What do you say to anti-hunters?

[Btaylor]

Could always ask if they spray for bugs around their home and explain there are approx 1400 beneficial insects for every insect pest and that the insecticide they use is a broad spectrum killer of all insects good and bad. Every life matters, just sayin...

 

[tdot]

I agree 100% with all the posts that advocate polite, confident, non confrontational, knowledgeable responses.

It's an unfortunate fact that most people grow up in cities and are far removed from the wilderness and hunting. This isn't their fault. I know I'm happily ignorant of the shite in bigger cities.

They only know what they have heard 2nd or 3rd hand and most of that is emotion based. Not fact. I havent spoken to an anti hunter yet that cant be swayed by personal stories and fact.

All of these comments were from personal conversations I had with govt biologists here in BC.

Fact from a bear biologist who was very disappointed in the cancellation of the Grizzly hunt here in BC.

"Big Adult Male bears will kill Cubs to protect their territory. If mom doesnt like it, she'll be dead too. One big, pissed off old Male can easily kill multiple Cubs in a season and a few moms too."

Statement from another Biologist.

"Big old Male sheep and goats are like old men. They might be the smartest and most knowledgeable, but they're likely shooting blanks. The old guys can cause population drops, so harvesting the biggest/oldest can help alleviate that issue."

Statement from another biologist.

It takes a decent size deer or caribou to feed a pack of 8 wolves for a day or two. Best case scenario at a prey animal every 2 days, is 180 total a year, per pack of 8. That number can easily double and if the feed supply is good, the pack can double in size in two years, which could bump the total prey animals taken to ovrr 700 a year.

So if people are truly animal lovers, how can anyone justify the lives of 700 animals a year vs. 8 wolves.



Environmentalism is a very romantic ideal, once fact starts to creep in. It becomes a bit easier for people to question their "facts"

 

[Gobbler36]

I just ask them to show me their last donation to state fish and game agencies that manage all the wildlife in that particular state and the walk away saying I thought so.....

 

[jspradley]

Guy at work was surprised to find out that it’s illegal to kill an elk and just take the antlers.

That's quite common, a surprising amount of people literally think you just grab a gun, go out and shoot whatever whenever and wherever you want, cut off the horns and leave the rest.

Something I'd learned is that most people seem to know dick-all about almost everything that's outside of what they themselves do on a regular basis.

 

[ozyclint]

Could always ask if they spray for bugs around their home and explain there are approx 1400 beneficial insects for every insect pest and that the insecticide they use is a broad spectrum killer of all insects good and bad. Every life matters, just sayin...

this i have never understood. the same person who is anti hunting/pro animal rights is the first person to squish a cockroach in their home. what is the distinction to them between a bug and a deer? one has fur and cute eyes? both are in the animal kingdom that they so claim to love.

trying to change to mind of an anti is futile but what you can do is leave them disappointed that you weren't the redneck slob they thought you were but that you were in fact a polite and courteous person.

the one's on the fence are where we can change opinions.

 

[ozyclint]

Something I'd learned is that most people seem to know dick-all about almost everything that's outside of what they themselves do on a regular basis.

that's OK as long as they don't demand that others conform to their misguided and ignorant opinions.

 

[dutch_henry]

this i have never understood. the same person who is anti hunting/pro animal rights is the first person to squish a cockroach in their home. what is the distinction to them between a bug and a deer? one has fur and cute eyes? both are in the animal kingdom that they so claim to love.

Yup, the whole charismatic megafauna deal aka the bambi effect

 

[dutch_henry]

Could always ask if they spray for bugs around their home and explain there are approx 1400 beneficial insects for every insect pest and that the insecticide they use is a broad spectrum killer of all insects good and bad. Every life matters, just sayin...

Exactly. And btw, some of the stuff on the insect apocalypse is just crazy. A good read from England is The Moth Snowstorm, and the author was interviewed on this podcast.

More to the point, it's easy for uninformed people to become unwitting hypocrites.

