How do you all feel about hunting?

Question

There were several years where I didn't eat any meat at all. The thought of eating it made me sick to my stomach. When I got pregnant about a year ago I started eating turkey and chicken only because I needed more protein. The thought of hunting for fun makes me sick to my stomach. Is it honestly necessary to kill helpless animals? I'm not an animal rights activist or anything but the thought of anything being killed for me to eat, when I have plenty of other things to eat, makes me sick. Let me know how you feel!

Answer 1

Since you have voiced an opinion about how YOU feel about hunting I too will give an OPINION.

I enjoy hunting for several reasons. Number 1-A chance to get out into the wonderful natural space that was here first. Number 2-An opportunity to gather in a much healthier food supply. Number 3-The chance to test my skill in A-locating an elusive animal, Distinguish the proper and legal game animal, C-Weapons handling. and Number 4-Not have to put up with people who disagree with my life choices.

As long as Hunting is a legal activity I will continue to enjoy it. When it becomes Illegal I will make life miserable for those that took that enjoyment from me.

Answer 2

Nothing wrong with it as long as you use what you kill - think it's wrong to kill animals just to kill them. Exceptions are mice and rats and a few other pests.

Would like to point out, in the good old days, all the Eskimos had to eat was meat and blubber and they were also very healthy. Want to say I do respect your eating attitude but think you should consider life situations as well. In the past I've gotten into it with strict veggies telling them if they would spend a week doing the kind of work I do, 10-12 hour days 6-7 days a week, heavy, heavy, construction and at the end of that week not dream about eating a thick juice hamburger if not a nice thick steak is the only way they could make a believer out of me for the veg. life style. Think life circumstances and location have allot to do with what you eat - meat & blubber provide allot of good sold energy and protein, had Navy guys tell me when they were been stationed in Antartica how they could take a bite out of a stick of butter, something they would never dream of doing in a temperate zone.

Answer 3

I see what you mean but i hunt not only because it is enjoyable and i was taught by my father and grandfather... But we are the top of the food chain you see and we help to keep everything in check and when we don't bad things happen.... If you have say an acre of ground and their are three deer .. The next spring all three have two babies .. so now you have nine deer.. well the next year they also have two babies along with their mother. . .. you get the idea.. if we have all these deer on a small area they will all get diseases and they will all die....if we keep the population in check however we can eat the meat and the remainder of the deer herd will be much healthier.. Hunting is proven to be the best and most ethical way of keeping animals from becoming overpopulated..i'm not a cold blooded killer i am fascinated with wildlife and the outdoors .. i would actually consider myself more of a conservationist than anything i guess.

Answer 4

With many species - yes it is necessary. Take Deer (in my home state of NH) for example: 400 years ago the population was significantly lower because a) Wolves and Mountain Lions were abundant b) there was little open land (which is advantageous to them). In the 18th and 19th centuries European settlers killed off all the wolves and mountain lions in the area because they threatened cattle. They also cleared massive forests for farmland and fields. What happened? The deer population increased exponentially. In some areas (Long Island, Winnipesaukee, NH) the population grew so big that they began to starve and destroy the ecosystem. An organized hunt was required to prevent a total collapse. Canadian Geese similarly have massive populations which need to be thinned. As much as you may not like it, hunting is necessary for many creatures and is regarded as a "wise use of resources."



I personally don't hunt anything that I won't eat or use. I hunt deer, turkey, and occasionally waterfowl - and I waste as little as possible.



I personally believe that hunting is more humane than many of the practices of the meat industry (having a cow pumped full of hormones, penned up for it's whole life, full of antibiotics, and eventually killed with a sledgehammer at a slaughterhouse). I prefer to eat meat I kill and clean myself from a wild deer that was dead before it heard the sound of the bullet hitting it.





Let me add one more thing - I respect your opinion, and I ask you to respect (though not necessarily agree) with mine. And as for some of the rude answers...come on guys- that's really not helping hunters look any better

Answer 5

I personally enjoy hunting. There are the standard answers about tradition, building friendships, family times together, the challenge, controlling populations. All of these are applicable to hunting; some apply to other sports like fishing or camping trips.



