of hitting an animal in the leg to wound it, chase it down as the poor thing is running for its life. But, as Glacier so eloquently put, if done properly, can be a huge blessing, especially when the whole animal is used.

I too, despise canned hunts, poaching and the like.

[jesse_3]

I don't hunt deer, but I do take Jesse up North and we hunt for grouse once in a while. I don't agree with hunting for fur, or antlers, or well, what we call trophy hunting. If you use the whole animal, and you killed it as humanely as possible, then I am okay with it. But if you think that it is okay to wound it, and let it suffer, then you should be shot and suffer right next to the poor animal. Basically, everything that has been said I have been repeating...

Steph and Jes

[Rio and Me]

I'm just going to say my opinion!
I agree with hunting if the animal is going to be used, is not endangered and if it is dont correctly!
I dont agree if it is just for fun, if you have no idea about what you are doing!
I have gone fox hunting on horseback with foxhounds, the last time i went sabatours were there and i must say how hypicritical they were, how can they be there protesting hunting is crulety when they throw nails/needle into the path of horses and dogs, shouting waving things frightening the horses and dogs, geting whipped in the face is payback!

Since hunting has slowed down (i know it still gos on), i have hit countless rabbits, pheshants (?spelling) and 3 fox's in my car, and seen thousands on the road, im not saying it didnt happen before, its just more so now its banned! fox's are more and more in the towns and MY GARDEN.
Rio has managed to catch and kill 2 rabbits (both had myxi)(fed to ferrets so they werent wasted), she wouldnt have stood a chance else!
I just think in the long term in the end they will regret there choice!
Ky
Ky

[caseysmom]

I hate the idea of an animal being killed anyhow, anyway. I also eat meat so I can't really sit in judgement but I don't like the thought of it.

[Miss Z]

I have gone fox hunting on horseback with foxhounds, the last time i went sabatours were there and i must say how hypicritical they were, how can they be there protesting hunting is crulety when they throw nails/needle into the path of horses and dogs, shouting waving things frightening the horses and dogs, geting whipped in the face is payback!

Payback? For standing up for animal rights? I did not hear about needle throwing, but the idea and shouting and waving banners is to confuse the dogs and to throw them off the scent. When I watched that programme I mentioned earlier, I researched it fully afterwards to confirm any truth in it. I find the huntsmen, in most cases, to be far more violent than the protesters. I admire the sabatours for their bravery, getting whipped and beaten up in the name of 'payback', that's no easy job, and the people go back and do it again and again. Why? Because they CARE. Good riddance to hunting, I will work with every muscle in my body to get hunting with shotguns for sport out of this country once I am old enough. I'm going to stay off this thread now I think, as it's a subject I feel very strongly about and do not want to start an arguement.