 

[SWOHTR]

I try to be non confrontational, but my 24/7 F-U face tends to not be too inviting for people to just open up and talk to me. So, I usually end up talking to friends about it (typically non hunters) and most of the time they are quite surprised with what I tell them, be it facts, opinions, other things to consider, etc.

 

[tdot]

this i have never understood. the same person who is anti hunting/pro animal rights is the first person to squish a cockroach in their home. what is the distinction to them between a bug and a deer? one has fur and cute eyes? both are in the animal kingdom that they so claim to love.

trying to change to mind of an anti is futile but what you can do is leave them disappointed that you weren't the redneck slob they thought you were but that you were in fact a polite and courteous person.

the one's on the fence are where we can change opinions.

I had an amazing conversation in a sushi restaurant with an anti hunting vegetarian. As she nibbled on her spinach she had few questions and many statements as to why I was in the wrong. I was completely stunned when her Tuna sashimi showed up. Apparently she was a Pescatarian, not vegetarian and she was so clueless that she didnt discern the difference. When asked why she ate the Tuna, she replied "its tasty". It was good for a laugh, but a sad testament to the hypocrisy that can surround us.

 

[Rob5589]

If someone has a legitimate question then I may engage with them. If they just do the usual fly off the handle and I am just a heartless killer, I would just walk away. Sad part is, I wish I killed something as often as they think I do.

 

[Jaker_cc]

I try to be non confrontational, but my 24/7 F-U face tends to not be too inviting for people to just open up and talk to me. So, I usually end up talking to friends about it (typically non hunters) and most of the time they are quite surprised with what I tell them, be it facts, opinions, other things to consider, etc.

I’ve got this same face, along with a bald head and full beard. I don’t get approached very often with others spouting their views. I’m not opposed to having a conversation with people, but I don’t get talked down to very well when people don’t know shit.

 

[jspradley]

I had an amazing conversation in a sushi restaurant with an anti hunting vegetarian. As she nibbled on her spinach she had few questions and many statements as to why I was in the wrong. I was completely stunned when her Tuna sashimi showed up. Apparently she was a Pescatarian, not vegetarian and she was so clueless that she didnt discern the difference. When asked why she ate the Tuna, she replied "its tasty". It was good for a laugh, but a sad testament to the hypocrisy that can surround us.

Jesus.... tuna are literally hunted from the wild.

This is why I hate people.

 

[Shakeandbake]

I just ask them to show me their last donation to state fish and game agencies that manage all the wildlife in that particular state and the walk away saying I thought so.....

Haha nice

 

[*zap*]

Asked a csr for permission to bow hunt whitetail, she said no they are our pets. I said Ok I already have permission from you neighbor and I won't shoot anything with a collar......

 

[Fishty206]

Leave me alone and I'll leave you alone.

 

[slatty]

I think it's important to hear why they're against it, then hopefully they let you say your piece, probably won't change a mind (but maybe!) but gaining respect for each other is the best you can hope for.

If it degrades, all I can say is that I don't push my thoughts, beliefs, and morals on others (we have a freedom here) and I don't respect anyone that does so. You don't see anti-vegan protestors!

I've always thought that Rinella's response to this vegan was top notch. I try to hit some of those points. I love the part where he points out that he probably knows more about deer than that person will ever know. Randy Newberg puts it in a great way too "I like to participate in nature".

It's always interesting, because there's different types to tailor your conversation: anti hunter, anti meat, anti anything fun...

Thanks for that post. I hadn't seen that. Steve's a great voice for representing hunting, probably the best i've seen.

 

[Dustin the wind]

If they are a staunch vegan, not vegetarian, we can agree to disagree and I can have some respect for them practicing what they preach even though I think it's pretty unhealthy. If they eat any kind of meat at all, it's like shooting rats in a barrel how easy it is to win that conversation.

 

[rtaylor]

If they eat meat I usually point out that their food had a 0% chance if getting away and mine had about a 99% chance of getting away.

 

[street]

"People don't have ideas, ideas have people"