Hunting good sport or cruel hobby??

[scooter_the_shooter]

Do you think hunting should be allowed or not.(hunting of animals) If so what restrictions should be in place on it.



I think hunting should be legal, and you should be ables to use any gun/bow you want to hunt with there is no such thing as over kill.


Many hunting laws are ridiculous They will let me use a 12 gauge slug on deer but not a 30-30 rifle which is less powerful.


Some say semi automatics should be banned for hunting this comment is made mostly by non hunters. If you are goose hunting you need a double barrel or semi automatic. preferably a good semi.

Some say rifles with scopes or red dots (a red dot isn't a laser) are not fair to the animal this is also said by non hunters usually. These people say this trying to help the animals but are only cause more pain to them. Wether I got a scope or not I am shooting at the animal... with a scope I have a better chance of killing it quick with out one I might not hit it in a vital area, then I have to go track the wounded animal down which isn't pleasant for the hunter or the huntee.

Another thing that annoys me is the statement (this part is just a rant)

"Real hunters use bolt actions" WTH If you have a licence are in the field looking for an animal to eat you are a hunter is doesn't matter if you have a bolt action or an ar15 with 6 high cap mags with you.

And another thing this really doesn't have much to do with the debate but why are hunters demonized in todays society as rednecks or stupid or mean or cruel. The VAST majority of hunters are very nice people.


Edit I also think there need to be bag limits on public hunting land only. On private land I think it should be "your land your animals"


what are your opinions

[Beirut]

Many hunting laws are ridiculous They will let me use a 12 gauge slug on deer but not a 30-30 rifle which is less powerful.

This is done to reduce the distance at which the deer can be shot, making it harder to hunt and allows the deer a better chance to repopulate the species. Sometimes it is also done near urban areas to reduce the risk of bullet overflights into residential neighbourhoods. Mind you, with the new slugs, rifled shotgun barrels and shotgun mounted scopes, much longer slug shots than before are the norm.

"Real hunters use bolt actions" WTH If you have a licence are in the field looking for an animal to eat you are a hunter is doesn't matter if you have a bolt action or an ar15 with 6 high cap mags with you.

For my part I would have no respect for someone who hunts with an AR-15. It's simply... ungentlemanly. There is an esthetic quality to the hunter and his gun, and using an assault rifle to hunt deer (aside from the inadequacy of the .223 round) is not in keeping with any sort of tradition. You can wear shorts and a t-shirt to your mother's funeral as well, clothes are clothes after all, but it does detract from the situation at some level.

[scooter_the_shooter]

a 30-30 is almost like a slug.

And ar15s with longer barrels are getting pretty popular with ground hog hunters.

I don't mean just ar15s only i meant "military style" rifles in general. Many people use a sks on deer.


If i had the choice between a bolt 223 and an ar15. Almost any one would take the ar it is very accurate and you get quick follow up shots I would use one if they were cheaper.

[King of Atlantis]

Well, i never really hunted, but i love fishing and their really the same concept..

Hunting is fine as long as it doesn't hurt the population of a species.

[PanzerJaeger]

Hunting is a fun and rewarding sport. Its one of the oldest and most honored tradition in human history.

Actually, hunters know conservation better than anyone else.

[Steppe Merc]

I don't think it's a sport or a hobby. It may be neccassary, and as long as the hunter doesn't sit up in a tree or something, and they eat the meat.

Edit I also think there need to be bag limits on public hunting land only. On private land I think it should be "your land your animals"

No. Because as unlikely as it is, over hunting could occur, and destroy more of what little left of nature.

And my... well, I don't know how he's related to me, but I think he is, anyway, he's a hunter, and he's nice enough.

And ar15s with longer barrels are getting pretty popular with ground hog hunters.

Um, can't you just get a dog? My mom is good friends with someone who owns a stable, and they keep dogs that hunt groundhogs so they don't dig holes that the horses can step in and break their leg. They have to wear large leather collar to protect from groundhog bites.
And I can't imagine those buggers being particulary tasty...

And hunting with a gun for food is one thing. I will never condone any sort of hunting for fur, any sort of endangered or threatened animal, or that uses leg traps, or anything of that nature.

[bmolsson]

Hunting is not a sport, it's a job. Only professionals should hunt.

[scooter_the_shooter]

Most people leave ground hog in the field, and let them rot . Some people I know eat young ground hogs they are supposed to be real tender.


Whats wrong with being in a tree???? Killing an animal on the ground and killing an animal in the tree wont make it any more or less dead.


