Hunting Ethics Question

[Rage_A_Holic]

does anyone have any close family members horribly against hunting?

While I'm finishing University I'm living with my mom, and she is furious that I'm taking up hunting. My Girlfriend is not currently talking to me; and I haven't even gone hunting yet! A lot of my friends at school; although they don't really care.... gave me the "I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff " attitude, and then try to talk me out of it.

Whats going on?

I don't have a problem with hunting, in fact I am looking forward to it; but does anyone else have any close family/friends that are strictly opposed? Any suggestions?

[bait pile willie]

I think thats a tough one,especially in todays society.to explain why we hunt to non hunters isdifficult I believe its just something in our blood a non hunter just couldnt understand.hunters in my mind are the true conservationists,with a true understanding of nature and the out of doors.I KNOW that doesnt answer your question.

[TPM]

Ya, been through some of that. Ignore them and considor them ill-informed. Most anti-gun/anti-hunting people just haven't got a clue what they're talking about. They learned all they know about animals from the University of Disney (all animals are cute and happy and just prance around until they die a peaceful death). Most of what they know about guns they learned on the six o'clock news or from a Die Hard movie. Most of my family are non-hunters and they really don't care if I hunt or not. A couple of them are anti's but they keep it to themselves for the most part. I have a brother who is a Staff Sargeant with a local police force and he doesn't believe any private citizens should own guns. We've butted heads in the past but when it comes to something I believe in I don't take crap from him or anyone and I don't back down. It runs in the family so we just agree to disagree.
Don't ever apologize to anyone for being a hunter.

[sumner4991]

I get that a lot in the city . . .don't get it much in the country. Ask them how they get their meat. Then tell them you are going totally organic so you can be healthier. Then ask them how that cow or chicken died.


Really . . .it's more of being ignorant(I don't mean that in a bad way) than anything. The city folks have never had to kill anything to eat. They have never seen slaughter houses. They simply refuse to understand how their meat actually makes it to McDonalds. They think God put cows, pigs, and chickens on this earth for consumption and it's OK to slaughter them. However, wild animals somehow have a right to be free and we shouldn't kill them.

The only people that ask me why I hunt and I think they are sincere are vegetarians.

Good luck with your Mom and girlfriend. My wife is a city girl and she doesn't like guns in the house. She is OK with my hunting and she's a vegetarian . . .go figure. I keep the guns in the attic and the ammo in a closet. If someone breaks in . . .well, they would have to give me 5 minutes notice so I could get ready for them.

[crazyfarmer]

yes sir... my mother-n-law does not like hunters or hunting one bit. Everytime she comes over she cant look at the deer heads on the wall LOL.

But yet she promotes the hunters for the hungry thing we do here.. I always wonder, does she know how we get the deer to process. Surely god doesnt touch them and make them jump in a trailer and come here dead for us to process

most get a bad opinion of hunting in general do to a few select people that shouldnt be hunting to begin with. Around here we have probs with dog hunting. People see hunters along the road side and think thats hunting. They dont see the true hunters that are in the middle of the woods, sitting up a tree for hours waiting

[saxman]

My second oldest daughter(18) does not understand it but respects me enough to not get in my face about and I dont put it in hers.

[Grizzly Adam]

I have never, in this county, anyway, encountered an anti-hunter! There are non-hunters, of course, but most of them support hunting and understand it's role in managing game populations. There are some who don't like it personally, but I've never seen someone challenge the tradition, or suggest that we shouldn't be able to hunt, or state that it isn't necessary.

Maybe it's because this is the sticks (county pop. 4500) ... but I think it's partly southern culture too. I'm glad it's the way it is.

Once, I and the men from the four nearest houses in the area counted up our weapons ... we had 76 longarms, 39 handguns, and 13 bows!

The county sheriff once gave me a master permit-to-purchase form for handguns so I could copy it and not have to come in for one every time I wanted to buy one!

