This was brought up on another forum that is not hunting related. The conservation started when a person informed the forum about a problem he was having with raccoon's attacking his chickens. He suggested that he would take matters into his own hands with his trusty rifle. A lot of people responded by calling this person a "monster" and a pitiful human being. A few "pro hunters" supported him and one anonymous person had this to say:

"I am a hunter and I am a medical professional. I have killed deer and I have seen people pass while working at a skilled nursing facility. I can assure you that no hunter takes pride on "killing things". As a person I have an overwhelming sense of sadness when I see something expire, human or animal. I do not hunt for the thrill of the kill. I hunt for the thrill of the experience. There is absolutely no way that I can relay what it feels like to be stationed in a remote location, for many hours and waiting on or stalking an animal that you are about to harvest. I've sat in the freezing cold for hours only accompanied by my thoughts and reflections and I did not "kill" anything. I've sat under a huge cedar tree in a man made deer stand and I've watched the sunset and the wind blow. I've reminisced about my childhood and great memories absent distractions like cell phones or cars. I have practiced patience, determination and persistence for days which all comes down to a single moment. The moment you see an animal in your sights and realize that magnitude of the decision you're about to make. The moment where ethical judgement comes into play and your assure yourself that you can make an ethical shot. The moment you assess the animal and confirm that this is in fact a mature animal and not a juvenile. After all this you take a good shot and the animal expires in seconds. I usually take a moment before I walk up to the deer. I say a little prayer and acknowledge that I am blessed for this free range, toxin free organic animal that will yield 80 pounds of delicious meat to feed my family. I thank the animal for yielding its life and can't help feel somewhat connected to a ritual that has taken place since man has wielded spear. Hunting to me will always mean so much more than killing and it's a shame you good people will never understand that."

How do you reply when faced with outsider scrutiny about being a hunter? I believe that it's important to try and educate people what what hunting really means instead of getting frustrated and blowing them off.

I simply say something similar to the doctor you quoted. You will never win an argument with "them" same as they wont change your mind. I figure I m much more sufficient than they are and it SHTF, I will have a chance, they will die in a line somewhere looking for food.

It is usually the bunch that think they know what is best for everyone else spouting that stuff and their treatment of us, is no better than they accuse us of doing to animals.

I think his answer is what most hunters feel and Western is right there is no way to change the anti's mind!!!

It's not as much the killing of the animal that gets folks going. It's the way they are killed and how the folks doing it handle themselves before, during, and after.... The internet is bubba's 2nd worst (after him/her self) enemy... One second of stupidity by 1 causes permanent and irreversable damage to the whole group... If there was internet access control, there wouldn't be much screaming about gun control, etc.....
Out of sight=out of mind is the only way you are gonna get ahead with the antis.

As to answering them.... I don't bother... Just smile and change the subject or move on.....

Folks that are just non hunters will mostly not discuss it , they dont care as long as you are respectful of there position they respect yours.
The people that wanna get righteous and tell you your evil ,you aint going to change there mind cause they aint looking for that they are fuelling there egos by aattacking you. You either politely walk away( this empowers them to continue) or you attack back and pull no punches get personal and get nasty. The idea is to break them of attacking folks ideas and that we aint going to roll over anyvmore.

There's an old saying that I apply to anti-hunters:

"Never argue with a fool, casual observers won't be able to tell who the fool is."

Depends on who is asking. Is it someone that you can have a conversation with or is it someone calling me a, "monster?"

One person you can educate, but the other I won't waste my time.

Agreed. The problem with many of the anti's is that they believe their position makes them better than everyone else. And to accept hunting would mean believing they are not.

Totally agree that you will never change the major antis opinion but do not agree that they should just be ignored. I tired of them getting to say whatever they want to and get away with it. The pro-hunters have to stand up and say something to defend hunting and a way of life that has always been around or one day it won't be around anymore.

OP, this started with a man having raccoons attacking his chickens.

I wonder if the folks calling him a monster ate eggs within the last week? I wonder if they ate chicken meat within the last week? Do they think Mahard egg farm lets coyotes run through the chicken barns as they please? Do they know that a dead hen can't lay eggs? Do they know that when a predator eats you chickens, calves, lambs, kids they literally took food out of your mouth?

This whole problem is due to the decline of the rural society. It won't ever go back to the way it was, but these people need to pull their head out of the sand and learn where their food comes from. And they need to learn that we hunt with respect for God and his creatures, and most of us subsidize our stores of protein with wild game. I'm certainly thankful for the 192 pounds of elk meat I was blessed with.

Rant over. Carry on.

Agree & add... In my experience, most of these people think that "meat" and "eggs" come wrapped or in a carton from the grocery store. In addition they have no real appreciation for what farmers & ranchers do. IMHO That frame of mind carries over into their everyday lives and is precipitated by generational brain washing. They only have a concept of living, not a concept of living & dying.

