Sport?

Latest Articles

Sport?
Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Next

Downsizer Forum Index -> Shooting and Trapping for the Pot

Author

Message

Went

Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 6968

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 07 10:59 am Post subject: Sport?

Donï¿½t get me wrong I an not against hunting however, out walking I came across a group of hunters with shotguns/rifles, dogs, tracking systems, beaters.......the full works.

The wild boar were driven up the valley towards the hunters and then shot. This is something I have difficulty getting my head around. If hunting is for sport (and food), what and where is the sport in this method. The boar do not stand a chance - no contest.

Take away the guns, dogs, beaters and tracking systems....then call it sport?

Interested in hearing views on both sides of the debate....

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 07 11:37 am Post subject:

I'd say they were trying to shoot a dangerous animal species and picked the most effective method. As for the sport aspect, it depends what you mean by sport. The quarry is not an equal participant, it's the quarry. The idea is to kill it, and more than likely eat it. You can't really equate that to a sport like football, say. The England team way get a bit bit of stick but at least they're not devoured when they lose.

boisdevie1

Joined: 11 Aug 2006
Posts: 3897
Location: Lancaster

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 07 11:40 am Post subject:

Brownbear wrote:

You can't really equate that to a sport like football, say. The England team way get a bit bit of stick but at least they're not devoured when they lose.

I wonder if the threat of going in the pot would improve their performance? Bet it would concentrate their minds a bit.

As to sport. Who called it a sport. I suspect they hunt because it gets them out in the countryside and they get something to eat. And in terms of the moral compass I think that a wild boar has a much better quality of life than say a factory farmed pig.

lottie

Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5059
Location: ceredigion

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 07 3:23 pm Post subject:
I can't see much sport in shooting reared pheasants but I'd much rather buy one of those to eat than a farmed chicken----To be honest even if it's not everyones cup of tea I think hunting is a normal and natural thing for people to enjoy.

whitelegg1

Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 409
Location: Woodford Green

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 07 5:00 pm Post subject:

Agrred hunting is normal and natural, and alot older than farming.

Can it be sport?? Good question.

Depends on your definition of sport.

Collins 'an individual or group activity pursued for excercise or pleasure, often taking a competetive form.'

In that case it ticks all the boxes.

I must add that the pleasure I get from hunting, is NOT derived from the act of killing, but from the challenge of the stalk, and pitting my witts against an animals, and also the pleasure I get from eating the quarry.
Excersie, it can be very good excercise.
Competetive, not me. But I can see how it could be, if you were in a group.

Just my take on it.

Pete

Shane

Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 3467
Location: Doha. Is hot.

Posted: Mon Nov 26, 07 7:49 am Post subject:
Of course, they might have been paid pest controllers, in which case the land owner would expect a rapid and thorough job - not a couple of guys stalking through the bush, shooting the biggest animal and leaving the rest...

fish (the other one)

Joined: 24 Dec 2006
Posts: 319

Posted: Mon Nov 26, 07 8:28 am Post subject:

if they were pest controllers i guess they were efective! if they were hunters i think that even though successfull in their hunt they had lost a lot of the 'sport' with all the technology and numbers.give one of them a bow and 12 arrows and he will enjoy it more and have to use real skill to make his kill!
mind you un-sporting methods are nothing new! did you know that ice age man used to herd mammoth,deer and all maner of meat on the hoof off the cliffs at cheddar in somerset! then go and finish them off!

Went

Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 6968

Posted: Mon Nov 26, 07 8:46 am Post subject:

fish (the other one) wrote:

a bow and arrow........that sounds more of a challenge....otherwise nip to the butcher.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Nov 26, 07 8:55 am Post subject:

To me any animal should be killed as quickly and humanely as possible with minimal risk of wounding. So I don't agree with taking shots at the maximum possible range to increase the 'sport' of the shooter for example. Doesn't the idea of giving an animal a chance also mean it's more likely to be wounded? If I go to the dentist I don't fancy increasing his sport by tying one hand behind his back, I want the job done as well as possible!

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Mon Nov 26, 07 10:03 am Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

Absolutely agree. Given that your purpose is to kill, there is a duty to do so as efficiently and quickly as possible. There's a lot of bloody nonsense talked about shooting by people who want to play at being the Marquis of Queensbury, giving it a sporting chance and all. A 'hunter' is performing the same function as a butcher. Because he uses a rifle instead of an axe, some people seem to feel there is a sort of aristocratic glamour to be had, and that it might rub off on them with a bit of effort and by affecting certain viewpoints.

Northern_Lad

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 14210
Location: Somewhere

Posted: Mon Nov 26, 07 10:12 am Post subject: Re: Sport?

Ian33568 wrote:

This is something I have difficulty getting my head around. If hunting is for sport ....

There's the problem: hunting should never be sport.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Thu Nov 29, 07 8:37 am Post subject:

It depends on how you term what a sport is.

Most sport contains eliments of enjoyment, uncertainty and then a feeling of achievement.

Enjoyment.
I am a pro hunter and have no problems in admtting that I enjoy hunting.

Uncertainty.
The uncertainty eliment involved in hunting is not so much concerned with simply pulling the trigger but is to do with whether or not the hunter has the skills to first locate his prey, and is then able to put him or herself in a position to kill the bird or animal efficiently. Its not a forgone conclusion and is very different to simply sticking a gun to an animals head and pulling the trigger.

The feeling of achievement comes with the completion of a task well done. The same feeling also comes with having to admit failure as well. IMO hunting is a sport.

Northern_Lad

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 14210
Location: Somewhere

Posted: Thu Nov 29, 07 8:40 am Post subject:
But sports are things that have no real effect at the end. Most were created as a way to wage war without killing people. At the end of a hunt, the objective is to have something dead. That should never be sport. I'm not saying it can't be enjoyable, but the enjoyment should not be the prime factor.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Thu Nov 29, 07 8:53 am Post subject:
Hunting fulfills the same ends that you say sport does The aims of hunting have nothing to do with killing people either.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Nov 29, 07 8:55 am Post subject:
You can call it whatever you like just as long as the main priority is respect for the quarry and not your enjoyment. So a humane quick kills as possible of something that's sustainable.

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Shooting and Trapping for the Pot	All times are GMT Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Next
Page 1 of 5

View Latest Posts