People who are against hunting have never been hunting, imx. It's easy to be against something you've never done. Go do it then form an opinion, that's what I always say to people who are against it.

The reality is that human beings are a hunter/gatherer species.

All animals really are defenceless against armed humans, the reason there are 7 billion human beings is that we got so good at hunting and got to the top of the food chain.

Being against killing giraffes is purely a result of socialization, nothing more. You wouldn't have had the luxury not that long ago.

If you're shocked by people hunting giraffes, all I've got to say really is go and hang around an abattoir in Brooks for an afternoon. Easy to be against hunting when you never see the animals you eat being routinely killed.

You're not really entitled to this opinion unless you're a vegan. I've always wondered whether people would be so scared of spiders if soft toy versions were more common during childhood.

Im not scared of spiders, but I dont like to kill them either, I take the soft option and take them outside... where the cold probably gives them a long slow death rather than a short crunchy one.


I agree, those against hunting probably have never done it. But then, Im against murder too, and dont really feel the need to give it a go just to confirm that I will still feel that way...

Fox hunting is, of course, allowed and popular in Canada.

I don't disagree with what you're saying, but the problem with humans is that we have a tendancy to go overboard and hunt things into oblivion, endanger and wipe out certain species and ruin the eco system as a result.

It's not entirely a socialisation process but a matter of learning from our history of mistakes.

Wow, Canada is freer than Britain then!

Where are you on bum sex?

I don't agree I sadly witnessed "hunting" a few years back in Quebec with friends (they were raised hunting) - it disgusted me and made me feel sick, especially as they proceeded to hang their kill in the shed, just going back there in my mind turns my stomach. So Steve, don't YOU be so quick to judge what experiences people may have had or not.

As for not really being entitled to have this opinion, don't be ridiculous.

They are not on the endangered species list. Technically they are "threatened", or a "species of concern", but its climate change that is the threat, not people with guns. Its loss of habitat that threatens them, and that in turn means shortages of food, which is the basic reason for controlling numbers.

They are culled under license here, to prevent the few remaining ones starving to death I guess... Not sure how that ties in with endangered status.

There is certainly some history of humans hunting and overfishing things close to or into extinction, but on the flip side, there are also examples of the hunting community going to great length to conserve and promote species too. I find the thought of "killing for fun" distasteful, but I dont think its quite as black and white as either side would like it to be.

Real Hunting of foxes, or drag hunting?


Not sure "popular" is quite the word. Hockey is "popular", Softball is "popular", Hunting is a few hundred people here and there isnt it?

Foxes when available, otherwise coyotes.

The hunting community that works to conserve and keeps the balance in check has my respect. The fox hunters in Britain belonged to a long tradition of country pursuits and whilst I believe that they enjoyed the killing for recreation, I think they did more to preserve the country than destroy it. But they were banned and I'm not entirely sure that was the right thing to do because of how the entire thing was woven together.

Yes you're right, things are not as black and white as they appear.

The fox hunting thing was frowned upon by many becauase of the horrible deaths the foxes endured being ripped apart by hounds.

These points were covered upthread. There's a clear difference between killing animals for meat, as in an abbatoir, and killing them for the pleasure of doing so, as in hunting. Veganism is a red herring, doubly so since it doesn't allow consumption of animal products that can be obtained without harm to the animal.