The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - What Animal have you NEVER wanted to hunt?

Benonymous · March 28, 2007, 09:25 PM

What I am driving at Art, is that there is a use for hunting and that is to gather food. That is the primary use of hunting. My Mother always said "Don't kill anything you don't intend to eat" which I think is a good moral position. I have shot things I didn't eat ,ferals . There is a desperate problem in this country with feral animals cats, pigs, Rusa deer, rabbits and a host of others that while I sit here typing are multiplying and damaging the native species and environment. I have no qualms about dispatching these animals humanely (Rusa deer are good eating fortunately). So even if you call it a fair contest, stalking and killing an animal, if you do it just for that purpose ie. sport then you and I have very different opinions on what "real" hunting is. Ultimately killing animals for sport is a waste of resources. If the animal just sits and rots, even if a trophy is taken, it's still a waste in my opinion. I chose the bear hunter anecdote to illustrate waste. I was also disgusted with the "hunters" attitude. I have no argument with the concept that there is something attractive in the concept of the hunt itself, involving an "uncooperative" animal. Hunting is deeply ingrained in the Human psyche but it's a powerful motivation for survival, not sport, that put it there. And yes, it would appear that I have a narrow (focussed?) view of hunting.

March 28, 2007, 09:25 PM	#90
Benonymous Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2005 Location: NSW Australia Posts: 254	In response to ArtEastman What I am driving at Art, is that there is a use for hunting and that is to gather food. That is the primary use of hunting. My Mother always said "Don't kill anything you don't intend to eat" which I think is a good moral position. I have shot things I didn't eat ,ferals . There is a desperate problem in this country with feral animals cats, pigs, Rusa deer, rabbits and a host of others that while I sit here typing are multiplying and damaging the native species and environment. I have no qualms about dispatching these animals humanely (Rusa deer are good eating fortunately). So even if you call it a fair contest, stalking and killing an animal, if you do it just for that purpose ie. sport then you and I have very different opinions on what "real" hunting is. Ultimately killing animals for sport is a waste of resources. If the animal just sits and rots, even if a trophy is taken, it's still a waste in my opinion. I chose the bear hunter anecdote to illustrate waste. I was also disgusted with the "hunters" attitude. I have no argument with the concept that there is something attractive in the concept of the hunt itself, involving an "uncooperative" animal. Hunting is deeply ingrained in the Human psyche but it's a powerful motivation for survival, not sport, that put it there. And yes, it would appear that I have a narrow (focussed?) view of hunting.