I’m interested in hearing what Lemmings think about hunting. I started hunting deer years ago because I wanted to be a part of the process, like if I couldn’t handle killing and gutting an animal I shouldn’t be eating meat. IMO, it’s much more humane than what factory farmed animals endure. Less suffering overall than most natural deaths. Overpopulation causes disease and starvation and we killed off their predators, so we kind of owe it to nature to fill the ecological gap.
Also, I fucking love it. I watch the sun rise, think, record birds I’ve seen, think, watch squirrels play, think a bit more, and sometimes, I get some food.
Idk. I’m not looking for approval or trying to change your mind, just wondering what people think.
It’s legal so it’s cool is such a weird mindset
Not in this case, because hunting legally means you are preserving the ecosystem, culling a population that would likely starve in the winter and preserving breeding stock to keep the species going in a healthy manner without genetic bottlenecks.
MIssouri has some absolutely amazing wildlife preservation because conservationist make common cause with hunters.
Great point. The people in charge of regulating hunting, are the same people that decided that they love nature enough to dedicate their lives to protecting it. They aren’t trying to “sell more licenses” or promote hunting, they’re just maintaining the balance, and keeping people and nature safer.
I mean, ideally, yes; I wouldn’t romanticize the entire hunting population, given the amount of garbage I see in the woods.
Oh of course, there are assholes in every group! But I also wasn’t even talking about the hunters themselves, but the DCNR or whatever your state calls them.
Yes. I just visited Missouri once and whatever department in charge of hunting/preservation put out this amazing magazine just absolutely dripping with love for nature, a combo of hunting advice, animal lore, and scenery porn. I remember one article in particular about how to stack brush to encourage critters to grow; sure, maybe you want to grow critters so your beagle can flush them out and you can shoot them, but still, kinda cool to have SOME responsible stewardship with the land instead of playing Playstation all day.
Obviously depends on the country, but in most develop countries the law is reasonable enough that it’s a useful shorthand for what is ok in day-to-day situations.
If you assume that legal means we’ve collectively decided that this is or is not okay, then it’s not a weird starting point. IMO it shouldn’t be the end point but it’s USUALLY a good starting point.