I agree with being considerate and respectful to all people in the world, regardless of whether it is hunting related or not. It is called being a good citizen and being a personthat people want to be around and respect.I have owned my own business for over 20 years. My business is 10% service, 90% public relations. I conduct myself as a professionalwith my hunting the same. My point though is something that you and maybe others are missing. Hunters $$, insurance companies, farmers, and property owners have more say than any anti hunter group in the world. I understand thatpeta is big business. It is a big business to get donations and the executives in the organization rich.Do you think that the peta executives, making 6 figures a year, want to ban hunting and lose their title and job? What will they do then? You still can't convince me that I am going to lose my right to bowhunt because Ted shot a lamb on his show or whether I use the term "kill" in a thread with a deer pic with blood. There are many guys that FEEL that this is going to happen. I am just saying that these fears are WAY overrated.WHITETAIL HUNTING is BIG BUSINESS for states, the legislators like the revenue it generates for the states. Insurance companies lobby for more deer to be killed. Farmers lobby for more deer and other crop eating animals to be killed. Homeownerswant deerand rabbits killedto keep their bushes alive.Peta does nothing financial for the states. They are thought of as freaks that spray paint people in fur coats and throw pies in pork queens faces. Not really taken serious by the legislatures and the 80% of the regular non hunting public.

I wish it was 100%. I am not saying to not be considerate and respectful of the non hunting community.

I agree with HCH, 100% on this one. Its all about big $ business in this world today. Unfortunately its a catch 22 in some ways. Yes I can't imagine hunting ever being shut down, but what hunting is today and will become is sadly going to be much more of an rich mans game, not a way of life or family tradition.

You just got my blood pumping! Good stuff there preachertony.

PT....

I wrote this way back on page 3.

I agree with you.....

Jeff, we are cut from the same mold .... I believe since we are about the same age, we were probably brought up with similiar values.

I sure hope these younger guys realize the need to vote for the right people, moral people. For the most part, right wing conservatives will protect our right to bear arms, the right to life, and a moral law established back on Moubt Sinai ...

How did that soap box get out here again???

yeah that is awesome stuff preach! God my blood pumping too!

PT....

I have strong political views and strong morals. I still find myself settling for the lesser of two eveils every 2 and 4 years.

I know that laws need not be passed via legislative brances of state governments for things to change DRAMATICALLY in that state. Ask anyone in MA about gay marriage and whether they voted for that, or not.

Yeah.....we're invincible! We're apacifist/activist judge in a small town in OR from losing something else we hold dear. How long had sodomy been illegal in Texas before the supreme court superceded the will of the people?

I just don't want to be one of the ones (and I won't be) standing around saying ....."but you can't do that!".

WOW! I kinda got a headache from reading all of this.

I think HCH makes valid points with his $$$ references. I know in WV hunting provides a great deal of revenue for the state and law makers are trying to expand ont his by opening seasons early. Heck, just look at the price for the license!!!![:@]. That's a lot of money to walk away from because of a special interest group has a burr up the butt over deer getting killed. Granted WV is different than some of the other states mentioned. Hunting is celebrated there, school is out, employers are flexible for time off. Gas stations open early and close late.It truely is a HOLIDAY.

In other more liberal states however, the risk is more visible I'm sure. My exposure to this kind of environment is limited so I might just be nieve.

I always find myself comparing us as hunters to any other group or organization looking for acceptance and how they have approaced gaining acceptance and one word comes to mind.............EDUCATION!

If people are educated on "what we do" and understand how valuable we as sportsman and conservationists are, our message may be better understood. I take every opportunity I get to educate non hunters and anti's when given the opportunity. Never does the blood and guts issue come up. It's most always about DEATH to the animal and why must we do it? Why should the animal die? What right do we have to kill?

It's up to us to educate them on the benefits of hunting such as revenue for the state, tradition, management, conservation. Once the big picture is understood, the "blood and guts" become a non issue IMO.

I believe as brethern in the hunting community we need to be more aware of our different circumstances across the country.The perception of hunters in rural Iowa or rural Idaho I can assure you is vastly different than the perception of hunters in my community(Woodstock NY)2 hours north of New York city.Shed33 is a friend and I am aware having hunted in Idaho for the last ten years that what is expected and accepted in the rural communities out there is night and day different than my area and I would anticipate most area's around urban centers.In Idaho it is common (expected)that in the small town that I hunt,that hunters will walk through it with rifles slung over their shoulders.This year in my home town on land that I have hunted for 15 years,I had a person call the police because they didn't think I should be there.I made the person aware that I had permission,she didn't care.Her agenda was that if she could make my experience unpleasant enough I wouldn't come back.I hunted there every opportunity I could after that.The police did come out though.
In another instance an unarmed man was walking up a town road in full camo and someone(weekender,second home owner )called the police to report his behavior.The guy was just walking up the road.
The point of all this is what might be real for you as it relates to your ability to conduct yourself,or your ability to maintain hunting land access may not apply to myself or others.
I don't disagree with you about the power of financial interests,and I hope your right about hunting's ability to withstand every thing that is coming at it.I know in my home area I would be dead in the water if I didn't err to the side of caution with these things.
I can't believe the misperceptions of hunters that I run into when dealing with people in my community who aren't originally from my area,70% of the people in my town.Honest to god so many people thought we are idiots or freakin cave men,it is comical.I am working on changing those perceptions one non hunter at a time.For a lot of reasons!