The one aspect of hunting that I recently came to grips with is the sense of spirit I get when I'm out. I tune myself into the area, try to think as the game I'm pursuing would, using my skills and honing them so that I can accomplish something that mankind has done since his beginning. There is a sense of being a predator in an area new to me, the feeling of accomplishment when I finally take the animal I'm pursuing, and the pride I feel in knowing that I have used my skills and knowledge as keenly as any animal on the planet that pursues another animal.

That's my thought on hunting, its my opinion and my feelings. I don't waste the meat; its either gathered and eaten by me and my family or donated to others who need it.

Answer 6

First of all, I wanted to say thank you for asking your question in a respectful manner. There are a lot of anti's that troll the hunting board that have a "holier than thou" attitude. Second, I wanted to say I have great respect for you for eating meat in order to ensure the health of your baby and yourself.



It is a sad fact that many people today don't think about where things come from. America in particular has become a specialized, fast food culture that treats everything like it was disposable. I am not exception for the most part.



When I order a burger from McD's or throw a steak on the grill, I see a steak or a burger, nothing more. When I bake a piece of cod, I see a piece of fish. When I stop and think about things, what is behind that steak? A cow that lived its life on a corporate farm. An animal that was fed an unnatural diet and crowded into a pen so the owners can make a few extra bucks by squeezing in a few more animals. The animal was fed antibiotics as a preventative measure and stood around in its own waste. Finally, it gets crowded into a semi, shipped to a holding pen in a slaughter house where it is een more crowded, where it waits to get put on a conveyor, popped in a head with a bolt gun, bled to death, sliced, diced, packaged, and sent to the grocery store. Not a very pleasing picture when one things about it.



What about the deer that makes it to my table? This is an animal that was born into the wild. The deer actually had a life. It was allowed to run and play as a fawn. It was allowed to roam free and eat what a deer wants to eat. When I go hunting, I know that the animal I killed is not defenseless as the cow was. The deer has excellent eye sight, smell, and hearing and has the ability to detect and avoid me. When I bring a wild animal down, I have a food supply that is untained for the most part. Unlike their domestic counterparts, wild animals are also suceptible to the forces of nature. They don't have antibiotics and no concept of population control, habit management, and over population. By taking the life of a wild animal, I am also helping ensure a healthy population for the next generation of animals.



I choose to eat meat. I have the greatest respect for those that don't, but my father grew up a subsistance lifestyle and some of way he lived trickled down in my life. If I am hungry, I am lucky enough to go to the grocery store with the debit card and buy what I need. However, there is a part of me that remembers hunting and fishing as a child. To this day, I still think there is nothing better than deep fried halibut caught that day, a piece of salmon still warm from the smoker, or a juicy piece of venison sausage.



I love hunting because it is what I do. It it time spent with family, it bringsme back to a simpler life without cell phones and email, it lets me relive memories from when I was a child, and it provides me with an untainted food source.



When I eat a deer, I have enough respect for the animal I killed to use everything I can and eat what I have taken. I take that beef steak off the grill that I had no contact with, I find myself throwing the fat away because I am fat myself, I throw a bit away because I an full, or push a piece or two aside because it is burnt. I have a lesser concept of responsibility for a life I didn't take as I do with the deer (though I spent enough time in 3rd world countries around starving people to generally try and not waste food).



To me, hunting is much more than the kill. Hunting is what life is supposed to be. It provides food, respect for nature, and time with those you love.

Answer 7

Hunting is much more humane than the method of execution in a slaughter house. Just go to a PETA website and you will be convinced that hunting is much more humane.



Also, I feel important to point out that you can hunt for a trophy and meat at the same time. When a deer head is mounted the meat isn't thrown away. It is just a memento of the accomplishment of bagging an animal. In some sort of weird philisophical way, mounting a deer head can also be a way of revering the animal you killed for food.

