brissybee

Saw the hunts on UK boxing day news... and was reminded about the Royal family and it's shooting outings... and then a BE raised 'roo shooting on another thread.

Is it just me, or do others share my view that there is there something wrong with hunting animals for entertainment or so-called sport?

I get hunting for food, no problem. I get shooting a rogue, chicken-eating, fox.

But where's the satisfaction in killing animals just for fun?

DeadVim

Mossies I will make an exception for

tonrob

People who hunt must have some serious psychological issues - it's quite scary that they're out and about walking the streets with the rest of us.

That said, I think people with serious psychological issues should receive treatment, whereas I'd have hunters stripped naked, smeared in honey and then dropped into the forests of northern Maine so that they could finally give something back to the animal world.

sheene

Why did you shoot the fox?-because it was trying to eat the chickens. What were you going to do with the chickens? -Eat them. Interesting the way they give the term 'vermin' to anything they want to shoot. Also, the use of the word 'culling', which translated means 'beat over the head with a club' - sounds like killing to me.

carolinephillips

A fox will kill not just the chicken it wants to eat, but the rest of the flock, just for fun. Have you ever seen the aftermath when a fox gets into your coop? I do not condone hunting for fun, but yes, I'd want the fox destroyed.

jothefw

Distruction is too nice a word for what foxes do, every year I lose chooks to the flipping things! I reinforce the pen, lock them away at night etc etc and still the foxes win!

And no we don't eat the chickens, they're layers.

But I am a fan of hunting, used to have a glorious hunting springer spaniel in the UK. My OH used to shoot and I'd follow along as part of the picking up team. If you haven't ever participated you can't really understand.

We'd eat what we shot, or give away the surplus. Remembering all pheasants were solely raised for such purposes. I also support fox hunting. And deer.

sheene

Which bit would we not understand? The shooting? The picking them up? - seems pretty straightforward, unless you are just trying to justify your actions?

The fact that the pheasants were solely raised to to be shot for pleasure actually makes it worse, but you probably wouldn't understand.

sheene

That old excuse, trotted out every year during hunting season - try another one eh?

The wily fox, can pick padlocks, carries portable welding gear - build a better coop ffs, it's not that difficult - or do you not care for your chickens either.

jothefw

I don't need to justify my actions - but the thread asked why does anyone hunt? If you wanted to understand a little more then perhaps joining in a local hunt for a day, even an hour, would help see why many people enjoy the experience.

I can only presume that you don't eat any meat Sheene? Pigs are solely raised for bacon, they get shot in the head too .... or didn't you realise that?

Use of the term "shot for pleasure" could be misunderstood. Just because we enjoy the challenge of shooting doesn't make it any different from a golfer enjoying a hole in one --- it's a gun yes but a golf club can also be a lethal weapon in the wrong hands.

Jon77

I have mixed emotions on this one. I do not in any way come from a hunt background, but my family background does come from that which was involved in hunts, training the horses mainly I believe, I am talking before the war here when many were employed by the rich landowners. Some in my family had a reputation for being the best horse groom's in the country.

The thing is whether by the hunt of by the farmer the fox is going to be culled, numbers do need to be kept under control.

Farmers will shoot a fox and not always kill it straight away, the fox will limp off and die a slow painful death. Some farmers will also put out traps which will trap the animals leg in its grip. The fox will try and chew its own leg off and get very distressed, again it is a slow and painful death.

The hunt dogs are trained to go straight for the animals throat and the death is a quick one. But I understand totally the stress put on the animal from being chased for so long also, this I can appreciate. It looks bad when the dogs go in, but the fox is dealt with quickly.

Since hunting foxes was banned I do not doubt for a second that there are more foxes suffering more slower and painful deaths out there. Farmers get very **** off if they start losing animals and will use any means possible.

Turban Explorer

Hunting is for the absolute lowest of the low. I guess it taps back into some primordial instinct where humans needed to chase down animals inorder to survive . Most of us have evolved beyond that thankfully. Inflicting fear and pain on any animal is utterly disgusting and I don't think I'd be able to even hold a conversation with someone who does hunt I'd be so repulsed.

I don't get the dichotomy in Oz between protecting wildlife, national parks etc but then ruthlessly 'culling' anything they decide is infringing upon their livelihood/pleasure. Pig shoots, roo shoots, even sport fishing (30 dead marlin in the marina the other day hanging up) - pointless murder.

sheene

Correct, for the past 30 years. If you don't need to justify your actions, why do you bring up the subject of Pigs - Make your mind up.

I have no desire to watch, and will never understand why it would be enjoyable.

A challenge? - give the pheasant a couple of napalm bombs to even the odds a little.

chris955

Ah yes, the challenge of the hunt. The ferocious kangaroo, fox or deer against a nutter with a high powered gun. I have never understood it and don't need to go along on a hunt to understand it. A few nights ago a goof friend, who is a rabid hunter, was showing a photo on his phone of a hare he had shot. Shot is actually too nice a word, he had blown the top of it's head off. The biggest problem I have with this particular individual is the fact that he is a manic depressive and at times incredibly unstable.
Using being a meat eater as some kind of justification is absurd. Hunters hunt to fulfil the need to kill.

calliope

Yeah I don't get it either. Also the class element of it is obnoxious.

chris955

I dont see much evidence of a class element in roo shooters, lower class maybe ?