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Ankeny · June 10, 1999, 06:45 PM

This is a most interesting thread indeed. I have hunted since I was a child. In my state, hunting is a way of life. Most schools countywide close for the opening day of deer season. There are many reasons why hunting is beneficial to wildlife management. People also hunt for many reasons.

I come from a very poor family and we hunted because we needed the meat. Now, many years later, I hunt for sport (so sue me). Each year, I take my bow in hand and hunt, pursue, and kill trophy game animals. If I am not successful with my bow, I kill trophy big game animals with my rifle. If I am not successful in finding a trophy with my rifle, I harvest (I use that term because it fits here) an animal targeted by wildlife managers for reduction in numbers (depending on the buck/doe, bull/cow ratio) and then I donate the meat to needy families. I pay for the meat processing and any other costs.

After big game season closes; I hunt upland birds and waterfowl. In the summer I hunt fish. Just today I killed six nice walleye and they are in my refrigerator. Tonight I will deliver the walleyes to a neighbor lady who loves to eat them. Her husband passed away a couple of years ago and she only gets to enjoy fresh fish when someone brings her some.

I make no apologies to anyone for hunting. Why I hunt is my personal business and I do not feel compelled to justify my actions to anyone. I know many people do not understand “why we hunt” and that is fine. Likewise, I don’t understand why anyone would live in a town with over 5,000 people in it or drive down 4 lanes of traffic like a bat out of hell bumper to bumper. To each his own.

June 10, 1999, 06:45 PM	#33
Ankeny Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 1998 Location: Shoshoni, WY USA Posts: 556	This is a most interesting thread indeed. I have hunted since I was a child. In my state, hunting is a way of life. Most schools countywide close for the opening day of deer season. There are many reasons why hunting is beneficial to wildlife management. People also hunt for many reasons. I come from a very poor family and we hunted because we needed the meat. Now, many years later, I hunt for sport (so sue me). Each year, I take my bow in hand and hunt, pursue, and kill trophy game animals. If I am not successful with my bow, I kill trophy big game animals with my rifle. If I am not successful in finding a trophy with my rifle, I harvest (I use that term because it fits here) an animal targeted by wildlife managers for reduction in numbers (depending on the buck/doe, bull/cow ratio) and then I donate the meat to needy families. I pay for the meat processing and any other costs. After big game season closes; I hunt upland birds and waterfowl. In the summer I hunt fish. Just today I killed six nice walleye and they are in my refrigerator. Tonight I will deliver the walleyes to a neighbor lady who loves to eat them. Her husband passed away a couple of years ago and she only gets to enjoy fresh fish when someone brings her some. I make no apologies to anyone for hunting. Why I hunt is my personal business and I do not feel compelled to justify my actions to anyone. I know many people do not understand “why we hunt” and that is fine. Likewise, I don’t understand why anyone would live in a town with over 5,000 people in it or drive down 4 lanes of traffic like a bat out of hell bumper to bumper. To each his own.