Answer 8

Well unlike you I do feel the need to kill something before I eat it

I haven't tried eating live chickens and turkey though

How did that work for you



As to how I feel

Do you really care

You obviously have already made up your mind so much that you feel the need to invade our space and tell us how sick we make you for eating meat



I guess that's because we don't feel the need to come up with lame justifications for it, like being pregnant



"I had to kill them birds, It's for the children"



And Kelly

Just because the head is on the wall does not mean the meat didn't make a turd

Answer 9

Somebody killed that chicken you ate too. A chicken are raise in a confined barn with 26,999 other chickens. What makes that better than going out and shooting a hog, deer, turkey, elk, or other animal? It has been discovered in recent medical journals that people that don't eat meat have smaller brains, so eat you meat then your beans and tofu.

Answer 10

I am very confused about hunting, i dont understand it at all. I actually want to ask a question about it in this catergory, but i think i will get some rude answers.



Although personally i couldnt go out and shoot something for food, I personally dont have a problem with people doing that.



But what i dont understand, is hunting with dogs and trophy hunting. I really do fail to see what people get out of it, other than blood lust. And the thing that confuses me the most, is that the people who do that, seem to have respect and admiration for the animals that they hunt? Then they go and kill them?

Answer 11

Hunting is fun and enjoyable; Killing is neither Fun or Enjoyable."... All life is precious to us True Hunters and Sportsman, even a Rabbits to us Hunters who Hunt them for Food and Sport for ourselves, family, friends, and fellow Hunters.*.. " Society will always judge Hunters by their Compassion for the Animals that they Hunt for and Harvest."... Hunting has been going on for Centuries.* It will continue on as long as there are People and Animals on Mother Earth for the next generation to participate in if they so choose to do so.* Born to Hunt.* Some do some don't; the choice is there's to make.*

Answer 12

Perhaps you've heard of kill of be killed? eat or be eaten?

Humans are on top of the food chain for a reason.(not to be rude)

Animals are not as helpless as you may feel, and you've got those pointy teeth in your mouth for a reason, if you don't use them, other animals just may feel the urge to use theirs.(not that deers are meat eaters, but hey lets not give them the chance, regardless of how peta feels)

Answer 13

If a person wants to hunt and is willing to eat what they kill, then I am OK with it... I personally can't see how anyone can get pleasure from killing an animal and just leaving it to rot, or hacking its antlers off for a trophy. If a person just wants a challenge, then they can go down to the shooting range, or play paintball.



I don't hunt, but I do fish... which is similar to hunting, except I normally catch-and-release.

Answer 14

What makes you think animals are helpless? Maybe a cow in a stockyard is, but not a deer in the woods... Hunting is about taking prey in a natural and honorable way, like a predator does in the wild. It's not 'fun', but it can be rewarding. When the eagle takes a 'helpless' fish, does that make you sick too?

Answer 15

predation is part of nature. and we are also in this nature and we have the right to eat animals- meat.



i have never gone hunting or known a hunter but i eat animal products everyday. i dont have problems with hunters but i dont like it when animals are kiled in an inhumane way.



have a good time. and dont stop eating meat

Answer 16

I'm a hunter, but I do not rub it in any-ones face. If they don't like hunting that's their right. I do not get mad at them I have lots of friends that do not like hunting and I respect their opinion.



BUT HONESTLY WHY ASK A QUESTION LIKE THAT YOU WILL ONLY STIR UP TROUBLE.

Answer 17

That's why God made certain animals so we could have them to eat.Hunting is fine,I grew up with it.Deer in our state are over populated and need to be killed,They cause alot of accident that kill and injury people every day.

Answer 18

huntings main purpose is to controll and harvest animals. If we didn't hunt they would be overpopulated and would starve durring the winters. To me being shot is better that starving:)

Answer 19

Your muscle is made up of mainly protein...Sorry, the body needs meat. God gave us teeth to chew mean, gave us guns to hunt meat, and made deer, elk, beef, and other meats very tasty.

Answer 20

Every year many people get killed by hitting a deer with their car; http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081030/ap_on_re_us/car_deer_crashes;_ylt=AqC0_8e2B6ZkFlwb6Bl5nbGs0NUE

Who do you feel sorry for in those accidents, the deer, or the humans?

