In my experience, the fact that a supposed "anti-hunter" wants to know more about this is refreshing, indeed. Whether we like it or not, we're all ambassadors of our sport and to educate is a responsibility that we all must share. There are large numbers of well-funded organizations (humane society, PETA, etc.) who would like to ban all hunting on public lands if they can get their way. I grew up with a very non-hunting family. My dad never wanted me to hunt or even own a firearm. He served in the military and had familiarity with them, he just chose not to let us have them. I eventually got an air rifle and had other opportunities to learn marksmanship in scouts. I had to wait until I was out on my own to engage in the shooting sports. Enough of me, though. From every college I've ever been to, the anti-hunting and anti-gun folks seem to have no problems being represented, and the media only portrays hunters as beer-swilling fools shooting up anything that moves. Granted there are a few of those around, and they always manage to interview them for the newscasts. But the fact remains that we live in a lop-sided ecosystem where the predators are no longer present to control the burgeoning numbers of deer and other animals. Ironically, as forest lands are bulldozed, new habitats are created for the deer, as all that fescue they plant is just yummy to the deer. They enjoy protected status from homeowners who think its cool to have deer in the subdivisions. They breed and move across roadways, where they are killed not by deer rifles or slug guns, but by a "chevy-06" with disastrous results for all. They need checks on their population, we can stand an outing in the field, and the tasty venison ain't so bad, either. To explain the necessity of hunting might fall on deaf ears to a general population that thinks that the government can relocate them. Where? Deer are everywhere. Nationwide. Hawaii, too. (No, they don't shoot 'em off of surfboards) Makes you wonder if Realtree makes a camo pattern that looks like a Hawaiian shirt. Anyway, we have a new world order that puts us as the apex predator on the land. Some are more comfortable with that status than others. We will hunt, the rest will complain. But anyone who eats fish, meat or fowl has killed either directly, or they paid someone else to do it for them in a factory. Present your girlfriend's uncle with this and challenge him to accompany you on a hunt. He'll either respect you or he'll hate you, but you gotta be the one to give the olive branch. If he won't, then chalk it up to just another out-of-touch individual trying to dictate their own world view on the rest of us. Good luck. I take it your girlfriend must be something special for you to even want to try to deal with this issue!