Laymen: what have they asked you?

[Philip Glass]

So, I think that 80% of my friends and acquittances dont have a gun, and have no idea of hunting.
African hunt, they know even less about then zero. For general population, hunting safari is basically unimaginable thing.

So, when the question comes up, like where will you go for holidays next summer, to which I reply, something like I will go to Africa for hunting safari.. (have gun, will travel, correct?)

Moment of silence to digest. Then there is this look with eyes wide open, which has to be followed by smart question.
Moment of silence is a bit longer, if I say something like, going to Africa to kill Eland.

Here is the list of questions that I get in return:

1. Do you have some sex aside there? How are local girls? (top question, unbelievably frequent)
2. Is it legal?
3. Can you actually take a gun in the airplane?
4. Smarter ones will ask, which country will you go to?
5. Is there any safety or security risk? Is it safe?
6. Did you take any vaccination?

Those are that comes to mind.
Number one, is top question. I get it all the time!
Two and 3 fairly frequent.
Last three occasional and rare.

Do you guys have similar experiences?

Because we have lost the battle of language with the antis it is always "what do you do with the meat"?
Instead of pointing fingers at other hunters for this or that we need to be more vocal about dispelling the myths and urban legends of trophy hunting.
Yes the safety question comes up most frequently as well.

 

[Just Gina]

I have heard a lot of statements and have been asked a lot of questions about hunting. It comes down to two things: stupidity and ignorance. I educate the ignorant however, you just cannot fix stupid. This one couple were chowing down on their chick-fil-a sandwiches telling me how they could not imagine killing an innocent animal. I asked them this: Do you think they took that chicken that you’re eating out dancing before they slaughtered it for you to eat? Do you think the cows and pigs that you buy at the grocery store just die of old age?
They had no words.
One non hunter at an SCI convention at a local chapter was being particularly obnoxious. When she inquired I told her she was clearly too stupid to step out of her tiny little perspective to have a meaningful conversation about it. She got all red faced and walked off.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I have heard a lot of statements and have been asked a lot of questions about hunting. It comes down to two things: stupidity and ignorance. I educate the ignorant however, you just cannot fix stupid. This one couple were chowing down on their chick-fil-a sandwiches telling me how they could not imagine killing an innocent animal. I asked them this: Do you think they took that chicken that you’re eating out dancing before they slaughtered it for you to eat? Do you think the cows and pigs that you buy at the grocery store just die of old age?
They had no words.
One non hunter at an SCI convention at a local chapter was being particularly obnoxious. When she inquired I told her she was clearly too stupid to step out of her tiny little perspective to have a meaningful conversation about it. She got all red faced and walked off.

Ask nicely to get their email address, then send them this video.

 

[mark-hunter]

Instead of pointing fingers at other hunters for this or that we need to be more vocal about dispelling the myths and urban legends of trophy hunting.

This is absolute truth!
And I think that you are giving to all of us, exactly the proper example how to do it, with great public presentation, interviews and movies! Really a good work!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

As I'm sure you all know by now, I'm usually not one to back down from confrontation. But on this matter I will tred lightly. It is after all a bloody business we are involved in. We cause death and all too frequently pain. Sure, there are all kinds of ways to justify it ethically. However, I think it is understandable that some folks are repulsed by the idea that we enjoy it. Even when people get in my face about it I tend to back off. Sometimes the comparison to slaughterhouse killing vs hunting being a hospice of sorts works (wild animals get to die quickly at home on the range). But it's not an argument I can put my heart into so I usually don't debate it unless the person is genuinely interested in learning where I'm coming from. Sometimes I have difficulty understanding where I'm coming from.

 

[PARA45]

Ask nicely to get their email address, then send them this video.

Sh*t, I don't want to eat chicken after watching that video. I rather eat the animals I kill.

 

[dchum]

when my buddy went to wire money from his Bank to the outfit we hunted with last year, the Bank manager said "Do you know these People?"he said no but send it anyway

My bank could not fathom us sending a chunk of cash to an account without an IBAN number linked to it…. The little lady behind the counter looked at my father and I like we were crazy “SEND IT!” We said.

