Stop pretending to be a hunter

[grit]

A friend of mine recently recieved some hate mail from a "fellow hunter". The fellow took issue with long range hunting. He argued, "A hunter should be completely certain of a clean kill before pulling the trigger". He also expressed a long range hunter was a showoff willing to gamble an animals suffering....pathetic - he said.

Explanations were offered, the accuracy of equipment explained. It didn't matter. The fact all hunting is challenging and inherently risky could not be grasped. The workings of the food chain and its simple, unfeeling nature were beyond comprehension. Save the helpless animals from cruel unfeeling hunters was the cry.

I am annoyed with those types when I find them on my favorite hunting forum, or running at the mouth in the local sporting goods store. Fantasy, fairy tale hunters. Have they really ever hunted? Are they twice-time skunkers, who went to the woods to stumble about cluelessly, in squeeky new boots and Filson sweater, hoping for that doubt free, risk free, opportunity to "ethically", "humanely", "harvest" a fairy tale? The truth is in the language, "A hunter should know with certainty...". In this case, "A hunter" is a theoritical being, posessed of childlike adoration and godlike ability to instantly, mercifuly, switch an animal off, certainly not themselves or other living breathing fault prone humans.

Why do these types parade around as hunters? Silly bleeding hearts who sip wine with their salad and avert their eyes because even a well done steak leaves a disturbing pink stain. Be a Disney inundated, granola eating, tree hugging, same sex sympathizer, if you must. But please don't pretend to be a hunter! Hunting is REAL, you don't belong here.

 

[JAWZ]

Dont think that you guys are alone over there we get it all the time here as well.

"Their argument is how do you track a deer shot at that distance "

I reply the same way you o if you shoot them at 20 m, follow the blood trail.

"How can you consistantly kill them at that range ,what is your loss ratio because you cant garentee a hit "

My reply is unless you stick the barrel in their ear neither can you, I never fire at a distance i am not comfortable with and if i'm not sure about something the bolt comes up.

I was talking to a mates Dad the other day about the Stag Down under hunter is looking for , he said " i dnt agee with shooting that far at deer its just not right "
This from a guy who shot a magnificent Sambar stag the other day wilst it staired into the spotlight and trys to claim it as a fai chase hunt .

Mate in the end i tell them you do your thing and i will do mine , if you cant do it then fine i wont look down my nose at you cause i can .

 

[AJ Peacock]

Ask them if they'd consider an offhand shot at 100yds to be reasonable. Then challenge them to shoot offhand at 100yds with their rifle vs you at 500yds with a rest and your rifle. Put some money on the line and see if they start back pedaling.

If they say that an offhand shot at 100yds isn't reasonable, then tell them they need to hang up their rifle and give up hunting.

AJ

 

[grit]

Thanks AJ. That's a great idea. I'd make some money! I'll call it $100 per better group. If I can get a couple takers a day I could retire! I've shot better groups at 1000 than I can shoot offhand at 100!

Jawz, It's about reality. Reality is, hunting is challenging. Misses and poor hits are a fact of hunting, regardless of range or hunting style. The lack of logic and overabundance of misguided emotion is ridiculous!

 

[AJ Peacock]

Thanks AJ. That's a great idea. I'd make some money! I'll call it $100 per better group. If I can get a couple takers a day I could retire! I've shot better groups at 1000 than I can shoot offhand at 100!

Jawz, It's about reality. Reality is, hunting is challenging. Misses and poor hits are a fact of hunting, regardless of range or hunting style. The lack of logic and overabundance of misguided emotion is ridiculous!

I would think that 10% would be a reasonable cut for the idea??

AJ

 

[yobuck]

where should i start?

in order of importance, we should start voting them out in 2010.
we can at least get some of them, and that would be a good start.
we cant afford to wait untill 2012.

next, i dont understand what quality sweaters, sipping red wine, and eating granola bars has to do with manhood and longrange hunting. or any kind of hunting for that matter.
there will always be differences of opinion on any subject you can think of.
i think the best way to handle those (uninformed) people is to say nothing.
it all comes down to what is considered "fair chase".
there are those who at least say thats their hangup on what we do.
its wrong for us to shoot at an unsuspecting deer on a distant hillside. yet its fine for them to camoflauge themselves, climb into a treestand, and drive an arrow thru the spine of a deer standing below.
here in the north central area of pa. the hills are very steep and fairly close together. its made for long range hunting.
arguably at least, it all started in this area in the fifties.
by the early 70s it was really catching on, and caught the attention of people like me.
however it was highly criticized by many, including some in high positions like the game commission.
hearings were held, laws were discussed, and nothing happened.
today, i would say that most who hunt here, hunt long range. including some of those who vehimatly opposed it not all that long ago.
it dosent get daylight in all parts of the world at the same time. but it does happen.

