Defending Hunting

[Jimmyjjj]

I don't understand why I still have to defend my hunting practices. I hunt for meat. I have still never shot a deer with more than 3 points. The opposition thinks they are righteous, but they have someone else do their dirty work. Do they think that killing is easy or fun? I have yet to kill a big game animal without shedding a tear and thanking them for the value they are providing to my family.

I am met with the following:
"I buy meat at the grocery store... where it is made..."
"We make cows to eat them."
"Cows are only there because we permit them to exist so we can eat."
"Wild animals were meant to be free... not shot."
"It's unfair... you have a gun." (so the butcher with the knife is fair?")

[fordtruckin]

Just ask them which is more humane:

1. Eat meat from an animal that is processed in a factory with noisy machines, confusion on the animals part, the smell of blood and fear from the hundreds of animals about to be slaughtered, from animals that were born and lived in fenced in areas unable to roam free:

OR

2. Eat an animal that has led a relatively normal life in the wild and is killed quickly, often without any fear, confusion or adrenaline pumping through the animal before the shot is taken.

People are always going to be criticizing others for beliefs different than their own. It is amazing how ignorant people are but nothing you can do or say will change anyone's mind if it is already made up.

You could always ask them to accompany you to a slaughter house to see where their meat is "Made" and then accompany you on a hunt to show where YOUR meat is made.

[Fallowd]

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

Just ask them which is more humane:

1. Eat meat from an animal that is processed in a factory with noisy machines, confusion on the animals part, the smell of blood and fear from the hundreds of animals about to be slaughtered, from animals that were born and lived in fenced in areas unable to roam free:

OR

2. Eat an animal that has led a relatively normal life in the wild and is killed quickly, often without any fear, confusion or adrenaline pumping through the animal before the shot is taken.

People are always going to be criticizing others for beliefs different than their own. It is amazing how ignorant people are but nothing you can do or say will change anyone's mind if it is already made up.

You could always ask them to accompany you to a slaughter house to see where their meat is "Made" and then accompany you on a hunt to show where YOUR meat is made.

Well said... there is nothing you do or say to change anyone's mind

[Winch101]

Post their names, phone number and email on here . All 58,466

AO members will call or email them about their bad attitude .

They will never harass you again . I guarantee it.

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Originally Posted by Jimmyjjj

I am met with the following:
"I buy meat at the grocery store... where it is made..."

I would not waste my time arguing with anyone that stupid.

"We make cows to eat them."
"Cows are only there because we permit them to exist so we can eat."

Then they are more callous then most hunters I know.

"Wild animals were meant to be free... not shot."

They have never seen a "free" animal being taken down by a pack of "free" predators. Do they think there is a retirement home for old deer where they die peacefully in their sleep?

"It's unfair... you have a gun." (so the butcher with the knife is fair?")

And wolves hunt in packs. Life's not fair. And if I have such an unfair advantage, why do I come home empty handed so often?

ARG

[HeavyD111]

Hunters have a rep of being 3 toothed backwoods hillbillys..and the pictures and videos that seem to come out now just tie into that thought. If more intelligent people were interviewed or placed in the media it would be better, but i guess it gets a larger audience to have the lowest common denominator speaking for all hunters

[The Cook]

I always explain that so much land can only support so many animals and a well placed bullet is more humane than starving to death. If they wish to keep the argument going I tell them I butcher my own meat, who gets their hands bloody for their meat.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Jimmyjjj

I don't understand why I still have to defend my hunting practices. I hunt for meat. I have still never shot a deer with more than 3 points. The opposition thinks they are righteous, but they have someone else do their dirty work. Do they think that killing is easy or fun? I have yet to kill a big game animal without shedding a tear and thanking them for the value they are providing to my family.

I am met with the following:
"I buy meat at the grocery store... where it is made..."
"We make cows to eat them."
"Cows are only there because we permit them to exist so we can eat."
"Wild animals were meant to be free... not shot."
"It's unfair... you have a gun." (so the butcher with the knife is fair?")

