Bullhound

Eastman is the first to wake up. I wonder how in the world G5 can be this stupid. This thing is a real joke, and not a funny one at all.

Davoh

Just talked to some friends from church. The anti-hunting crowd has picked up on this and is already readying their first salvos. [:@]The fall-out from thissituation is gonna be like Uncle Ted using a tank to deer hunt.

A sad day for hunting. []

gzg38b

This was in our local Michigan newspaper. The president of our local chapter of Safari Club International (Marc Somers) actually supports this!


Mich. Group announces competitive hunting
[/align]
GENESEE COUNTY[/align]THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION[/align][/align]Wednesday, June 07, 2006
By Elizabeth Shaw[/align][/align][email protected] • 810.766.6311
[/align]First bass fishing became a competitive sport, now hunting is about to become one.
The World Hunting Association announced its plans Tuesday to create a competitive hunting tour around the world, with the 2006 inaugural season beginning this fall in Gladwin at the Lost Arrow Ranch.
Local hunters believe their home state was a natural choice.
"This is one of the top three states in the country for the number of hunting licenses sold, so it's only right they chose Michigan. And I'm sure this means we'll see stops in Texas and Pennsylvania too," said Marc Somers, president of the local chapter of Safari Club International.
Supporters hope the tournament will give the state's economy a needed boost. Hunting contributes more than $500 million to the Michigan economy, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. But the sport has been on a decline in recent years, due to such factors as an aging population, less interest among youths and shrinking access to hunting land. Deer hunting license sales have dropped nearly 5 percent in 2004.
David Farbman, a real estate executive and hunter, is the WHA's founder, commissioner and CEO. Farbman and a group of investors are funding the initiative, which boasts more than $500,000 in prize money for the first two tournaments.
"The WHA fills a void by providing a platform that benefits the entire international hunting industry today and for generations to come," Farbman said in a statement.
Hunters will shoot white-tail deer and other game with tranquilizers, which should not kill the animals.
"For far too long, hunters have looked forward to the day when we would eventually get our own professional sports league," WHA hunter Brett Hankins said in a statement. "Well, that time has arrived and we are extremely excited."
The catch-and-release format could help the sport's image among the nonhunting public.
"It could help get people past the killing part so they can see the amount of skill and work that goes into it," said avid hunter Arlene Minto of Davison Township.
Some wondered if it would be a spectator sport or just a televised event. Others wondered what animals would be hunted and who would be eligible to compete.
"If this is something anyone can enter and win prize money, there are a lot of adventurous people out here who'd do anything to get out there and be part of it," said Minto. "I won't do that, but I'll definitely be watching it on TV, that's for sure."
Game ranch hunting can be nearly as competitive as hunting in the wild, but it depends on the ranch, all said.
"There are parameters the Safari Club has set up as to what defines fair chase -- things like the number of open acres, how long the animal has been acclimated to the area, the number of animals and hunters per acre. If it falls within those parameters, sure," said Somers. "If they chose Lost Arrow, I'm sure it meets those requirements."
The bottom line, all said, is how the tournament is actually handled.
"If they were out shooting the state's wild game, I'd be highly upset. I'd hate to see a sport as old, private and individual as hunting turned into a contest," said Roger Moore, president of the local Ruffed Grouse Society. "But if it's just on a game ranch with tranquilizers, then I don't have a problem with it. Whatever they do inside their fence, that's up to them."
"Is it going to raise money for education or charity? If it's done correctly and they use the proceeds correctly, not just to benefit individuals, then it sounds like a good thing," said Somers. "Anything that promotes hunting in general in a positive way, Safari Club supports."
***
Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.
[/align]©2006Flint Journal
© 2006 Michigan Live. All Rights Reserved.

PurcellSportingGoods

I get sick everytime I think about this!

Germ

Matt / PA I have new great respect for your honsety on this subject.

I have pleaded with G5 on the phone today, looks like I will be using slick tricks.

I have to go to Boston on Sunday, but I have contacted my friend at the DNR. I am going to see if we can get a law before Oct 2006 to make it illegal to shoot a deer with a Tranq dart for sport. Ay ideas of what to say I will use them. I called the Governers office and will keep on them all week.

We need to end this before it begins, or it is the beginning of the end of us!!!

gzg38b

This must be the respectful, non-fatal tranquilizing method. I wonder how that feels coming out of a 300 fps bow? Broken ribs / shoulder blades at a minimum. Or do they try to stick it in the rump?

This has got to be illegal. If not it should be.

shed33

Matt, Thanks for the correction. Whew.. I am actually glad to hear I had the wrong eastmans. I will go back there and delete that.. Again thanks Matt.

Troy

hardcorehunter

When we were bowhunting Elk last year near Durango, CO, an antihunting woman told us that we should go to this elk place somewhere near Drango and this outfit sells darted elk hunts. You shoot elk with darts and pose with pictures and than it wakes up. Craziest crap I had ever heard. Now I'm hearing it here too. WOW, sounds stupid to me

PurcellSportingGoods

wow! thats pretty sick....darn shame!

chaselton

bad idea