Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!erb1!osnome!hunting From: isgtec!robert@uunet.UU.NET (Robert A. Osborne) Newsgroups: rec.hunting Subject: Re: Dogs and Deer Message-ID: <431@erb1.engr.wisc.edu> Date: 25 Mar 91 13:11:37 GMT Sender: news@erb1.engr.wisc.edu Lines: 46 Approved: hunting@osnome.che.wisc.edu From: "Robert A. Osborne" #From: beal@paladin.owego.ny.us (Alan Beal) #[Descriptions of idiots in Michigan deleted] # #So when I hear about hunting deer with dogs, I think about the 'out for #meat' mentality. Hunting is already viewed as an unnecessary evil by #many, especially by some landowners. Can you imagine what those landowners #who are neutral on hunting would think after seeing deer being chased by #dogs being chased by hunters. I can see the no hunting signs going up the #next day. I think we hunters have to present the proper image of hunting #and I don't think the majority of people would find hunting deer with dogs #too sporting. Hunting has a public relations problem and hunters just #out for meat contribute to the problem. People hunt for four reasons: 1) The thrill of the chase. 2) The thrill of the kill. 3) To enjoy the outdoors. 4) For meat. I hunt for reasons 1, 3, and (primarily) 4. Alan claims to hunt for 1 and 3. Why then does he kill the deer? Surely aims 1 and 3 could be accomplished with a camera? I suggest Alan also hunts for one of 2 or 4. Alan, could you please explain why hunting for meat is wrong and why you don't use a camera. The examples you gave are of bad hunters, their reasons for hunting have nothing to do with that. Why does hunting have to be 'sporting'. If you want do be sporting don't use a bow or a gun, try to take down a 10 point buck using a knife (good luck!). The 'Sporting' mentality is what results in some deer bleeding to death over a couple of days because some bozo was 'sporting' enough to use a .22. We have no problem with land owners where we hunt (of course we own most of the land we hunt on :-). None of them have a problem with the fact that we use dogs. The reason hunting has a PR problem is that you can convince some people that shooting a deer that has run free across several thousand acres until it was shot is inhuman, while cutting the throat of a cow that has been trapped in 4X8 stall all it's life isn't. Rob.