question!? :)

[sparks19]

My point is not anti-beer. My point is that the hunters that I know brag that they hunt to thin out the deer due to overpopulation, to save vegetation, etc. But if they drink beer even after the hunt, then in my estimation, it goes under the category of sport and not for any altruistic reasons. And even if they don't drink beer, it still is a sporting event to them. I don't speak for hunters and I don't speak about all hunters. I speak merely from my experience of knowing and talking to hunters, both male and female. Without exception, they have not made their case satisfactorily to me that they do it for any reason other than fun. I do not think that hunters are bad people. The hunters that I know are also good, hard working people. That doesn't negate the fact that they hunt for sport and the deer heads mounted on their walls speak volumes about their motive, certainly louder than their protests that they do it for the ecology.

i see your point ... but I don't really care about their reasons... either way they ARE helping to thin out the population and curb starvation... whether they know it or not.

[jennielynn1970]

I grew up in the Pocono Mountains, and while I am not a hunter, nor will ever be one, my father, brother, cousins, grandparents (great grandmother was an excellent shot) all hunted. We ate and they still do eat venison on a regular basis.

I do not think that hunting just for "sport" is humane or ethical. If someone is hunting for food for their family, like my family did, I do think it is ok. They've hunted deer, bear, rabbit, pheasant, and all those kinds of wildlife. I've had moose and even reindeer in my past (a family I lived with in Sweden were hunters as well, and hunted these).

There is an over abundance of deer in our area. I do not like to see them hit on the highway. I do not like to see them hunted for sport. I'm not a fan of hunters who use a bow and arrow... I don't think there is enough of a guarantee that the deer, or whatever animal, will be killed quickly enough to not suffer. Not that one shot with a rifle does either, but hopefully quicker.

I haven't dated a hunter in years. Probably since I moved away from the Poconos over 14 years ago. When I do buy meat, which is not very often, I actually prefer to buy meat at the Halal market. It may seem silly to buy meat at the halal market, but I know it's supposed to have been killed according to the Muslim and Jewish way that is merciful.

[IRescue452]

I always figured hunting was better than slaughterhouse conditions. Carnivores hunting is natural, keeping thousands of cows in a pen in flatened jungle is not. So I figure eating meat from more natural sources is better than from other sources. That's just my train of thought. I ate bear meat this christmas for the first time. My uncle hunts for food, he's kinda a strange mountain man. He's got mounted heads and whatnot. There's not a large byproduct industry for the non-edible remains of hunted animals, so what else is he going to do besides discard the head?

[Genny]

I just read all this and I totally understand what Karen and several others meant when you were talking about the over population of deers. That's why the guys (my mom and dad's friends) say they all hunt and they have done it for years. Like a lot of you said you can't talk about hunters if you eat chicken/fish/beef and I also eat meat. Chicken has to be one of my favorite foods I think it's alright if you hunt to feed your family, but for the sport of it? I don't like that. And the deer heads on the walls are just so sad to look at. I guess if my dad, grandpa, uncle or brother had always hunted then it probably wouldn't bother me like it does. but then you guys bring up chickens and cows and how animals we eat are mistreated and that's terrible to think about too. If everyone else would stop eating meat I would too and I know you guys would, but that's never gonna happen, so......
anyway it was good to hear all of ya'lls opinions about this! Thanks. oh and I wanted to make sure you all know I don't have anything against deer hunters...I would never do it and I don't like to talk/think about it but I know hunters are like everyone else and some of them are probably the sweetest people in the world.. so it's nothing against them I just didn't know how to go about it with this guy...I didn't really know what to say at first. but I'll let you all know how things go later on and thanks!!!!

[Twisterdog]

i see your point ... but I don't really care about their reasons... either way they ARE helping to thin out the population and curb starvation... whether they know it or not.

I agree. Who cares if there is a deer head on the wall in den? Who does that harm? It's their home.

And, whether they brag about how big the deer was to their buddies or not, the end result is the same.

Like people who recycle aluminum cans not to save the planet and help the environment, but because they want a little extra spending money to play bingo or buy a pack of gum. Who cares?? It doesn't matter why they do it, aluminum is STILL being recycled and not put into a landfill. Why begrudge them their pack of gum? Doing the right thing for the "wrong" reason is still far better than doing the wrong thing.