If i am MY land its MY nature. I should be able to shoot any critters or chop any trees i want (except for endangered ones of course.


I don't want to use a dog cause its more fun to shoot them


You have to take a 100 question test and and spent about 6-10 hours in that class just get a hunting license is that good enough for you.(in most states)


And why do you think only professionals should hunt... have you ever hunted if not thats like never driving and saying "only professionals should drive"

Hunting is a great american tradition no one should take it away.

[Xiahou]

I dont hunt, never have, and probably never will. However, I don't see any problem with it and it can serve a useful purpose.

[bmolsson]

Whats wrong with being in a tree????

I was editing my post hundreds of time before I decided to be nice today.....

And why do you think only professionals should hunt... have you ever hunted if not thats like never driving and saying "only professionals should drive"

Yes, I have hunted and I own property on which I have a professional hunter keeping the wildlife in balance. The meat is used and nothing is wasted or left to rot. I don't understand how killing ever can be a sport or funny.

Hunting is a great american tradition no one should take it away.

No, there is nothing Amercian with hunting.

[Samurai Waki]

Well, even though I am not a hunter. I do consider it valid. I am from Montana where hunting is a huge attraction for the locals, and over the last year or so because of the weather there is now an abnormally large elk and deer population. Large enough in fact to where the local government has declared that up to 2 Deer Permits will be allowed for the next year per person. The Deer Population is more so a hazard than the elk to the economy, because they move into populated areas and get hit by motorists because they are looking for something to eat I.E. People's Plants and Grass. So I think as long as conservation is quintessential to hunting, than hunters will continue. I believe in Montana if the government all of a sudden said "okay you can't hunter anymore" 99.9% of the Hunters would tell the government to go snuff it and hunt illegally. It's such an old tradition that just taking it away would do more harm than good.

[Xiahou]

Yes, I have hunted and I own property on which I have a professional hunter keeping the wildlife in balance. The meat is used and nothing is wasted or left to rot. I don't understand how killing ever can be a sport or funny.

So unless someone can afford to hire a "professional" hunter, I guess they don't get to hunt?

[Kanamori]

Bmolsson, here the Department of Natural Resources sell licenses based on how much they need to thin out our herd. Typically, anyone that wants one can get it, because we have terrible problems with deer overpopulation.

[Roark]

I think game hunting is fine, as long as it doesn't threaten the existence of a species.

Obviously shooting is necessary as a form of pest control in some countries too...

I consider trophy hunting to be wasteful and highly masturbatory.

[Red Harvest]

a 30-30 is almost like a slug.

And a car is almost a truck. A 12 gauge slug will hit ~1600 fps, while a 30-30 will be in the neighborhood of 2400 fps. I prefer a 270 myself, pushing about 3000 fps. A bolt action rifle can be put to efficient use at 300 yards, a while a shotgun is a short range weapon.

If i had the choice between a bolt 223 and an ar15. Almost any one would take the ar it is very accurate and you get quick follow up shots I would use one if they were cheaper.

223 is more of a varmint gun, simply not enough mass for my tastes. I'm not too concerned about what you use (within the bounds of the season regs) as long as you bring it down, rather than spraying at it and just wounding it.

[Red Harvest]

The reason there are bag limits and that you can't kill as much as you want on private property is that much of the wild game moves about. If my neighbors were allowed to kill everything they see, it wouldn't be long until turkey and deer become rare on my property. Plus it would tend to recreate islands of surviving populations.

The bag and season limits are meant to manage the populations. Most of the game conservation laws came about to make sure there was game to hunt. Left unregulated, some would hunt game to extinction.

[bmolsson]

So unless someone can afford to hire a "professional" hunter, I guess they don't get to hunt?

If they can't afford it they could educate them selves as hunter and take the job for somebody that have the money.

[bmolsson]

Bmolsson, here the Department of Natural Resources sell licenses based on how much they need to thin out our herd. Typically, anyone that wants one can get it, because we have terrible problems with deer overpopulation.

That is ok as long as the hunters are professionals (in the sense, they know what they doing and is not a bunch of drunk city slickers out for some John Wayne holiday).......

[Papewaio]

Opossums in NZ are an imported pest, people hunt them, skin them and sell their fur.

No problem with that.

In Australia they are a somewhat (depends on the variety) endangered native animal. So they are not allowed to be hunted.

No problem with that either.

[Marshal Murat]

I think hunting is a time-honored tradition, very fun and rewarding.
However, some people are like
"You killed Bambi's mom!!!"
Hunting is one way to keep deer population down. If it gets to low, then you can't hunt, and then it rises, and the process goes on.