 

[J E Custom]

AJ
I really like that comeback and I would like to place some money on that challenge!!!

We can't prove it to everyone but it would be nice to shut them up with a shoot off.

I had the chance about 10 years ago and just tried to say nothing because you can't win
an argument with these people.

The harassment started when 1 of the 12 hunters on this lease noticed that I had a drop
chart on my rifle that went to 1000yards.

The next day most of them came into camp with deer that still had milk on there lips an
claiming that they were 4 and 5 year old deer that was beyond there prime.

And all kind of stories as to why they were shot everywhere but where they were supposed
to be shot.

As luck would have it I was able to make a good shot at over 800 yards ( not long for some
but it was for me at the time ) and have it witnessed buy the outfitter.

The outfitter though it was over 1000 yards (And I decided not to correct him for the fun of
it) And after arriving back in camp It was a different story with all of these non believers
And I just said that it was an OK shot but I should have hit the Point of aim instead of 1" high.

There were still some nonbelievers and the outfitter had to take them out and show them
where the shot was made.

Even though I was prepared I was still lucky to make such a good shot. but I did make some
new believers in long range hunting.

It was fun, But I am sure that by now that shot has grown to 12 to 1400 yards.

It would be nice to shut them up But as Ron White said "THERE IS NO WAY TO FIX STUPID"

J E CUSTOM

 

[grit]

where should i start?

in order of importance, we should start voting them out in 2010.
we can at least get some of them, and that would be a good start.
we cant afford to wait untill 2012. "

Excellent point!

"next, i dont understand what quality sweaters, sipping red wine, and eating granola bars has to do with manhood and longrange hunting. or any kind of hunting for that matter."

The point was to illustrate a personality and argument I felt inclined to gripe about. I believe I did so quite well. I might eat gronala, sip wine, and wear expensive sweaters myself, not in conjunction with the rest of the description! Clear enough? I must admit I find it amusing defending expensive sweaters and wine were second in importance to you. Ha ha.

 

[*Prairie Princess*]

A favorite saying of Nate and I is, " never argue with a fool, he will drag you down to his level and then beat you with experience"

Let them do it their way and let me do it my way and I'll continue enjoying that tasty, tender venison..


Magnificent elk or destructive mice, they are all God's creation and serve a purpose in the "chain". It is interesting how they can be treated so very differently by the same person.

Are mouse traps sporting??? they are silently waiting in the dark to snap their prey. sometimes it hits them on the neck and kills them instantly and other times it gets them on the leg and they chew their leg off and escape to freedom............ Is this humane?

If you are not willing to take a chance and possibly miss.... take the advise of this newspaper article which stated... Quote" To all you hunters who kill animals for food, Shame on you; you ought to go to the store and buy the meat that was made there, where no animals were harmed" Unquote

This was an actual write up in a paper!

I better stop before I get riled up

Well put grit and others.

*Prairie Princess*

 

[blipelt]

My opinion of the people complaining about long range shooting is they are afraid it will become the norm and not the exception. To arm yourself with a instrument such as to take a shot at 1000yds is expensive. To become competent to take that shot takes alot of practice and experience not to mention intelligence. Most people become jealous of something you can do and they can't or won't. Just about every scope manufacturer is making a drop recticle now. You are starting to see more and more factory rifles with the goodies for long range shooting. I believe the industry is moving in this direction, or starting to fill the need. This is just my $.02

Brent

 

[jmason]

Most people become jealous of something you can do and they can't.

Brent

Well put. You'll never get the admission of "I can't" or "I don't want to take the time to learn how". It is far easier to put something down you can't do or don't understand, than it is to learn and understand.

 

[LewisH]

A friend of mine recently recieved some hate mail from a "fellow hunter". The fellow took issue with long range hunting. He argued, "A hunter should be completely certain of a clean kill before pulling the trigger". He also expressed a long range hunter was a showoff willing to gamble an animals suffering....pathetic - he said

That guy must really freak about bow hunting.

 

[dewiseman]

I think the best response to " how can you shoot at .... distance" is because I CAN. And I can because I routinley practice and KNOW my limitations. How often do you shoot and what is your skill level? Most of these people are really assuming that you shoot like they do so to take a long shot ( over 50yds for most of them) WOULD be unethical.