Fact is thousands of deer die from cars, trucks and trains. Should we ban those means of transportation to save deer?

Urban sprawl is taking away land that animals live on forcing deer and other animals out, should we ban building new homes?

Every year millions of cattle are killed to produce meat for humans, should we ban that?



What I am getting at is far more animals are killed by other means than hunting, why get upset at hunting?

Hunting helps control populations of animals like deer and thus; lowers how many starve to death during winter, reduces crop damage for farmers, lowers auto deer accidents, provides cash to wildlife agencies, provides food for families and helps provide income to stores catering to hunters.



Omega 3 fats have been found important for brain health, you would have to eat buckets full of tofu to equal one deer steak. You body craved meat when you were pregnant because it needed the protein and omega fats for a healthy child. If you think about that you will see that your paternal instinct knew better than your mind of what’s good for you. You mind is clouded by emotions brought on by your distain for animals being killed. Million of people are like you they grew up watching cartoons and movies depicting animals in a totally unnatural way, to the point you consider them intelligent beings like us and they are not.

Deer have killed people and showed zero remorse. If a bear was mauling you the deer would not help you, in fact they would ignore your screams of agony, they don’t have compassion like humans do.



Every year my wife, my kids and their kids go hunting here in Alaska for our winter meat. We take great care to find the right animal and kill it swiftly we respect nature and animals. We donate lots of time picking up the trash of tourists, many of whom are not hunters but leave a hell of a mess behind them. We consider ourselves stewards of nature, we take only what we need and spend lots of cash and time helping mother nature.



Its kinda silly really for people who live a life dependant on animal products to be against hunting. All sorts of things from cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, food, clothes etc may come from animal products. Even a vegan diet requires produce grown on a farm that has farm equipment running over small animals and ground bird nests, so that kills animals too. Every single human in the modern world is guilty after the fact of killing and displacing animals. So for them to be against hunting is hypocritical.



Hope this helps you understand things better.

Answer 21

My husband has gone with friends but they actually share the kill and do no unec. killing at all. I think when it is nec. for survival that its fine. As a sport-its not right.

Answer 22

its okay to hunt but i don't think it is good to hunt for sport. like when someone kills a dear and hangs the head on their wall i really don't like. but if your hunting for food then i don't think it is that bad, just make sure the animal doesnt go through any pain.

Answer 23

well those chickens and turkeys had to be killed for you to eat them...........does the word hypocrite come to mind



don't go away mad just go away

Answer 24

i personally like hunting and i eat meat my family raises beef cattle we have about 700 cows a year that go to the meat house to be processed and sold its a way of life for us and thanks to that I learned more about economics, respect and hard work by the age of 10 then most of my classmates did by the time they graduated highschool. hunting to me is the same i mean we eat all the meat from the animal we use the skin and we have good family bonding experiences while out in the mountains hunting....yes sensless killing is not right i agree! as children we were taught that we have to eat what we kill (my brother once shot a grass hopper with a BB gun when he was 7 and my dad made him eat it) Im guessing you live in and grew up in the city there are just alot of cultural differences between someone who grew up in the city and someone who did not for example I can not for the life of me understand why someone would drag their child around a mall for hours on end instead of letting them play outside in the dirt and sunshine and let their imaginations run wild......I guess its just a culture thing



I agree with Sai up there who says they are helpless? here is a fun little read you might enjoy



Why hunters use guns

Actual Letter from someone who writes, and farms.



