I've been thinking about the vegan/vegetarian discussions and am a little surprised to find myself open to thinking about reducing the amount of meat I eat.

Along the same lines, I find myself having a struggle when it comes to certain types of hunting, especially when I see it on the cable TV shows.

I especially find myself having extremely negative reactions to bear hunting for some reason. And although, I understand the need for deer hunting in order to reduce overpopulation, I certainly don't enjoy watching someone kill a deer or elk on TV.

I have great difficulty understanding why someone would think it's cool to kill a bear. I think it all started when I saw an article about a 5 year old boy in Arkansas who killed a bear all by himself. The way his relatives gushed about it you would have thought the boy was the incarnation of Daniel Boone. It just made me shake my head an wonder what I was missing.

I haven't been fishing in over 20 years, but I don't have the same reaction to seeing someone catch fish on TV. Well, as long as the fish is not too large or too old, I don't.

Perhaps that's my issue. The larger the animal being killed for sport, the more negative my reaction.

Homestar - the reason for hunting black bear in PA is much the same as for deer - over-population. The number of bear in northern Pennsylvania's mountainous areas has grown so much that they are migrating into the more populous southern regions of the state. When people are not used to living with/among bears, they panic when they see one. Also, it can be dangerous, especially if the bear becomes agressive. Pennsylvania's black bear population is very docile as they have no natural predators aside from humans. While I don't want to eat bear meat, hunting is necessary to keep the bear population in check.

I only have an issue with someone hunting (some animals) if it's solely for sport. All of the folks I know either keep the meat or give it to someone else. This involves bear, deer, hog, turkey, rabbit, and a few other small game animals.

Now I was annoyed when I saw a chick elephant hunting on one of the outdoor channels. What the [censored] do you do with an elephant?

As for coyotes.. shoot 'em all, I say. They cause a lot of folks where I live a lot of problems.

Homestar...I have the same reaction to bear hunting and also to the 'big game' hunting. There is a stuffed zebra in Bass Pro and it just makes me sick to think about someone killing it. BUT I do hunt. This year I went deer and turkey hunting, in the past I've also gone quail and pheasant hunting. I also fish. My kids hunt and fish as well. But we either eat or donate everything we kill.

I guess my reaction is similar to yours...very negative when people are killing for sport.

Coyote are becoming more of a problem here also. We have a little place in the mountains that we go to on weekends, and they are really going after the deer. They also are showing up more regularly here in southern PA. There have been incidents where they have attacked domestic animals outside in cages, or have broken into barns to attack the animals in there. I agree, Ops - Shoot the critters and the coy-dogs also!

watching hunting on TV is like watching golf...BORING. That said, bear meat is excellent, as in cougar/mountain lion meat. If cooked right, very tasty. Of course, horses are a delicay in France, and American Indians would eat horse or mules over cow any day.

i'm pretty sure x just threw up a little....

I don't think I could ever hunt, but my in-laws hunt frequently. They go for animals that are overpopulated such as deer or elk, and always eat or share the meat. As long as they are following all the rules and don't waste anything I'm ok with it.

I think that killing for sport is crazy. If you're going to take the life of an animal make sure it's at least for a good reason/purpose.

I have a good friend who is a professional hunter. Even tho he hunts and sells bows (he only bow hunts)for a living, including very large game...believe it or not, they eat what he kills.

I agree, SAL.

When I was younger, I didn't support hunting. But then I hit a deer coming home from Michigan and I saw the need to control the deer population. Then I totalled my parent's car hitting another deer, I fully supported hunting.

Now, trophey hunting I don't get.

(((Throws away his Halloween deer costume.)))

Are you a plushy?

Beaver hunting is a personal favorite.

I don't care what animal it is... hunting for sport is pointless and shouldn't be done. People do it for entertainment and bragging rights but neither should be the reason why people hunt. If you hunt then you better eat (or donate it as what some have mentioned).
I really can't stand the fishing shows where they catch the fish, show them off out of water for a bit, then throw them back. That fish is suffocating just for you to throw him back in the water. Just makes me mad.

Aside from controlling animal population in extreme cases (have we ever had any?) I can't see why we would need to go elephant hunting either. I've never heard of someone saying they couldn't wait to try more elephant meat. Its pointless because you know that chick didn't even eat any of that elephant.

I wish. Nah, actually my costume this past Halloween (and more to come) was something called Super Sperm. Google it... you won't be dissatisfied. I'm serious about that being my costume.

is that work safe, tigerize?

Dont you people watch the colbert report!!!!
The Bear is the Number one Threat to American Freedom existing today!

I think it is... considering my bank put my picture in the costume on the Intranet (our webspace we all can access for inside news and updates). Everyone got a kick out of it. Can't be as bad as some of the pics we've seen.

For those who can't or won't view it at work check it out when you get home if you want. Little description: White suit, Super Sperm symbol on chest (a la SuperMan), white tail that drags along the ground, bulging arm and legs muscles, round sperm shaped head with face opening. Priceless.

But aren't the Eagle and the Bear supposed to join forces to fight the dragon, starting WWIII?

I love that show... too bad I missed that episode however. So THATS what Ol' Dicky boy was shooting at... he must have seen that episode.