robert@uunet.UU.NET (Robert A. Osborne) (03/19/91)
From: "Robert A. Osborne" <isgtec!robert@uunet.UU.NET>
beal@cis.ohio-state.edu (Alan Beal) writes:
#It seems like hunters fall into two categories - those out just for the
#meat and those out for the sport. [...]
#Hunting deer with dogs doesn't seem sporting and I find
#it outright disgusting, mainly because it makes deer hunting a blood
#sport. [...]
#But then again I enjoy the outdoors and enjoy
#being in the woods for a long time - thats hunting, hunting isn't killing,
#hunting is enjoying outdoors, hunting is appreciated the wildlife, hunting
#is satisfying only when you earn it and show respect for the environment.
#Killing should be a secondary goal.
As somebody who grew up in the woods I find your philosophy abhorent.
I love the outdoors, I spend as much time in it as I can. But when
I pick up a gun to go hunting, I'm going for meat. If you're not
destroying a pest or bagging dinner why pull the trigger?
I don't "appreciate" wildlife by shooting it, and killing is NEVER
"satisfying". (By the way, what is your opinion of your neighbourhood
butcher?)
My great grandfather kept his family alive over a particularly harsh
winter by hunting deer and rabbits. My grandfather got his family through
the depression by poaching. My father kept us fed when times were tough
with a little hunting. I see nothing wrong with hunting for meat.
When I young my dad always said, "If you shoot it, you're going to eat
it." (My brother found out what porcupine tastes like this way :-).
We usually use dogs (and almost always drive), this is perfectly legal
in Ontario (I'm not sure about the rest of the provinces). I'm not
sure if destroying dogs 'running' deer is illegal but I doubt if anything
would come of it if you did (NOTE: I am not advocating any such behaviour!).
Most deer are not eaten by the packs of 'wild' dogs. These animals are
usually well fed house pets who are just running. Most deer die due
to exhaustion since the house pets (terriers and poodles are the worst!)
can run on the snow crust while the deer punches through; thus the
chases can be really long. In winter, a deers reserves are really
depleted so even a short chase can be life threatening. House pets
running in packs are dangerous to humans, I've been attacked by a
pack (I managed to find a tree).
Most of our deer hunting is in heavy brush or thick hardwoods so most
shots are under 50 yards. For this reason the guns of choice are either
30-30 or .308. Anything smaller is apt to wound if it plows through
a branch or small maple before hitting the deer.
Somebody was asking about camo for hunting? I wear blaze orange since
deer are colour blind and most humans aren't. For anything I've hunted
(partridge, rabbits, deer, moose, geese, ducks, etc.), being quiet
and still are FAR more important that being camouflaged. I've actually
seen somebody dressed in buckskins and wearing a coon-skin hat
(Daniel Boone? :-) about to enter the woods for some deer hunting, perfect
camouflage, the deer would all think that he was one of them.
(We stopped and pointed out that he wasn't appropriately attired :-).
(Note to Moderator: I don't think ads are appropriate, especially
non-Canadian ones :-). I also think we should
watch the 'blood and guts' humour to avoid negative
propaganda (which hunters get enough of anyway))
Rob.