TIA baby, they don’t do no IBAN # haha

 

[Finprof]

Several of my neighbors have gone on photo safaris to Africa. One neighbor has gone 4 or 5 times. That is when I learned that it is over $1000 a day to ride in a Land Cruiser and take pictures of animals. The photographers are not allowed to leave the vehicle.
Last year one of my neighbors went to photograph mountain gorillas. That was a walking photo shoot with lots of walking that the couple had to train for. I think it was $13000 for a 7 day trip.

 

[VertigoBE]

Several of my neighbors have gone on photo safaris to Africa. One neighbor has gone 4 or 5 times. That is when I learned that it is over $1000 a day to ride in a Land Cruiser and take pictures of animals. The photographers are not allowed to leave the vehicle.
Last year one of my neighbors went to photograph mountain gorillas. That was a walking photo shoot with lots of walking that the couple had to train for. I think it was $13000 for a 7 day trip.

I have noticed this too, when hearing from non-hunters about their photo safaris.
I now give the strong recommendation to try to have go on a safari together with a hunter, to get more value for the money, be able to leave the truck, and see more wilder spaces with no other tourists around.

 

[Berettaco]

Questions I usually get are
1. What happens to the meat and can you bring it back.
2. What rifles are you taking?

The only sex I’d be having is if I ran into Charlize while she’s back home visiting and she threw herself at me. I’d say the odds are pretty good there will be no shenanigans on safari.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Fortunately, ever since the last 10 years… I surround myself exclusively with people who either themselves hunt or at the very least, are fully supportive of it.

In the past, during my government job career and political career… some of the most outlandish questions were:
1) How is this even legal ?
2) How did you get a job protecting wildlife if you enjoy killing them so much ?
3) Aren’t all the game in Africa endangered ?
4) Is this why you’re divorced ?
5) Do you want your children to end up like you ?

Fortunately, a pleasant change in environment away from toxic city couch potatoes & office desk jockeys did much to rejuvenate my lust for life. And my children (and grandchildren) are doing just fine in life, as well.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Questions I usually get are
1. What happens to the meat and can you bring it back.
2. What rifles are you taking?

The only sex I’d be having is if I ran into Charlize while she’s back home visiting and she threw herself at me. I’d say the odds are pretty good there will be no shenanigans on safari.

Charlize Theron is anti gun ownership. She made that soy boy lover of her’s (Sean Penn) melt down his entire gun collection into scrap metal for making some perverse art piece… and then she still gave him the boot.

I suppose Hollywood actors like him are only masculine as long as the camera is rolling.

 

[VertigoBE]

Charlize Theron is anti gun ownership.

except for her bodyguards

 

[SFRanger7GP]

You cannot have an adult conversation with emotional, closed-minded idiots. However, most people just don't know and are curious. Their entire hunting knowledge is based on what they see on TV, social media, etc. I will patiently answer their questions. It is always the "what is done with the meat?" question.

When we lived in South Florida, we were very social within the Latin Community, especially during the holidays. We were hosting one of the Christmas Novenas. Novena is a Catholic Colombian tradition of prayers and singing for 9 days. Starting on the 16th of Dec and terminating on the 24th, which is when we celebrate Christmas. All Novenas start with the daily Novena prayers and traditional religious songs. After that is over, it turns into a party with lots of food, drinking and dancing.

As we prepared the invitation list and menu, I warned Mama to brief her friends that there will be no discussions of politics, or any anti-hunting venom spewed in our home. Typical South Florida home, we had a formal living room with furniture that me and the dogs are not supposed to sit on and a big family room. Mama was quick to point out that the family room was packed with taxidermy, so there will be questions.

