What are your thoughts on hunting?

[xSilverPhinx]

I'm a bit uncomfortable with the idea of "amateurs" paying to hunt old and sick animals.  Surely that's the game wardens' job?

That's just what my father would tell me to make it seems less wrong on his part, but like I mentioned, I never really bought it. Though he wouldn't like being called an "amateur"

I can't say I disagree with the idea of hunting vermin though.

[Ildiko]

Oh no, animals should never be used for human entertainment! Or food. or research. or anything. Ever.
(FYI I am not a PETA fan)

So this sort of thing would be right out, then? 

[John Yossarian]

I think if one lives in the country and needs to hunt to survive I think it's okay. I think people who hunt for fun, and get an enjoyment out of killing animals is sadistic.

[xSilverPhinx]

I think if one lives in the country and needs to hunt to survive I think it's okay. I think people who hunt for fun, and get an enjoyment out of killing animals is sadistic.

What do you think about hunting vermin? There are a few mice in my family's house's roof that keep trying to evade every trap set up for them.

[Stevil]

As a kid I used to love roaming around the orchard shooting birds.
But at times I noticed that the birds had feelings, sometimes when I shot one, others would crowd around it in a distressed manor.
This and maturity of age has made me against hunting, certainly against hunting for fun.
Killing Rabbits, Magpies and Possums is good though.

But with regards to hunting for fun, I am against it. Playing with guns is serious business, many people get killed every year, mistaken for deer.

[xSilverPhinx]

But with regards to hunting for fun, I am against it. Playing with guns is serious business, many people get killed every year, mistaken for deer.

Reminds me of my brother, who went on a hunting trip (for birds) with my father, and fell asleep under a tree. Some people eventually came to us with him and said that they had almost mistaken the rustling he was causing under the tree to be birds. My mother was scared out of her wits when my father told her what happened. 

My brother was around 5. 

[OldGit]

Anyone who even considers shooting at a noise, where he can't see, should have his gun rammed up his rear end.

[xSilverPhinx]

Anyone who even considers shooting at a noise, where he can't see, should have his gun rammed up his rear end.

I couldn't agree more.

[BullyforBronto]

I don't hunt, but do fish quite frequently. I think that as long as one follows the regulated seasons and that the sought after species is sustainable/correctly managed there is no problem with hunting or fishing. Oh, and I'm a pretty big proponent of eating what one kills, so that, too.
For me, there is something cathartic about fishing, and I suppose it must be the same for hunting.

[Sandra Craft]

What do you think about hunting vermin? There are a few mice in my family's house's roof that keep trying to evade every trap set up for them.

I had a mouse in my kitchen once, I made a bed for it in the cupboard under the sink where it was living.

As for poorly skilled hunters making the death of an old or sick animal even more miserable, well, ideally only skilled hunters would have hunting licences but I don't see any way of guaranteeing that and between an idiot with a rifle killing a healthy, young animal or an old, sick one, I think it's better for the animal population as a whole if the old or sick one goes. 

[Whitney]

I'm fine with hunting as long as those doing it take care to be safe and to make sure their shot is clean so the animal doesn't suffer.  Ideally anything killed should be eaten otherwise it's just pointless.

Personally I'm too big of a sissy to see something alive and then feel okay eating it later.  Even fishing and eating the catch makes me a bit queasy...or at least did the last time I tried. 

[Sandra Craft]

I'm fine with hunting as long as those doing it take care to be safe and to make sure their shot is clean so the animal doesn't suffer.  Ideally anything killed should be eaten otherwise it's just pointless.

Personally I'm too big of a sissy to see something alive and then feel okay eating it later.  Even fishing and eating the catch makes me a bit queasy...or at least did the last time I tried. 

I know, I can't eat anything that reminds me of what it was when it was alive -- I feel too sorry for it.  I should just become a vegetarian once and for all and be done with it.

Didn't British hunting parties used to have servants who were actually good shots go along with the lords to kill quickly anything that was merely injured?  I wonder if something like that would be enforceable?

[xSilverPhinx]

I'm fine with hunting as long as those doing it take care to be safe and to make sure their shot is clean so the animal doesn't suffer.  Ideally anything killed should be eaten otherwise it's just pointless.

Personally I'm too big of a sissy to see something alive and then feel okay eating it later.  Even fishing and eating the catch makes me a bit queasy...or at least did the last time I tried.  

You touch on another interesting point. Most people who are the most PETA type anti-hunting will eat packaged supermarket meat without second thought on where that food came from. Veganism would be more consistent, IMO.

I had a mouse in my kitchen once, I made a bed for it in the cupboard under the sink where it was living.

You made a bed for it? Didn't you worry that it would walk all over your kitchen utensils?

Even after living in India, where the sight of mice and huge rats hoping from one fruit to another in the marketplace didn't ease these things for me.

[xSilverPhinx]

Didn't British hunting parties used to have servants who were actually good shots go along with the lords to kill quickly anything that was merely injured?  I wonder if something like that would be enforceable?

Based on what my father would say, a park ranger would go along even if to make sure that you killed the animal you paid for and not another. I'm assuming that they at least are good shots, even if the hunter is amateur.

[Sandra Craft]

I had a mouse in my kitchen once, I made a bed for it in the cupboard under the sink where it was living.

You made a bed for it? Didn't you worry that it would walk all over your kitchen utensils?

Never even occurred to me.  I was just glad it didn't seem to have any family or friends coming over.  I used to keep mice as pets when I was a teenager, so they don't bother me.