You don't have to defend you hunting to no one, period.

I gave up a long time ago attempting to listen or reason with people as to why I hunt, fish etc.

Live and let live as long as it is legal your good to go. Now get back at it and fill the freezer.

[hamerdown]

I don't defend myself if that topic comes up all I say is that I prefer to harvest my own sustenance the same a farmer in the garden or them in the grocery store. I'm just not afraid to get my hands dirty.

[Ranets]

Originally Posted by Fallowd

Well said... there is nothing you do or say to change anyone's mind

x2

[catnthehat]

I haven't had a conversation lately with anyone about hunting, but i generally don't try to defend, I basically state my disgust with them!
The last one was a few years back , my sister who figured the lions and elephants were getting decimated by "trophy hunters" and the meat was going to waste.
I set her straight on that , then told here exactly what I though about people with per-conceived notions of hunting without actually researching the claims.
Cat

[HowSwedeItIs]

There was a great writeup in this month's issue of the Petersen's hunting mag, I think it was maybe a letter to the editor, but one of the issues the guy brought up about defending 'trophy hunting' (Africa and what not) was our tendency to overemphasize conservation in our response to criticism. To paraphrase him a bit: no one is dropping the tens of thousands of dollars on these hunts to 'conserve' wildlife, we do it because hunting is a fun and deeply pleasurable pastime. I think if we can try and relate how the experience of hunting leads to a deeper and fulfilling relationship between ourselves and the animals we hunt, and the land that sustains us all we'll be supporting hunting in a more truthful and meaningful way than rattling off some facts about population management

[Selkirk]

.
Tho not originally, and now not for much longer, I live in the Big Bad City. I have friends and relatives who hunt, and I have friends and relatives who don't ... and they all know I hunt and fish, religiously

The only thing is, I've never had to defend myself and my hunting and fishing habits ... ever! No one has ever complained, no one has ever challenged me. Not even a peep ... not even a whimper.

I can't relate to this thread. I feel so left out

Mac

[Huntinfishinnstuff]

I was out on a first date with this girl and we talked about hobbies and told her that I hunt. She started lecturing me about how cruel it is to kill for meat.

The irony is that of all restaurants to go to, she picked a steakhouse. Her lecture was periodocally inturepted by her shovin a bite of steak into her mouth.

Dont bother explaining. At least us hunters work hard to get that meat and remeber that an animal died for that meat to go on the plate. Good hunters dont waste meat.

Hunters are killers ofcourse just like every other meat eater on earth. The fact that a meat eater non hunter didnt pull the trigger doesn't obsolve him or her from killing thst cow or chicken

Nothing but hypocrisy

[Settle&release]

To paraphrase him a bit: no one is dropping the tens of thousands of dollars on these hunts to 'conserve' wildlife, we do it because hunting is a fun and deeply pleasurable pastime. I think if we can try and relate how the experience of hunting leads to a deeper and fulfilling relationship between ourselves and the animals we hunt, and the land that sustains us all we'll be supporting hunting in a more truthful and meaningful way than rattling off some facts about population management[/QUOTE]


X2 I couldn't agree more.
Often times people see one side of a story and are quick to react. Often times those people haven't seen anything but concrete forests as well.
Maybe the explanation of a true passion will help change their minds a little. If they have to think about it you've won.

[plmnnkoqaz]

I was talking to a girl at work the other day. She is a vegetarian and a true animal lover (her and her husband foster rescue dogs). We were talking about hunting, and while she was not really anti hunting, she is against the killing of animals. It then dawned on me, that she had not thought an animals life in the wild out to its logical conclusion.

She was astounded when I told her that animals in the wild do not die of old age.

It seemed to make an impact when I said that my bullet or arrow is a much more humane death for an animal than starvation or being eaten alive. It seemed to really change her opinion of the killing of wild animals.