On the menu, Mama wanted to use venison, wild pig and various upland birds in several dishes and appetizers. I said you have to discuss that prior to which she replied, "Que pereza, Latinos comen todos y son comelones! Comen que hay o comen mierda!" (translation: I don't agree, Latinos eat everything and eat a lot, they can eat what we have or they can eat $hit!) We agreed to have a couple dishes without wild game and put placards describing the main ingredients of each dish. A few dishes we made: empanadas with venison, albondigas (meat balls) with venison and wild pig, roasted venison shoulder, game pie with quail/pheasant/dove/venison/pig. We also put out jalapeño cheese venison summer sausage.

Everyone went crazy for the wild game dishes. In fact, they disappeared first. This brought out many positive questions and comments from a community that does not have a hunting culture. As everyone left the next morning (yes, the party ended early the following morning) we gave everyone a venison summer sausage as a Christmas gift (and this was at the suggestion of some guests).

As hunters, we can make a difference with those that don't know about hunting but have open minds. Those are the opportunities we have to jump on.

Safe hunting

 

[VonJager]

I find the #1 assumption is that if you go, its the classical full bag safari. When I explain, no, that is no longer the norm, and 7-10 days, buff, or PG hunts are similar in price to elk hunts, I get lots of looks of disbelief.

Never has sex even been mentioned. But it is either family 50-50 hunters gun owners, or friends, 100% gun owners.

Even my rabidly anti-gun in-laws own a few guns they inherited. I am surprised they still have them and they have not been turned in at a buyback.

 

[Just Gina]

Charlize Theron is anti gun ownership. She made that soy boy lover of her’s (Sean Penn) melt down his entire gun collection into scrap metal for making some perverse art piece… and then she still gave him the boot.

I suppose Hollywood actors like him are only masculine as long as the camera is rolling.

She is from SA.

 

[K E Johnson]

Long story short, my wife has become very good friends with some Afghan refugees after volunteering to help with serving meals to some in our area during resettlement.

Being Muslim, they have specific beliefs on what is Haram (forbidden) and what is Halal, (permissible).
My wife will post pics to friends on FB of my harvests and the response is interesting.
Beliefs vary by region. Some consider my kills to be Halal as long as the throat is cut during the process and I take the animal in the name of God, or Allah. As a Christian, I am a person of the book as are Jewish and Muslim people. This allows the meat to be Halal.
Some require the death of the animal by having the throat cut.
She has had it requested, that” I shoot a deer in the leg “ so a Muslim believer could rush in and cut the throat. I do not consider that to be a request I can accommodate.

 

[Velo Dog]

SPRanger7GP,

The things described in your above post are brilliant.
Like so many others here, most of mine and my wife’s friends are conservatives, many are gun owner / hunter / fisher types all the way.

But, we do have a very few casual acquaintances who are brain washed, presumably by the Hollywood celebrities and the fake news channels on the USA Communist controlled television.
As you have pointed out, some (some) of those types indeed can be awakened to the delightful wonders of reality.
I salute you and your wife for your insight and considerable work in organizing that party.
Bravo I say.

Salud,
Velo Dog.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Some neighbors of mine knew I had been to several African countries for work and hunting. Their parents were going on a photo safari to Namibia and asked me for advice. They were going in late June and early July. I told them to pack some warm jackets, hats and gloves. A very puzzled look and response followed. The typical thought being Africa is hot and June-July is summertime, right??? Explaining June-July in the southern hemisphere is like December-January in the northern hemisphere.

A really funny question I got from a guy working at Walmart in Texas. I was buying a bunch of stuff for a school/orphanage in Nigeria, where I worked and lived for several years. The guy asked me, “How long does it take to drive to Nigeria?” I can only attribute this question to Garth Brooks: “Drive around the world in a pickup truck.”

 

[mark-hunter]

Charlize Theron is anti gun ownership. She made that soy boy lover of her’s (Sean Penn) melt down his entire gun collection into scrap metal for making some perverse art piece… and then she still gave him the boot.

When Charlize came up on this subject, I made a quick google search, couldn't find anything of hers on anti gun policies. But also I did not look around too hard.
Thanks for commenting.

On a bright side, at least now Sean has a chance to renew his collection.