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Originally posted by gdupuis:
Paleohunter, MacD37, Saeed and all you other fine gents, have described one end of the spectrum, let me show you the other end.

<<SNIP>>

I'm 24, I live in Montreal, Canada. Montreal being the second-largest city in Canada, it's easy NOT to see the glory of 'mother nature' if you don't go out to look for it. My parents are what you call ‘bunny huggers’, and so is the rest of the family (aunts/uncles). As you can imagine, they really don't approve my hunting activities, which they traduce as the killing of innocent animals by bloodthirsty savages (... that's supposed to be us).

<<SNIP>>

How am I suppose to become a good hunter if I have nobody to show me this primal art? Most of the hunters already have their partners, and they seem to be close-knitted groups.

<<SNIP>>

I think that it is the responsibility of you, the experienced hunters out there, not to let down the new rookies. I must say that this forum is of great help (... and of great entertainment value ) to a newbie like myself.

Guillaume

PPS
My first tongue is French, so pardon my funny phrase structure.

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First off, don't worry about your Phrase structure, in English, you make yourself very clear, and spell much better than an old dog like me. My wife is French, and I'm an old Texas cowboy, and like you, she makes it known what she is thinking, and I understand quite well!

You are right in your assessment of the other end of the equation, IMO!

We had the benefit of family to teach us not only how to hunt, but when to hunt, and the right way to hunt, ethicly!

Along with this, most of us were tought woods craft, and to respect the wild, both animal, and the woods equally. The time in the woods with my grandfather, and father was not only enjoyable but informative as well. Today people have depended on others to furnish their needs so long they think meat is a manufactured product, that comes out of a machine, dirrectly into a plastic wrap. Good, though misguided, people do more harm to the environment, and wildlife than good by thier total so-called PROTECTION of those things. Man has in all his history thought he knew better than nature, and somehow seems to think of everything as human, with human values.Nature is not right or wrong, it just "IS". Man is an animal just like all other animals, and is an omnivore, and as such is designed to eat everything from seeds, and roots to meat, so is just another predator. The so-called animal welfare folks (bunny huggers) even try to make thier canines into vegetarians,This is IMO, animal abuse! Their bodies were clearly designed to eat other animals in total, hide hair feathers and all.

Man has so altered the world that most places cannot take it's NATURAL course of action, and the populations must be held in ballance with the available habitate that is left, so the carrying capacity of that habitate isn't ovewhelmed by over population. This population must also benefit the human population that it dirrectly competes with for space, and food, or the adjustment will always be made in favor of man. This symbiotic relationship between man and animal, is the only thing that will guarintee the continued existance of wildlife. It is hard for a whitetail deer to live on a paved 400 acre parking lot for your local shopping mall.

The hunter is one of the most useful tools for the regulation of this relationship, between the wild, and man. If this is done properly both wildlife, and man benefite, and the continued healthy populations of ALL wildlife, not just game animals, will be the result. Wildlife, and other products of the environment,such as lumber, are simply renewable resourses, and should be utilized wisely, People who believe otherwise,and would totally protect against that use by utilizeing plastics, and atrificial foods which not only depleat resourses that are not renewable,like oil, menerals, and coal, but increase pollution in the process. Then they blame the result of their own folly on manufacturing and hunters, when it is the reduced habitate stripped to grow those veggis that takes habitate away from all wildlife, and the makeing of synthetic products, that kill out wildlife, and pollute the world!

We do have a responsibility to educate the novice, but we are overwhelmed by the city ignorance, preached not only on TV, but in our schools as well! This fact is what started this string in the first place!

You are correct, as well, that some folks have no patience with the young who don't know a lot. That is natural, most folks like to be around people they can relate to on an equal basis. Sometimes it is hard for a young man/woman who has no backing from his family, to get into the right crowd. My advice is get a membership to an organization like SCI, or a local hunting club, and a gun club where most of the members are hunters. Try to participate in every shoot they have,offer to pull targets, as well as shoot. Just generaly join in! Ask question of some of the older members who you know do a lot of hunting, without makeing a pest of yourself. I think you will find folks who hunt will be willing to put you on an ethical track for proper hunting.

You being in Canada is somewhat of a drawback because it seems your country is rappidly going the prohibitionest route. That is the unfortunate result of the mistaken idea that a government should make all your decisions for you, and that THEY know what is best for you! Sorry but I don't trust any government that doesn't trust me! You have little choice at this point, and must make the best of your situation, as best you can. Get out of that large town and spend some time hanging around cafes in small towns where old men congragate, especailly during hunting seasons! Hunters have away of relateing to each other accross all levels of society, and age groups!

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Originally posted by GAHUNTER:

For those of you who are "homophobes", are you really Afraid of gay folks? Because translated, that's what homophobe means. It's another one of those PC misnomers, like African-American (how many people who call themselves African-American were born in Africa, which is what they would have to have been for the African-American Handle to be correct)?

You are correct and I was not relaying my feelings very well as so often seems to happen on the internet. I dont consider myself a homophobe and Im certianly not afraid of gays, all I was saying is that if they wish to call me that then it doesnt bother me, but as I said, all of this is just a deterent from the real issue, is it not?

But like Nicudu said, I could go on for days on this topic, but would only wind up in unresolvable debate.

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