fingerz42

Should have asked her if it would have been any better if it were hit by a car. Would it have been okay then? Should we stop hunting completely so deer are killed by predation, vehicle collisions, starvation, and disease? To then only be wasted and rot away in the woods? Is that a better solution lady? Its so obvious that anti-hunters have never stepped back and realized what sort of a mess we would be in without people controlling the populations of wild animals. These so called animal lovers dont realize that without hunting, these animals would die much more cruel and painful deaths. People need to get their chit straight before they go opening their mouths. I wonder if that lady eats meat, if so, she needs to see what those animals go through as they are "processed" I'm sure she'd be surprised to see the cattle being slaughtered like pieces of property and chickens being slaughtered. Be a real eye opener for her.

brucelanthier

You can always tell these folks that you contribute more dollars in one yearto help bambi and all of his relatives than they have in their lifetime. License fees and a % of the sale of all hunting/fishing goods goes to support wildlife management. When you think about how much you spend on hunting each year, how much hunters spend each year, and how much gets put back into wildlife management, we outspend hunting opponents, people like your neighbor, by vast amounts.

The most recent survey report (2006) indicated in that year:
[ul][*]12.5 million people 16 years old and older enjoyed hunting a variety of animals within the United States. They hunted 220 million days and took 185 million trips. Hunting expenditures totaled $22.9 billion.[*]An estimated 10.7 million hunters pursued big game, such as deer and elk, on 164 million days.[*]There were 4.8 million hunters of small game including squirrels and rabbits.[*]They hunted small game on 52 million days and spent $2.4 billion on small game hunting trips and equipment.[*]2.3 million hunted migratory birds such as doves or waterfowl[*]1.1 million hunted other animals such as woodchucks and raccoons [/ul]
http://www.fws.gov/hunting/huntstat.html

Hoytail Hunter

I would've really liked to put things into perspective for but but then along with the minutes of pointless debate that was going thru my head in that split second, these other things were as well:

1) people don't listen when you're talking, they're just waiting their turn to talk.
2) her mind is already made up that I'm a cruel heartless evil man, there's nothing that will change that.
3) women are always right irregardless of anything including the truth. Christine if you're reading this, you by exception are almost always right.

It was a battle I chose carefully not to.

-Heu

daveyrock

I've had that happen, they were not serious of course but the answer still works. This year I got a doe and when they give me the; "I can't believe you shot bambi" line. I look at them with no expression on my face and with all seriousness, I tell them, "To be fair, I shot bambi's mom" and I leave it at that.

If they choose to pursue it further they can, I for one am sick of being judged....but you did very well I would say..

Planter

It's like pissing into the wind!!!

We have our work cut out for us boys and girls..From the teachers at school to the "Animal Planet" we are blasted with anti-hunting crap.

I used to lead walks forAudubon( Their my neighbors ) and always talked in support of responsible hunting and howhunting contributed millions to land acquisition and the well being of all species. It was tough going.

I will tell you though that MOST peopleare not so much antihunting as lacking knowledge and can be worked with. Don't worry about PETA!! Most know them as being whacko's. Worry more about the mainstream conservation groups and their subtle but hugely successful anti hunting tactics!!

2FNSLO

I usually waste the time trying to explain my side of it. Much the same arguement of fingerz42.
I had one I worked with that always gave me a hard way about it. My arguement was backed up by a couple others that I worked with constantly coming to me asking me to kill the deer in their back yards that kept eating their gardens. They live in the city and I really don't want to mess with all their neighbors or I would have.
Depending on her attitude I probably would have ended up making her late to wherever she was going by talking to her. The way I see it, they have these ideas pounded into their head over time, so I figure I need to do my part in making them aware of the truth instead of what they have been told by the anti's and this will take time and repatition.
But good job on not making things worse by going off on her.

ron3775

During this season as I was sitting in the woods thinking, I came up with an idea. My idea was to make a bambi like movie. Only with this one, there is no hunting. The deer grew up, and you only see a few. As the movie goes on, there are more and more. The deer get smaller and slim. There is no food for them to eat so they start wondering. Bring in the packs of coyotes and wolves. Deer getting hit by cars and laying on the side of the road some still suffering. That would show everyone what would happen if no hunting was in place.

bcvd45

I dont think I woulda been able to hold my toungue....I would have said something along the lines of "His name is not bambi....Its Steve...He told me right before I gored him to death with a piece of fast flying metal."

Hoytail Hunter

LOL... I like that.

You know, another reason I chose not to argue with my neighbor is exactly that... she is my neighbor. I have to see her on a regular basis. I'dsooner have itthat she only dislike me for one thing rather than the few things I was about to lay on her.

bcvd45

ya it was probably a good idea to say nothing.....just don't know if I would have been able to. Especially because after a hunt I am usually really tired and in no state of mind to think about what I am saying.