Even my gentle southern belle wife has a concealed carry permit!

Ain't that America?

[wallymax]

I gotta get in on this one. I was fortunate enough to spend some early retirement time (thats when you act like you're retired before you enter the workforce) going to school studying all kinds of wierd stuff like human nature. One of my professors was very influential and I still think about alot about things he said. One of his legthy arguements boiled down to being responsible for our actions, one of which is simply eating meat.

The bottom line was that if you eat meat, you should be prepared to kill what you eat. If you oppose killing anything, you should be a vegitarian. To pay someone to kill your big mac, then oppose any sort of killing, is being a hypocrit. The whole responsibility thing really applies.

My logic is that killing an animal should not be based on how desireable we perceive it to be. For example beef versus venision. I think deer are one of the most beautiful animals on earth, but we have long past the point of letting the world take care of itself naturally and the contolled harvest of these animals is only humane.

We've made changes to the environment, for instance eliminating nasty predators so our kids can play in our backyards, which put animals such as deer, in a situation of over population, where they would die miserably en mass, from starvation during a difficult winter, never mind crop damage and the like.

Bush wary people know from experience how cruel the world can appear to be. People who oppose hunting may have their reasons depending on their perception on how the activity is carried out.

You can only open someones eyes to how the activity of hunting (I don't like to call it a sport, golf is a sport) is actually carried out and appeal to their logic about killing. If the person's opinions are not based on logic or open for discussion, they are dangerous and best kept at a distance.

And that's all I have to say about that.

[TYE]

I really like what Wally said.

Lawrence, tell Sheena to you know what

[TYE]

On second thought, I've had lot's of girlfriends who didn't like hunting, and their parents hated it too, but I always said, they've got a problem with it, not me. So I always told them to kiss my butt, because nobody was going to stop me from doing something I love to do.

Told my doctor the same thing when he said I shouldn't snowboard anymore.


I don't actually tell people to shutup and kiss my butt. I actually explain why I hunt, why I enjoy it, and why it's not a "bad" thing. I respect it if they're still against it, but, I just ask that they respect that I love to hunt, in return. Nobody will stop me from something I love.

[BUCKSHOT]

I have met quite a few people who are against hunting!
I simply remain confident and factual about my reasons for enjoying the outdoors and wildlife!
Many people base their opinions on myth and hearsay and when a they are presented with sound and logical reasoning, I find they are either interested or at least accepting of my choice to hunt!
Stay Cool and don't sway from your choices in life!

[chris4570]

Know your facts! That way if you ever get into a debate about hunting you will never lose. You may not convince the other party(anti-hunter), but you might shed some insight to the non-hunter.

Most of us hunt edibles. Deer, rabbit, waterfowl, etc. The meat is tastey, pesticide and hormone free. And often a lot healthier than what you could buy in the grocery store. Actually, there is a store just around the corner from me that sells venison, my sister told me about it. She said they were selling small roasts, the same size I cut mine into(grapefruit), for about $40!

Invite others to try some of your edibles. I've brought venison into work for the guys who don't hunt and have never had wild game. They thoroughly enjoyed it.

My fiance doesn't agree with hunting, but she understands what it means to me and how ingrained it is in my psyce(sp?). She knows I will never stop. Just like I will never stop her from buying shoes! We all have our interests we are passionate about, I won't stop you so don't try and stop me.

[A.W]

Most people kill their food meat by proxy.

[Charlie Booze]

It's hard too trade in your MOM, but could Trade in your girlfriend, and find one that likes to hunt, instead of hunting for your girlfriend. JUST JOKING,They will come around ! Remember first things first MOM's, HUNTING, Then girlfriend's or girlfriend.

[Rage_A_Holic]

Thanks a lot guys.

We all had a long talk about it this morning. They both know they can't stop me, and accepted it out of lack of other options. they are still a bit upset; and don't like the idea, but plan to let me go.

the night before the first hunt will probably be a different story though!