I had this idea that I was going to rope a deer, put it in a stall, feed it up on corn for a couple of weeks, then kill it and eat it. The first step in this adventure was getting a deer. I figured that, since they congregate at my cattle feeder and do not seem to have much fear of me when we are there (a bold one will sometimes come right up and sniff at

the bags of feed while I am in the back of the truck not 4 feet away), it should not be difficult to rope one, get up to it and toss a bag over its head (to calm it down) then hog tie it and transport it home. I filled the cattle feeder then hid down at the end with my rope. The cattle, having seen the roping thing before, stayed well back. They were not having any of it. After about 20 minutes my deer showed up --3 of them. I picked out a likely looking one, stepped out from the end of the feeder, and threw my rope. The deer just stood there and stared at me. I wrapped the rope around my waist and twisted the end so I would have a good hold. The deer still just stood and stared at me, but you could tell it was mildly concerned about the whole rope situation. I took a step towards it...it took a step away. I put a little tension on the rope and then received an education. The first thing that I learned is that, while a deer may just stand there looking at you funny while you rope it, they are spurred to action when you start pulling on that rope. That deer EXPLODED.

The second thing I learned is that pound for pound, a deer is a LOT stronger than a cow or a colt. A cow or a colt in that weight range I could fight down with a rope and with some dignity. A deer-- no chance. That thing ran and bucked and twisted and pulled. There was no controlling it and certainly no getting close to it. As it jerked me off my feet and started dragging me across the ground, it occurred to me that having a deer on a rope was not nearly as good an idea as I had originally imagined. The only upside is that they do not have as much stamina as many other animals. A brief 10 minutes later, it was tired and not nearly as quick to jerk me off my feet and drag me when I managed to get up. It took me a few minutes to realize this, since I was mostly blinded by the blood flowing out of the big gash on my head. At that point, I had lost my taste for corn-fed venison. I just wanted to get that devil creature off the end of that rope.

I figured if I just let it go with the rope hanging around its neck, it would likely die slow and painfully somewhere. At the time, there was no love at all between me and that deer. At that moment, I hated the thing, and I would venture a guess that t he feeling was mutual. Despite the gash in my head and the several large knots where I had cleverly arrested the deer's momentum by bracing my head against various large rocks as it dragged me across the ground, I could still think clearly enough to recognize that there was a small chance that I shared some tiny amount of responsibility for the situation

we were in, so I didn't want the deer to have to suffer a slow death, so I managed to get it lined back up in between my truck and the feeder - a little trap I had set before and...kind

of like a squeeze chute. I got it to back in there and I started moving up so I could get my rope back.

Did you know that deer bite? They do! I never in a million years would have thought that a deer would bite somebody, so I was very surprised when I reached up there to grab that rope and the deer grabbed hold of my wrist. Now, when a deer bites you, it is not like being bit by a horse where they just bite then let go. A deer bites you and shakes its head--almost like a pit bull. They bite HARD and it hurts. The proper thing to do when a deer bites you is probably to freeze and draw back slowly. I tried screaming and shaking instead. My method was ineffective. It seems like the deer was biting and shaking for several minutes, but it was likely only several seconds. I, being smarter than a deer (though you may be questioning that claim by now) tricked it. While I kept it busy tearing the bejesus out of my right arm, I reached up with my left hand and pulled that rope loose.

That was when I got my final lesson in deer behavior for the day. Deer will strike at you with their front feet. They rear right up on their back feet and strike right about head and shoulder level, and their hooves are surprisingly sharp. I learned a long time ago that, when an animal -- like a horse --strikes at you with their hooves and you can't get away easily, the best thing to do is try to make a loud noise and make an aggressive move towards the animal. This will usually cause them to back down a bit so you can escape. This was not a horse. This was a deer, so obviously, such trickery would not work. In the course of a millisecond, I devised a different strategy. I screamed like a woman and tried

to turn and run. The reason I had always been told NOT to try to turn and run from a horse that paws at you is that there is a good chance that it will hit you in the back of the head. Deer may not be so different from horses after all, besides being twice as strong and 3 times as evil, because the second I turned to run, it hit me right in the back of the head and knocked me down. Now, when a deer paws at you and knocks you down, it does not immediately leave. I suspect it does not recognize that the danger has passed. What they do instead is paw your back and jump up and down on you while you are laying there crying like a little girl and covering your head. I finally managed to crawl under the truck and the deer went away.

So now I know why when people go deer

hunting they bring a rifle with a scope so that they can be somewhat equal

to the Prey.