What is it about humans that makes some of us think shooting an animal with a gun is brave or noble or tough

[MiniDoom]

Originally posted by: dahunan

Originally posted by: rdubbz420

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: rdubbz420
I?m not a hunter either, but try shooting s moving animal from a couple hundred yards away. I would bet most people couldn?t do it.

I bet you most hunters don't hit moving animals either.

FFS - I bet most people couldn't hit a dinner plate at 300 yards giving a rifle.

Fine.. shoot a moving dinner plate and then go pose with the fragments

I probably have before.

 

[yllus]

You really are an enormous sissy.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: mugs
Most people who hunt also eat the meat.

 

[randalee]

I'm not a hunter. However, I am a firearms enthusiast, so I get a little bit of insight into the whole hunting thing, from participating on forums and reading hunting threads. First of all, many hunter and the state considers it "harvesting" the animal. We all know there isn't much recourse an animal has against a hunter. Only thing they have going for 'em is their good senses (smell/hearing/instinct), and we've got the 1-up on them big time. Yeah, we use a big rifle and once you have a shot lined up, there isn't much of anything an animal can do about it. HOWEVER, most hunters subscribe to the philisophy of dispatching their "harvest" quickly and cleanly as possible. They make every effort to make the shot count, so that the animal doesn't have to suffer -- if it's going to be harvested, it deserves to have a clean kill. I've read threads where a hunter didn't make a good shot, and the animal got away wounded. The hunter felt terrible remorse and I believe a true respect and concern for the animal. He spent several days off and on, going out to look for it.
Being able to feed your family and partake of the meat you have harvested with your own hands is fulfilling. Part of a man's responsibility is to take care of himself and his family, being a steward for their needs in life. Filling that need through hunting makes a man feel great, because it wasn't just something he "picked up at the store" -- he truly PROVIDED for his family.

 

[Yossarian451]

Originally posted by: Garth

Originally posted by: Poulsonator
It takes skill to aim and hit a moving target from far away, sure. But ultimately the gun's doing all of the work.

That is an extremely naive way of looking at it. Hunting isn't just point and shoot. First, you have to FIND the animal, and even IF you manage to shoot it, you won't necessarily always kill it instantly. Then you have to track it. God forbid the animal makes its way down to a creek bed before it dies, because then you have to haul it out of there. Of course, field-dressing an animal isn't exactly a no-brainer either.

"How can hunting be considered a sport when the animals don't even know they're playing?"

In the wild, there are no periods, intermissions, or time-outs. The animals are ALWAYS playing the game.

Except these ranches usually do all the work for you, they take you to a spot, you sit and wait. If something comes by you shoot it. Then they track it for you and take your picture for you with it. Then they call in a 4-wheeler and haul it out for you. If it is semi guided, they drop you off and then come back when you are done with the 4-wheeler. This stuff is not the you going into the woods to kill something by tracking it. And also ranches like these usually have feeders for the deer so that takes the rest of the sport out of it.

 

[Fritzo]

I've always taken the position that when animals get guns, they can feel free to shoot at us.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Originally posted by: dahunan

Originally posted by: Garth

"How can hunting be considered a sport when the animals don't even know they're playing?"

In the wild, there are no periods, intermissions, or time-outs. The animals are ALWAYS playing the game.

NOT

What part of my statement was false?

they do not expect to be playing against high powered rifles.. do they?

Do you think they "expect" to be playing against mountain lions, bobcats, or starvation? You're overly anthropomorphizing the animals, and its making you look rather silly.

 

[dahunan]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: mugs
Most people who hunt also eat the meat.

Yes.. I think I definitely resonded to you (I don't really have a problem with hunting to eat).. so why pose with the dead animal.. just go eat the god damned meat - don't pose with the animal or make a trophy out of it

Is the trophy a way of saying thank you to the animal for the food or some weird way of saying ... I am tough and important because I was able to kill this animal with a weapon that they could NEVER DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST?? :laugh:

 

[Accipiter22]

skill to shoot a defenseless animal? B.S....seriously, it takes skill to be sitting on the toilet taking a dump and missing the bowl. It doesn't mean you should be proud of it. Honestly, the animal doesn't have a gun. If you fire enough shots you'll hit whatever you're shooting at. It's like cheating at a video game...you can't lose, and worse case scenario you break even (i.e. you don't kill the animal, but you still live)

 

[Journer]

go hunting...return with results...

/thread

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Nobody I know goes hunting beause it makes them feel tough or brave. They do it because a moose = 1200 pounds of meat and the hide makes a cool blanket.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Originally posted by: Garth

Originally posted by: dahunan

Originally posted by: Garth

"How can hunting be considered a sport when the animals don't even know they're playing?"

In the wild, there are no periods, intermissions, or time-outs. The animals are ALWAYS playing the game.

NOT

What part of my statement was false?

they do not expect to be playing against high powered rifles.. do they?

Do you think they "expect" to be playing against mountain lions, bobcats, or starvation? You're overly anthropomorphizing the animals, and its making you look rather silly.

Yes, yes and yes. They have been playing against moutain lions, bobcats and starvation for several millenia. As they have been playing against man that long as well, but for the majority of the time it was close range (bow, spear, etc). Only in the past 3 centuries (or so) have they had to adapt to long range attacks.
They have antlers to defend against up close attacks as well as sharp hooves. And they also have speed and agility to escape.
It's never been a fair fight since the firearm was created. To think it's fair is pretty naive.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Originally posted by: Yossarian451

Except these ranches usually do all the work for you, they take you to a spot, you sit and wait. If something comes by you shoot it. Then they track it for you and take your picture for you with it. Then they call in a 4-wheeler and haul it out for you. If it is semi guided, they drop you off and then come back when you are done with the 4-wheeler. This stuff is not the you going into the woods to kill something by tracking it. And also ranches like these usually have feeders for the deer so that takes the rest of the sport out of it.