[bmolsson]

I remember when I was a kid, growing up in the deep forests of Småland in Southern of Sweden. The elk hunt is very famous here. Germans comes to participate in the hunt. It's like a holiday for them with good food and a lot of drinking. I especially remember 1974, when the following where killed during the elk hunting season:

3 elk calves
1 large male
2 females
1 John Deer tractor
2 cows (one survived)
1 Volvo Amazon model 1968
1 German Shepard (the dog)

This was a very successful hunt, since more than 50% actually where elks.......

And no, the hunters where not professionals, but they really like the tradition and enjoys carry a big gun........

[Papewaio]

Wow taking down a Volvo is like a Bull Elephant...

[Phatose]

It's ok by me, provided it meets the following conditions:

1. You don't hunt the prey to extinction.
2. You follow all local laws and regulations.
3. You don't define hunting as getting drunk and shooting stuff.
4. You don't do anything that might result in me taking a bullet in my living room.
5. You don't hunt dogs, cats, guinea pigs, or people.
6. You're using something other then a flamethrower, skin-em-alive-o-matic, or chevy.

[Ronin]

i think hunting for sport is wrong....

on the other hand if you eat what you hunt and keep it to certain limits i´ve got no problem with that.

[Al Khalifah]

Hunting in England has been made pretty much impossible anyway to all but a few and for professional reasons such as pest control.
I guess we just don't have many interesting species to kill and we don't get firearms. Mind you, I guess you could go hunting with a bow and arrow if you wanted to be hardcore when slaying a rabbit.

[el_slapper]

It has to be controlled. In SW France, we've got some crazy guys which have guns so modified than they work more like machine guns - and they don't care about species extinction.

Of course, the real hunter, the one that does identify ots target before shooting, the one that nows what he's allowed to shoot at, the one that does not use 300 dogs devastating the whole wilderness for shooting 2 pigeons, that one I do respect.

The guy that blackmails officials to reintroduct wild boars into a wood wildly used by tourists for walking, who lets the population of those get uncontrolled to have a reason to launch a massive hunt that ends up with 2 people shoot upon & injured wild boars who will carry diseases, hum, well.....(that wood is 20 km from Paris, and thousands of people walk therein every day god makes, far more in sunny week-ends).

[Fragony]

I just don't see how killing animals can be fun. The population has to be kept in check of course, but hunters should at least be honest for themselves and admit that they just enjoy killing. Something sexual I think.

[Fragony]

The killing isn't the only part of the whole show. There's just something fun about hanging out in the woods, and having to hunt your food like a proper woodlands predator. I wouldn't call it sexual, I'd call it getting back to basics. And it's a very fun thing to do now and then.

I can understand it's appeal, but killing these beautiful animals is such a waste! But if 'back to the basics' is the motivation I guess there is little alternative besides fishing, which I enjoy myselve now that I think of it. I must be a bit of a hypocrite

[Redleg]

a 30-30 is almost like a slug.

Incorrect a 30-30 is not a slug - I good get into the physics of ballistics about how a round fired through a long barrel rifle that is shaped like a bullet has a longer range then a shotgun slug which is not shapped - but given this statement I am wont waste my time.

And ar15s with longer barrels are getting pretty popular with ground hog hunters.

Different type of hunting then deer hunting. The accuracy need to shoot at ground hogs mean that the average shooter can not hit the small little animal, so therefor there are different regulations for the hunting of these animals then larger game. Same as there is different regulations for hunting birds - often by species also

I don't mean just ar15s only i meant "military style" rifles in general. Many people use a sks on deer.

Non that I know of - most deer hunters I know use bolt action rifles to hunt deer.

If i had the choice between a bolt 223 and an ar15. Almost any one would take the ar it is very accurate and you get quick follow up shots I would use one if they were cheaper.

If you need more then one shot to take down the deer - then you need to take better aim and be sure of your shot before you take it. If your first shot does not take down the animal - then go look for it, not follow it off with another quick shot. Your chances of hitting the animal are greatly reduced, and often the individual that rapid shoots at the animal is not looking at where the animal is going and is risking other hunter's lives and other animals that were not the intended target. Rapid shooting at a fast moving deer is frankly poor hunting, and very dangerous to every living thing around you.

[Fragony]

Fishing? Feh. Now that's something I don't see the appeal of. Unless it was deep-sea fishing, trying to catch something that is truly a challenge.

Well, fishing is a great excuse to sit in nature with more beer then is healthy. Thrust me, everything is a challenge if you fish like me