Rockby

I am just writing this to express some opinion on the posts earlier by Atlasman and Mr. Longbeard. Just my 2 cents, but here we go...
Webster's defines hunt as "to go out to kill or catch(game) for food or sport" and hunting as "the act of a person or animal that hunts." It also has various definitions for "fair" but I will just use the ones I feel fit this question..."just and honest" or "according to the rules."
Now, in my opinion we really must throw the dictionary out the window on this subject because it is really too vague to cover it!!! I am a firm believer that hunting is whatever you want it to be as long as it is within the guidelines set by your local governing bodys. What I mean is that if it is LEGAL than it should be considered hunting even if you personally don't agree! I will try to give a few examples...
BAITING? Even though I personally(and legally) don't bait by pouring food on the ground, I do hunt on agricultural property(soybeans, corn) and some with fod plots planted. Yes, I help plant the plots! So there seems to be only a fine line between planting versus pouring! And I still scout the properties for months in advance to see exactly where they are feeding on those fields and their travel routes!!! Yet whether I plant or pour, I still better be able to get in close and undetected to kill anything other than time!
OUTFITTERS? Have I ever been on a guided hunt? NO! Would I ever pay for one? Probably not! Would I go if someone else paid, such as a sponser would? You can bet the farm on it!!! Would I feel like less of a hunter if I went on one? Yeah right, just like I would feel like less of a millionaire if I won it from the lottery instead of earning it! I bet nobody on here would turn down that money!!! Yes, I love to put in the leg work and the great feeling of accomplishment when I do it myself, but I feel the same way about the ones that I have taken that were by complete surprise...i.e.bumped on the way in, came in from a different direction. And I guess that if it is wrong to use an outfitter, than it is also wrong to take a friend hunting with me since he didn't scout the property like I did! I guess under that logic we must all hunt alone so that we don't get any unfair advantage from someone else's hard work!
FENCES- Someone said "what about 2000 acres with a high fence?" Now I have to say I don't agree with fences under certain circumstances, but I think that really relates to size. 20 acres and 2000 acres are totally different in my opinion. Then again I know deer don't really want to swim across a huge river if they don't have too! Is that like a fence? I don't know???
I guess I could go on and on but you get the point! But here are a few more points for you to ponder...
DOGS vs. NO DOGS- I am in the minority in my area because dogs are a big part of hunting here in Virginia, yet I personally would rather not use them. Yet I am not going to take anything away from those that do, cause I know they get great enjoyment not only from the kill but from the feeling of accomplishment from the dogs they trained!
GUN vs. BOW- If you shot an animal with a gun instead of a bow , are you any less of a hunter? I guess I was not really a hunter all those years prior to taking my first deer with my bow! I guess every time I take my gun out I become a "shooter" not a "hunter!"
And how about these...
RIFLE vs. SHOTGUN...
CENTERFIRE vs. BLACK POWDER...
SCOPED vs. IRON SIGHTS...
COMPOUND vs. TRADITIONAL...
ANYTHING vs. CROSSBOW...

By the way... Webster's also defines "fair" as "impartial; unprejudiced; specif., free from discrimination..."
Thanks for taking the time if you got this far!!!!!
GOOD LUCK HUNTING HOWEVER YOU DO IT!!!!!!

Rockby

A few more ...
PRIVATE vs. PUBLIC...
RECORD BOOK vs. AVERAGE...
CUSTON vs. WALLY WORLD SPECIAL...
HEAVY CALIBER vs. LIGHT CALIBER...
CARBON vs. REGULAR CAMO...

Those were two REALLY BIG PENNIES... LOL!!!!