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Must read news article from the U.K.

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22 July 2004, 02:10
rdash
Must read news article from the U.K.
There is no consistency in this. About 3 years ago the BBC ran an hour's programme on one of their sat channels investigating (their word!) hunting in Africa. Conclusion was that it was a sustainable resource, ethically defensible and resulted in benefit to wildlife and human population together. Their position on foxhunting is a little different! The antis are not just a problem for the foxhunting types; about half the shoots I go to have included tactics in case of antis appearing in pre-shoot briefings, all of them having had encounters they would rather do without.
This is the season of country "shows" - a kind of exhibition/meeting place/animal show which happens in all parts of the countryside. Surprising number of vehicles (NOT just SUV's) have BASC stickers in window. This is British Assoc for Shooting and Conservation. Others seen round Hampshire commonly are for British Deer Society - I live a long rifle shot from it's HQ - and Game Conservancy (ditto). Sadly just about the only sticker I won't put on car is for CLA (Country Landowners Assoc) and USNI (member for years) Both attract the sort of attention these days which for different reasons don't seem to affect the others, even in rural areas.
Over the years I've had entertaining debates with all sorts of people who may ber understood to loathe what I appear to be or to represent. Antis seem to be debate-proof. Still, I don't suppose they will persuade me from shooting all sorts of fluffy bunnies, cuddly foxes or bambi-like deer. I might as well admit to liking killing, as telling antis these animals are pests who damage land/livestock really doesn't seem to get anywhere.
The Mercury article is just another piece of poor press. Last year a cousin of mine had to give up his position in a shooting/conservation society here when it was discobvered he had an interest in a hunting agency specialising in Mozambique. When the press failed to uncover his ownership of 4000 acres of excellent shooting in the Home Counties, a part interest in a gunmakers and shooting ground I had something of a giggle. What an opportunity to slag off idle aristos in silly clothes standing in a line whilst 100's of defenceless birdies are driven to the slaughter.
Apologies for rant. It's only 3 weeks to grouse season, then partridge, pheasant and...Africa!
Regards
Robert
22 July 2004, 03:07
Marterius
Quote:

Marterius, that takes some serious cool nerves to go on those sites and not tell them to....well you get the idea, I have heard that hunting is more respected in Sweden/Finland/Norway that it is further south.

Unfortunately, most hunters don't like to raise the subject or show off their passion. How many times have you known someone for yeeeaaarrrs before they mention they are a hunter (our neighbour of 12 yrs in Belgium turned out to have cut his teeth on forest hunting in what was then the Belgian Congo)? OK, maybe we don't stand out like a purple-haired hippy with a bong, and that is a good thing but many people are very reluctant to 'reveal themselves' these days...Until very recently, we never kept trophies on our walls, now after a few nice hunts, not even the plumber can wonder how they got there...the great thing is that most non-hunters are amazed by the animals and show appreciation rather than horror/disgust.

Hell, we never know, hunting could become fashionable again(see clay pigeon/pheasant shooting in the UK)! Whether you want that to occur is another kettle of fish...





Yep, at first it takes some cool nerves to handle the cold rage you feel when you as a hunter are compared to a paedophile or so. But then you realize how much knowledge you have and how utterly wrong they are on the most basic things and how easily you can contradict all the tripe. Then it becomes rather fun. If you can start a dialogue at that stage, you are on to something big.



I don't know about the figures for the rest of Europe, but in Sweden about 80 % at least accept hunting (now of course I mean hunting in the broad sense, shooting, stalking etc, not what you mean with "hunting" in UK). I absolutely share your experience that most people get interested and want to hear more about hunting, I have met very few that have been negative without at least asking some serious questions and really wanting to understand. But I have also met with some really weird misconceptions ("Do you hate the animal when you shoot?" etc), and not from antis. These people have been very interested and very eager to learn. So, there are many people who are fascinated by hunting and is keen to learn more but they have some very strange ideas on what it is all about and when the information they get are from the antis the damage is done. One of the best examples if of course the popular belief that almost every African species are on the edge of extinction and the only way to save them is reservations where they are protected against evil hunters.



As you see, I think it is vital for the survival of our sport that we actually take the fight and show people what our hunting really is about, be proud about it and show that we have nothing to hide. It might not be everybody's cup of tea to shoot a stag but we must show that there is nothing sinister about it. Unless we have a public opinion on our side, it does not matter a shit who much efforts we put into lobbying in the Parliament. And it is my firm belief that this is a responsibility of every hunter.



Further, I think that we must be careful not only to remain in a defensive position. If we do, the antis have the privilege do choose the field and define the concepts. We ought to attack and challenge them. For instance, they believe that "animal ethics" is their invention and that all discussion of animal ethics must be done from their points of view. Instead we ought to show them that animal ethics is something that have guided hunters for hundreds of years, and they just have different view of the concept - definitely not some privileged right to it.



So there is work do be done, and I think that these matters are what we ought to be discussing on the political forum, instead of the unreadable drivel that is produced there now.



Regards,

Martin