Hunting

I am a hunter, and let me say that I TOTALLY AGREE with you. I actually posted a discussion myself about this very topic myself a little while ago, and not too many people responded. I haven't been hunting in a few years now due to the schedule I was keeping, but the season is fast approaching, and I hope to get to hunt this year. I hunt for food. Once I get my freezer full, I usually don't hunt anymore unless I know people such as friends or family that want/need the meat. I prefer to hunt deer. I love the meat, and you get more meat from the kill than you do when shooting say a rabbit or squirrel. It is usually a little more challenging to kill the deer, and you certainly have to work harder to get the animal loaded and then cleaned and ready for the freezer, but the amount of meat you usually get makes it worth the added effort for me, especially since it is probably my favorite wild game to eat. I do enjoy hunting squirrel and rabbits, and will likely hunt them this year as well if I get to go, but I will definitely try to get a few deer. Trophy hunting (and fishing too for that matter) is not something I agree with. If you are going to eat the kill, that is one thing, but don't kill the animal and leave the carcass to rot while all you take is the head or the antlers or whatever. There are people who could benefit from the meat most of the time, but trophy hunters are usually too lazy to do the work it would take to get the meat to the people. It sickens me when I am hunting and I come across a kill where the hunter has taken the head or just the antlers, and left the rest to rot. One of the many things I admire about the Native Americans you read about in the history book was their love of the environment and the animals. They only killed what they needed to survive...something we should all practice. There are times, as you mentioned, where killing is necessary for other reasons. The rabies and man-eating tiger were good examples. Population control is necessary as well, especially since humans have destroyed so much habitat that some animals call home. Deer and bear are two good examples of this. Population control becomes necessary to ensure the health of the species and to ensure they have enough to eat and things of that nature. Even in cases of population control, though, most of the animals taken are perfectly good for eating, so why not process those animals as you normally would and take the meat to homeless shelters or places where it is needed? As you can tell, this issue strikes a nerve with me. I have been taught to respect nature and only kill what I intend to eat unless it becomes necessary. This is why I like the organizations like the NRA and Ducks Unlimited. They promote good sportsmanship and ethical hunting practices. For the most part, I think a lot of hunters and fisherman share our views, but as in most other areas of life, there are a select few that give the rest of us a bad name.

I think it's only OK to hunt for food. If you won't have food unless you hunt, not it's OK if you eat your kill. There are hunters all around here. Every season, someone knocks on my door to ask if they can hunt in my woods. I always say no. I hear the shots from my neighbor's woods early in the morning and at dusk. It gives me chills. I think it's horrible that some hunters use high power rifles and others hunt from helicopters. That's not a sport, that's a slaughter.

First let me say, I am not for 'trophy' hunting. I was raised around hunting, and enjoyed it myself. But when we hunted, we always kept the meat, and filled our freezer, which helped with the grocery bill. And if there is no hunting, like I stated in another response, there will be an over population of deer, bear, etc. and there will be more problems then most people would be able to handle.

I agree that hunting for sport is wrong. My fiance hunts deer, and we use the meat year round for food. It has helped us out alot because when we get in a tight spot we at least know that we have meat. Some may think that it is wrong, but its the same thing as eating beef. The raise the cow then kill it. The difference the deer isn't raised on a farm. Deer meat is actually a lot better for you then beef is because it is leaner and is high in iron. Trophy hunting though just disgust me.

I embrace your opinion. I do not like the idea of hunting as well. I do not approve of the population control hunting, because we are pushing these animals out of their natural environments to build hi rises and office buildings, so where do they then have to go. I live in New Jersey, and every year there is a bear hunt. Leave these animals alone. They are roaming in residential areas now, because we as humans have taken their space and what used to be their territory is now a housing complex. Little bear cubs are becoming orphans because we are killing their mothers. I hate it, Sorry, just my opinion.

Shooting animals for sport is kinda sad, i have never hunted too and i am against it, since there is no need on doing that.

My family and I do hunt. We always eat what we kill and that is really the way it should be. Oh we have our troohy bucks hanging on the wall but those are just the hide and a plastic form. The food part of them did not go to waste. Most of the time the mount you see on the wall or a full body mount (at least where I am from)the meat was used for food.

Good day... I'm a hunter in my own rights. I believe hunting is for one's survival. It shouldn't be use to abuse animals for selfish reasons and luxury purposes.

I agree COMPLETELY with all of these comments. I think hunting is a disgusting "sport"--if you could call it that--that is utterly inhumane and senseless. You kill a large moose so you can get a pat on your back from your buddies and take pictures with the poor moose's limp carcass and antlers. BUT I also think it is just as senseless to wear fur jackets, sweaters, hats and the like. Foxes, ferrets, chinchillas and rabbits are wild animals and don't deserve to be skinned alive or electrocuted so that YOU can look STUPID wearing those expensive clothes. And by the way, have you actually SEEN a chinchilla coat? Anyone that wears one of those just looks ridiculous. Looking like a really hair polar bear. That isn't fashion. But I could go on and on and on. I'll save it for another post:)