How many ranches like these have you patronized? How many ranches like these are there in toto? How many ranches are there that don't do this? How "usual" is it? Do you even have a basis for comparison? Do you have any idea what percentage of hunters do not hunt on these ranches?

Do you know if it is adversely or positively affecting the health of the herds?

 

[DrPizza]

A) Most ethical hunters do NOT shoot at a deer that's running. Walking is okay, but running leaves too much of a risk of a wounded animal (rather than a quick humane kill.)

B) I'll use this analogy, since virtually everyone here will understand it. Suppose you go to 4 or 5 different stores, buy a ton of off-the-shelf components, go home, build a computer from scratch, get an operating system to work on it... Wouldn't you be proud of your accomplishment the first time it booted up; and possibly smile because of the satisfaction of achieving your goal? You'd probably have a bigger smile if it was a state of the art system with a top of the line graphics card, etc. This is close to the equivalent of setting a goal of getting a deer. Well, it's close. Success in the field often means spending 10's of hours (or 100's) in the woods, often (around here) in freezing temperatures, and sometimes with a foot or more of snow on the ground.

C) I'm going hunting for black bear along the PA/NY border tomorrow morning. Most bears are in the 200-300 pound range. However, that area is known to have produced several around 450 pounds. I've seen what a big bear can do; they're stronger than most people would ever believe. I'm bringing a hunting knife and a bow. Odds of successfully getting a bear? About 1 in 1000. If I get one, am I going to be grinning from ear to ear? You bet. For days.

 

[dahunan]

Originally posted by: Garth

they do not expect to be playing against high powered rifles.. do they?

Do you think they "expect" to be playing against mountain lions, bobcats, or starvation? You're overly anthropomorphizing the animals, and its making you look rather silly.

Huh.. no I am not.. I am making fun of humans who do the reverse of anthropomorphize themselves.. as though they are = to animals or that their hunting skills are = to animal hunting skills

 

[randalee]

I doubt most people could hit a 3-foot gong at 300 yards...

 

[Canai]

Real men hunt with bows.

 

[IGBT]

Originally posted by: dahunan
Boasting about killing a wild animal with a gun seems retarded.. now if it was larger than you and you ran it down and killed it with your bare hands then you might have something worth talking about... but sniping an unsuspecting animal with a gun?? Whatever "comfused;

http://www.wildhorseprairie.com/photo.htm << they all look so proud.. but what was their accomplishment?

BTW, to the people who claim it is hard to shoot a wild animal that is running.. are you saying that all of the animals in those pictures were running away from the hunter before he shot it .. or maybe he/she scared it first to make the fight more fair?



**I am not completely putting down hunting culture.. I just don't understand what there is to be proud of...

This thread was not thought out in advance.. I was looking for some pictures of something totally unrelated and came across the ones I posted..

What about Big Game Hunters? Those guys .. the ones who go out into Africa to kill a lion with a gun or a elephant or whatever.. I hate those people.. they don't do it for the meat.. they think they really accomplished something with their motorized vehicles and super rifles and trackers etc..

..be shure to ponder all that whilst you gag down your slaughter house fast food carrion.

 

[Dean]

I used to Deer hunt all the time. I bagged a couple over about a 10 year period. I never posed for pics though. I basically dressed the animal, took it home and hung it in my garage to settle for a couple days, and then took it to a butcher.


edit to include. Even though one of of the Bucks was trophy material(large 9 point). I would never do that. I find that process not only odd, but kinda creepy.

I just like Deer Meat, especially ground.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Originally posted by: Sheik Yerbouti

Originally posted by: Garth

Originally posted by: dahunan

Originally posted by: Garth

"How can hunting be considered a sport when the animals don't even know they're playing?"

In the wild, there are no periods, intermissions, or time-outs. The animals are ALWAYS playing the game.

NOT

What part of my statement was false?

they do not expect to be playing against high powered rifles.. do they?

Do you think they "expect" to be playing against mountain lions, bobcats, or starvation? You're overly anthropomorphizing the animals, and its making you look rather silly.

Yes, yes and yes.

It has become obvious that you are either unwilling or unable to discuss this topic rationally. What animal "expects" starvation? How do animals die at all if they already "expect" their predators? Do you even read what you type?

They have been playing against moutain lions, bobcats and starvation for several millenia. As they have been playing against man that long as well, but for the majority of the time it was close range (bow, spear, etc). Only in the past 3 centuries (or so) have they had to adapt to long range attacks.

What adaptation is necessary? Are their populations endangered?

They have antles to defend against up close attacks as well as sharp hooves. And they also have speed and agility to escape.
It's never been a fair fight since the firearm was created. To think it's fair is pretty naive.

Perhaps you would like to quote me where I said anything about "fairness." Since when is life "fair"? What does that even mean?

Good grief I regret trying to reason with you.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: mugs
Most people who hunt also eat the meat.

w/ chronic wasting? no thanks

 

[Enfer Singe]

Text

at least they are using the animals for all they are worth after they kill them

 

[mordantmonkey]

I don't hunt. never plan to. but all the people in this thread who eat meat should STFU.
do you thinks it's somehow more fair to corral a docile animal into big hammer?

 

[Canai]

Whats with all the fairness junk? If you want fair, go to war. Shoot at armed people. Hunting isn't about fairness, it's about man inventing ways to harvest animals that are faster, stronger, and have better senses then we do. If you just hunt for the fun of the kill, it's not cool, but if you hunt for food and the hide it's a different story.

I think that pretty much covers everything.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: Enfer Singe
Text

at least they are using the animals for all they are worth after they kill them

OMG