The older I get the more agitated I get with tasteless morons that call themselves sportsmen. Their actions will doom us to endless laws and campaigns to end hunting and fishing.
We seem to forget that hunters and fishermen are the voting minority. We also seem to forget that much of America hasn't yet formed an opinion on hunting but our actions could change that.
I find it insane that some would post pictures of dead or dying animals in a manner that would lead anyone to believe they were Nazi death camp operators, terrorists, or dog fighting promoters. There are tasteful ways to show off your successful hunt. If you wouldn't show the pictures to your five-year old or your mom, I question why you would take the picture and I really have to question why you would post it on-line for all the world to see. (Note: I have not seen any pics like this on INGO.)
I also have to question the ethics of some hunters and fishermen I have met, or have seen the results of. Ethics are how you act when no one is watching.
1. While I was living in Florida a young deer hunter was shot out of a tree stand by two other hunters. Why? They thought he was one of the few remaining protected and endangered Florida panthers...
2. While living in Colorado I overheard another hunter tell his friends his experiences for that day. While he hadn't seen anything he had taken a good sound shot. For those of you that don't understand, he heard what sounded like a deer in the brush, so he shot at it... What happened to being sure of your target?
3. While helping other Scouters cleaning a launch ramp on White River we found a channel catfish that had been filleted...alive. The sportsman had then released the fish back into the river. The fish was breathing but had no muscle to swim. It was left to die a slow lingering death. What happened to making a clean kill and cause as little suffering as possible?
4. While living in Colorado a neighbor harvested a small bull elk. They then chopped of the head and tied it to the cattle rack on their truck and drove around with it for weeks for all to see. Imagine the gory impact on any none-hunters or children that saw it. How do you think they were going to vote the next time a hunting issue was on the ballot?
I will be the first to say I have done some stupid stuff that I wish I could take back. Perhaps some do what they do because they haven't thought about it in another light.
I encourage others to post their stories in hopes that peer pressure will help others see the light.
We seem to forget that hunters and fishermen are the voting minority. We also seem to forget that much of America hasn't yet formed an opinion on hunting but our actions could change that.
I find it insane that some would post pictures of dead or dying animals in a manner that would lead anyone to believe they were Nazi death camp operators, terrorists, or dog fighting promoters. There are tasteful ways to show off your successful hunt. If you wouldn't show the pictures to your five-year old or your mom, I question why you would take the picture and I really have to question why you would post it on-line for all the world to see. (Note: I have not seen any pics like this on INGO.)
I also have to question the ethics of some hunters and fishermen I have met, or have seen the results of. Ethics are how you act when no one is watching.
1. While I was living in Florida a young deer hunter was shot out of a tree stand by two other hunters. Why? They thought he was one of the few remaining protected and endangered Florida panthers...
2. While living in Colorado I overheard another hunter tell his friends his experiences for that day. While he hadn't seen anything he had taken a good sound shot. For those of you that don't understand, he heard what sounded like a deer in the brush, so he shot at it... What happened to being sure of your target?
3. While helping other Scouters cleaning a launch ramp on White River we found a channel catfish that had been filleted...alive. The sportsman had then released the fish back into the river. The fish was breathing but had no muscle to swim. It was left to die a slow lingering death. What happened to making a clean kill and cause as little suffering as possible?
4. While living in Colorado a neighbor harvested a small bull elk. They then chopped of the head and tied it to the cattle rack on their truck and drove around with it for weeks for all to see. Imagine the gory impact on any none-hunters or children that saw it. How do you think they were going to vote the next time a hunting issue was on the ballot?
I will be the first to say I have done some stupid stuff that I wish I could take back. Perhaps some do what they do because they haven't thought about it in another light.
I encourage others to post their stories in hopes that peer pressure will help others see the light.
