What are you're thoughts on recreational hunting?

Here's the thing. In my state of Pennsylvania, every year, schools are closed on the first day of deer season. I cant drive down the road without seeing a bloody carcass laying in the back of someone's pickup truck this time of the year.

Have you ever wondered why we still hunt? Or better yet, why do we do it for fun? Scientifically speaking, we our omnivores and hunting wild game is not necessary. Especially considering all of the processed foods that we have today. I'm not going to lie..I love venison. lol I just find it completely ridiculous to actually make a sport out of hunting.

There are various reasons most people give for going out hunting this time of the year. Most people say it is to enjoy nature. My thoughts are...cant you enjoy nature without killing it? People often go hunting because of family tradition, or maybe just the thrill of it all. you know, as if being a complex being with a gun is a fair fight.

Also, I find it a little disturbing how desensitized people are to killing living things. We are all living things, what makes a human more sacred? And what is it about the human mind that gets pleasure out of making the kill? Is it an acomplishment? A right of passage? Probably. Personally, I just think that it goes to show us how barbaric we as humans still are. Some of us in particular have a lot more evolving to do.

Here's something else. I find it interesting how our government gets to make a profit off of our licenses to go hunting every year. The department of conservation even says that hunting is necessary to control the population of wild game. What exactly are they afraid of? Natural balance? Why do they feel that we have to play god?

I used to go hunting. I grew up into it. Every male member of my father's side of the family has been hunting ever since they were twelve years old, and until recently, I was no exception. I never really liked it. not because I'm vegan, or obsessed with animal rights or anything, I just never enjoyed getting up early in the morning and freezing my ass off in the woods for hours on end. That's another point. What kind of hunting is it when all you have to do is sit there with a loaded firearm? ah, but I am getting off of the subject again. anyway, the reason I went hunting when I was younger was because of our family tradition, but mostly because my father worked a lot of hours and the only time I got to spend with him, were our hunting trips to the cabin.

Well, that was my rant for now..I'm sure I'll have more to add later.

I'm looking forward to everyone's opinion on this mater.

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Permalink Reply by James Lee Wilson on September 1, 2012 at 6:27pm

I hope you're joking about this, but whether you are or aren't, I'm not wanting to argue this... lol

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Permalink Reply by Arcus on September 1, 2012 at 6:35pm

Half-joking. When things are put in their proper perspective, essentially as viewed from outside without a morass of arguments, a lot of the actions humans permit seem preposterous. That's not to say things don't make sense in context, but it is always fun to think from a starting point of zero knowledge.

At least I think so. :-)

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Permalink Reply by James Lee Wilson on September 1, 2012 at 6:40pm

I completely agree! I've thought of this as well, and that's one of the reasons I'm so against legislation against certain things like eating meat. I don't believe something that people have done for thousands of years, and what the vast majority of nature still does on a daily basis, should be banned or made illegal simply because someone doesn't like it. When people start doing this, anything is up for grabs. I hate the mentality that people think just because they don't like something, that they have any right to tell others they can't do it. I'm not 100% sure where you stand on it, but either way, what you said is a pretty big part as to why I stand so strong... FYI, I haven't hunted since I was a kid, so it wouldn't affect me that much, but it isn't about me. It's about people's rights, and that's why I fight so adamantly. You know, in case you cared.. lol :)

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Permalink Reply by Arcus on September 1, 2012 at 6:57pm

I have nothing against hunting, being from a small, forest enclosed, farm, as I am. My sister is the only one carrying the mantle of huntress in my family presently, I personally prefer the asphalt jungle and getting my meat from the store. Growing up I had to contend with elks chasing me aon a couple of occasions, my dad shooting deer from the kitchen window, my sisters getting a horse, which we subsequently ate, a couple of rabbits, ditto dispatched, rabies infested foxes in need of culling, wild cats in need of removal, trapping dam building beavers, and the general fight against pests such as mice, rats, and badgers.

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Permalink Reply by James Lee Wilson on September 1, 2012 at 6:58pm

Wow, you had a full childhood!

Permalink Reply by Arcus on September 1, 2012 at 7:14pm

To me it seems perfectly normal and I believe this may be why I take issue to people have strong opinions for or against things they haven't personally experienced, especially those reared in a more urban setting. The proverbial (and I've actually heard this argument) "I have nothing against eating meat as long as no animals get hurt"-crowd.

Animals are for eating, woods are for burning, lands are there to be tilled.

Permalink Reply by James Cox on September 1, 2012 at 9:59pm

It sounds like all of nature was a 'pest' to you and your family. Was there anything in the world for YOU, that was worthy of life without your validation or desire to put a target over it?

Or maybe your posting is to goode the rest of us to revulsion?

Permalink Reply by James Lee Wilson on September 1, 2012 at 6:31pm

For some reason, it won't let me reply to your morality comment, but basically, I still disagree. Many people don't even remotely believe that incest is wrong, but as a whole in society, it's become that way. Other cultures through history accepted incest as morally viable, and many people didn't have a problem with it, so it's still based on nothing but how one is raised as to what makes it seem that reason has steered ethics, while, in fact, it's still feelings and society. Of course, this is my opinion, and while I do believe I can make a fair argument supporting this, I'm not going to say that I don't get what you're saying and that this isn't a good argument.

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Permalink Reply by Arcus on September 1, 2012 at 6:43pm

The "Reply"-button stops after a half dozen indents or thereabouts, presumably not to make the text postings extremely skinny.

I think we may have reached a point of general consensus and a differing of opinion on certain specifics, which is fine and desirable for me at least. Hopefully we agree that incest (note that it was just an example) is undesirable in general, though in certain situations it may be acceptable, and the latter point is where our potential disagreement may occur.

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Permalink Reply by James Lee Wilson on September 1, 2012 at 6:49pm

Oh okay, I understand.

I agree with you. I do like a true conversation that doesn't lead to mud slinging. And for some reason, all of what I said next was deleted, so I'll retype it. Though I've done a little myself to others, but none that was unwarranted.

We can definitely agree on the incest part. lol. Either way, it was good debating you. Enjoy your Saturday.