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Speedster

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In the thread titled "Is there an African animal you would not shoot?", there are a lot of differing opinions. But no matter of anyone's stated preference, there has been no negative comments regarding one's own personal preferences. That is one of the great things about this forum. The thread got me thinking about an article in one of our local papers written by a well known "outdoor writer" about 5 or 6 years ago. I will not mention this person's name but I am sure many on this forum have heard of him or even know him. I cannot remember the subject of the column but briefly, among other things, the writer stated that anyone who trophy hunts in Africa and mounts the heads is not a true hunter and the whole idea was disgusting to him. He also stated that tigers were becoming scare in India because of trophy hunting. Man, did I see red. I immediately wrote a reply to him. Of course, I never did hear a reply back. I started this this thread because of what I said previously. This forum has a great unity; that being the great sport of hunting. We don't all have to agree on everything, but we must never disagree with one's personal preference for ethical, legal hunting. Below is the reply I wrote. I x'ed out any personal info. Oh, and by the way, at the time I wrote this I had not done any research regarding the affordability of Africa, so just take that with a grain of salt. And I did do my first African hunt in May of this year. Keep up the fight guys and gals.

After reading your column of xxx in the xxxxxxxxxxx I felt compelled to write to you. Since you are an outdoor writer I assumed you would be a person who supported hunting and fishing. I am obviously wrong. Are you a member of PETA? Just thought I'd ask. Do you realize where in Africa the best managed wildlife herds and populations exist? Where there is safari hunting. Yes, it costs a king's ransom to go on one but that money is funneled back to the respective countries game management department, not to mention the jobs that are provided for people in poverty stricken areas. Do you know that elephants are edible? The killing of one provides meat for many people living in the area. Do a Wikipedia search on "elephant populations in Kenya." You might learn something about the value of wildlife where it is protected by no hunting and where it is allowed. Do you also realize that tiger hunting is not allowed today? Loss of habitat, not safari hunting is the cause. How many hunters do you know who have passed up a good tasting doe to shoot an old stringy buck so that they can mount the head? (Maybe even you). I have never been to Africa and unless I have some rich uncle who I don't know about dies and leaves me his fortune I never will. However, I realize the importance of the safari business and the overall good it provides to the country that allows it. I bet the late great Jack O'Conner would be rolling over in his grave if he was able to read the tripe you are writing. Please sir, if you feel this way don't shame yourself and the profession by calling yourself an "outdoor" writer.

xxxxxxxxx

PS Just so you know I love fishing and hunting. I don't have a place to deer hunt anymore and I don't like hunting on public land so I just squirrel hunt. I do eat them and I have no squirrel heads mounted on my wall.
 
Great post. I largely agree with most of it.

What I have seen is that many rank and file “deer and elk hunters” feel the way that writer does.

We need to stick together as a demographic or we will be picked apart piece by piece until there are no killing fields left for us, all of us.

I used to contribute over on the other site. I found it hostile and tribal. Threads were picked apart by all the “experts” and open dialogue wasn’t possible.

I like it here. Helping others not repeat mistakes made by myself is my contribution.

That is the value of Internet forums.

Regards

Steve
 
I don't know how long ago Speedster wrote this but it still holds true today. The part about the king's ransom may be a little dated. We do have to stick together no matter what or where we hunt because we are prime targets for all the loonies out there who are trying everything they can to divide and conquer. The bit about "I don't hunt X or Y so I don't care" is just what they are preying on. If one falls, we all fall. Kinda like the gun control lunacy.
 
That writer would find so many of us appalling! Lol. I don’t find it necessary to mount my animals, but I do feel that my taxidermist kinda depends on me to get his kids through college and I wouldn’t want to let them kids down. I really enjoy just sitting and looking at them, they increase the intensity of the memory and remind me daily of friends and family that shared the hunt with me and are no longer on this earth. At the end of the day they are just trinkets that fill space and hopefully(but probably won’t) will find space on my kids walls so they to can reminisce with their friends and a single malt about a hunt with the old man or retell a tale to their kids that their grandpa told him. No different than any other worldly belongings, they are here for us to enjoy while we grace the earth and if they bring a person happiness then it is worth it. A man could I suppose get on through life with 3 or 4 good rifles, a couple handguns and a fine shotgun or two. I said suppose, not that I would attempt such insanity but if one Of everything trips your trigger, why not? Better than a cocaine habit, not much cheaper but definitely better for you. Especially if you are single as I have heard of married men that have died in their sleep from spontaneous firearms purchases.
So yes, this forum is a special place with many people that would go to great lengths to help a fellow out, very rarely have I seen anyone put down for asking a question here. There are disagreements but typically are dealt with respectfully.
Cheers,
Cody
 
You should let us know who the “outdoor writer” was. Tiger hunting is not legal in india and he obviously has so little knowledge of international hunting he should not be read by anyone.
Thanks
Philip
 
Speedster I agree with you 100%. We all have our own personal preferences i.e. the blonds vs brunettes sort of thing and first hand experience. Therefore our points of view and or opinions are bound to differ from time to time. Respectful disagreements and or stirring the pot once in a while brings information to light that benefits the group as a whole.
 
Speedster I agree with you 100%. We all have our own personal preferences i.e. the blonds vs brunettes sort of thing and first hand experience. Therefore our points of view and or opinions are bound to differ from time to time. Respectful disagreements and or stirring the pot once in a while brings information to light that benefits the group as a whole.

Blonds or brunettes, no way, redheads :E Lol: :D Cheers:
 
Great post. I largely agree with most of it.

What I have seen is that many rank and file “deer and elk hunters” feel the way that writer does.

We need to stick together as a demographic or we will be picked apart piece by piece until there are no killing fields left for us, all of us.

I used to contribute over on the other site. I found it hostile and tribal. Threads were picked apart by all the “experts” and open dialogue wasn’t possible.

I like it here. Helping others not repeat mistakes made by myself is my contribution.

That is the value of Internet forums.

Regards

Steve
Just to put the record straight, legal tiger hunting in India was stopped in 1970 when the tiger population had dropped to below 3000 in the entire country. Today, the population is around 4000, but confined to National parks and sanctuaries.
The forest area conducive to natural breeding for tigers is however dropping, with an ever increasing human population. There are few really wild areas left in India, humans are everywhere.
There isn’t much hope for improvement.
Regds
Kamal.
 

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