I've had this same arguement with others before. I often come the same conclusion as you do. They say they hunt for the meat in order to justify it to themselves or others. I agree usually it's a bunch of a crap when there is an aldi's right down the road, or a local butcher somewhere that you can buy meat in bulk. I normally end up spending more to hunt than it would cost to get that much meat locally. And when you figure time into it there is no comparison. I have seen guys end marriages over hunting, that just makes no sense to me.

When you boil it down, basically most hunt because it is a legal way to kill things. It sounds crude and brash, but it is the truth usually. There are few animals that hunt for the sheer sport of it, humans, cats and a few others. Most animals only kill when they have to though, for food or protection. I think cats are worse than humans, have you ever watched one, they are pretty mean and sadistic actually. The problem is with most house cats they are born hunters, they have all the instincts but don't really know what to do with them. We are sort of the same way, a lot of it is instinct and it feels natural for us. It is hard to deny that in some cases.

Not that hunting doesn't have its place in the modern world. I hunt because it still needs to be done. And because I enjoy it and it is legal. I don't feel a need to justify it farther than to people. If they don't want to do it, they don't have to. However I feel we need to hunt for population control. Our species is growing at an alarming rate and we consume much more land and resources than we actually need. This leaves no room for other species. Deer and other animals are not as intelligent as we are, they don't know they don't have enough room or habbitat not to reproduce. That is there only function in life, reproduce, so they do it. If there is not enough habitat to support them they will get weak, sick and die off. And possibly spread desease in the process. Or become pests and damage property and crops. Not to mention the amount deer/vehicle collisions we have. We either need to keep our species in check, or thiers. Since we don't have a poplulation control program for ourselves, I guess it's them isn't it.

If the state didn't want you to harvest deer they wouldn't issue the tags, it's that simple. There is a need for it, so we are allowed to do it. It is not our right, it is a privilage. Not to mention the government makes money from it as well. This is why I feel no matter what the anti's do, there will always be hunting in some form or another. As long as there is a need for it and it brings the government revenue it will be here.

Paul