Took my Daughter out for her first hunt. Stopped a store to grab some snacks. A couple of "punks" yelled out the car "don't shoot anything you fu***ers." My Daughter just looked at me. I said honey, there is nothing to say. Later on she said to me, daddy, I think we just saw evil. I said, we are stronger for not saying anything. Sometimes it is better to accept what they say. We are the STRONGER ones. Don't need to lower our standards for them. They have a right to their respectable opinion. We can be strong and just go about our hunt. IMO.

Sounds like those fellas would have been disrespectful no matter what the situation was. I would have been more PO'd about their language directed at my daughter, than the hunting connotations.

The argument hunters have used for decades mention in this thread " Where do you antis think your food comes from" That argument is fading, it only really apply s to the "casual anti" the ones that dont care enough to really engage in a full blown drama with a hunter. Now days, the "die hard antis" are either vegan, or total non meat eaters.

I once got into this "conversation" with a woman who could have been a state rep for antis, she was so emotional. When I asked her if she ate any "animal by products" she said "NO, I'm totally organic" She quit after I asked :how organic is it that I harvest my one meat...free range too!" LOL

I dont think it is 100% anti shooting, but more an "emotional" issue/problem with the antis, they collect animals they cant afford to take care of, treat pets, better than humans, almost like they where born with a mothering guilt complex.

You cannot win an argument, or make any logic clear, with someone that approaches it from an emotional angle.

Sorry for the diatribe.

This^ also applies to a lot of other subjects and posts here on THF

I completely agree with all your points. It's just amazing to me how some peoples perception of hunting is so skewed. People don't realize how much the hunting community respects nature and how much they contribute to the preservation of our natural resources.

EVERYONE needs to realize that without hunting none of us would be here today having this conversation. As we all know all of our early ancestors didn't have a grocery store to go to for food. Wow! They hunted for it and generations later we are having conversations about killing something. As for the original post I wonder how many of the folks bit*#ing have ever had a racoon egg over easy for breakfast!

I quit trying to figure them out a while ago. If as adults these individuals can't figure out something so basic and they find it so easy to ridicule those of us that get it, they really aren't worth my time. I do my part educating the younger generation that wants to learn.

It only takes 1 or 2 idiots to overcast all the good intentions and actions that thousands demonstrate.... hard to convince folks that you respect nature,wildlife, and conservation yadda yadda when you got bubba chimin in on the same forum , boastin stuff like wadin into hogs firing away and not caring whether they kill them or just wound them... and on and on...... then someone with a 5 word vocabulary (3 of them being Peta, Liberal, and Anti) jumpin in to defend it....
It's the same all over the world I guess.... I was on a hunt last weekend where the meeting point was a public parking area beside a main road where folks parked and used the hiking trails.. They brought all the game down and had it in an open pickup, blood all over the parking area, guys laying pigs out on the sidewalk posing for pics, and a couple were hacking off heads. Then everything was piled back onto the truck and left uncovered while they went into the pub for beer and bragging....

I guess I'm just lucky I have never had a real ANTI say anything to me... I have coworkers and friends that don't hunt but most don't care if I do and will eat venison sausage or chili.

I just tell um if the SHTF come find me I'll take care of ya.

Daven, I think you hit the nail on the head!! We are our own worst enemy most of the time.

It was "cool" in the 40's-50's to tie the ole buck over the hood, but in this day and age, I think it is a dumb thing to do.

I like people to see my trophy's too, but I wont strap one on the truck, on top in full view to impress other motorist. I think that is the worst form someone should see your "trophy" and besides, I dont hunt for others "approval" or "high five".

I dont hunt for others "approval" or "high five". [/quote]

I don't either but if we pass on the hwy and I see parts of a rack sticking up I WILL honk and give you a thumbs up !

Yep...
IDC (like to add another letter but ) about anithuntes' opinions. I know quite a few. One of them is my friend's mom. She's anti gun, bow, hunt, skin, everything! We've debated on the issue. We usually end as a draw, but I'm on the upper hand

""I don't either but if we pass on the hwy and I see parts of a rack sticking up I WILL honk and give you a thumbs up ! [/quote]

So would I, but we hunters/outdoors-man are the "minority" using the road. I was returning from an Elk hunt with 2 buddies, we saw a truck with just one tip of antler showing, drove us crazy. We stopped with that truck at 3am for coffee, just to see the bull LOL

The way I put it is: Where your house is, use to be food plots for the animals. Less woods means less deer can survive. I harvest the deer so they don't starve to death and donate the meat to the food banks. Usually get a "I understand, but it still bothers me." Usually makes sense to them. Especially the part of donating the meat. As said before, we ARE our own enemies. Please, think before you do.

I used to have a copy of an article that showed the contributions of hunters/fishermen(and women) to conservation verses the non-hunting community. It also showed the overall impact of outdoorsmen/women to the economy. I had some want-to-be PETA people in the family and it really irritated them but, the facts were irrefutable that only us outdoorsy people accomplished the conservation that they wanted so badly to take credit for. They had a hard time swallowing the fact that PETA and Greenpeace contributed little to nothing to conservation. I have found a similar article showing the numbers;

http://dailyreckoning.com/right-to-hunt-vs-animal-rights/

P.S. - I had a niece that only shut up about her view on animal rights when I pointed out her leather shoes and purse.