Is hunting exclusively a Repug sport?

[demsrule4life]

I have seen claims made that Repugs make up %95 of the hunting population. I don't this can be true. So a show of hands on who of us hunt, support or do not hunt at all.

[WoodrowFan]

1. Please add an option

Please add "I don't hunt but I don't care if others do". That's not quite the same as "I don't but I support it." thanks.

[Catch22Dem]

2. I second that

I don't hunt, and while I don't really support others doing it, I don't really care either. I have hunted in the past, but it didn't do anything for me.

[slackmaster]

20. I see it as necessary in some situations

Particulary where predators have been decimated and deer, pigs, etc. get overpopulated. That's why I consider myself to be a supporter of hunting rather than a passive non-hunter.

Because we have screwed with the balance of nature we are responsible for making corrections.

[demsrule4life]

41. Thanks, I have always thought the same

but you put it in better words than I can.

[FatSlob]

27. I don't, but am fine with others doing it

My Dad is a hunter.

[hlthe2b]

3. I think your poll is really trying to ask what our opinons are of hunting

and do we hunt-- not quite the same thing as asking "if hunting is exclusively a repug sport."

I don't hunt, but know many dems who do. So questioning me is not going to get at that issue.

[markus]

4. Only because of stupid anti-hunting positions of our party

There is a significant chunk of North Dakota who will never vote for someone who is going to take their gun away (a.k.a., the Democratic Party). That is one reason I so staunchly support Howard Dean.

The Party should right gun control out of the national platform and make it a local/state issue only.

What's right for DC or NYC is not right for North Dakota.

[sybylla]

15. I agree, markus

I know a fair number of Dem hunters but I also know many hunters in my state (Wisconsin), even a few Dems, who will vote repug because of their fear mongering over RKBA. It's an issue we need to defuse and I think Dean's idea is the best way to do it on a national level.

[RoeBear]

47. I don't hunt but support those who do...

...actually I have to invite hunters on to my little 'farm' or else the deer would eat away any chance of my making a profit with my summertime vegetable stand.

As an UAW auto-worker I know that most members want to vote for the Democrat because they are generally more supportive of union isues.
But let it be known that a candidate is anti-gun and/or anti-hunting and you should hear the howl at the union meetings.

One thing that I've found out is that hunters and gunowners flock to the polls when they think that their ox is being gored. It is probably compounded by the fact that hunting season is in full swing here in Michigan in November.

[alwynsw]

78. Bravo!

Those of us who feel strongly about either side of the issue can then choose to live with or without firearms.

My personal preference: free and unfettered RKBA.

As mentioned before: I hunt. Nearly all of my friends hunt. I only know of one person in my family who doesn't hunt (yes, women included). EVERYONE I know fishes, I think.

[locustfist76]

83. So true

Markus, I wish more dems thought like you.

[AirConditionedGypsie]

5. How about another option...

"I don't hunt and want to make it illegal."

My question is this. How many of those who 'don't support hunting' want to take the right to choose away from sportsmen and sportswomen?

[RebelOne]

10. Yes, I'd love to see it made illegal.

It is the cruelest and most cowardly sport ever. A sport is considered such when both sides are equally armed or equipped. And in hunting the other side is not even aware that there is a game going on.

[AirConditionedGypsie]

12. I am pro-choice when it comes to hunting.

To paraphrase a bumper sticker I saw:

"If you are against hunting, don't do it."

*** Also, if you are going to make it illegal, you will have to jail Bill Clinton and John Kerry.

[IronLionZion]

29. and Wesley Clark

[demsrule4life]

14. Hunting is still needed

There were some urban parks opened up near where I live for bow hunting due to deer over population. One thing Walt disney movies never show is that nature is about three things, eating, being eaten and mating. The game is always on.

[RapidCreek]

6. I hunted and trapped but don't anymore

I'd do both again if I needed to....I don't look upon either as sport,
though I do believe...particularily in our swing toward facsim that hunting could again become a necessity and a valuable skill to have under ones belt.....and by hunting I mean hunting....in otherwords, not what Dick Cheney does.

RC

[randr]

7. While I don't hunt

I live out where the deer and elk are like rabbits. Man is the only predator left. I know many people who hunt and they represent all political persuasions. My wife and I have made the choice not to kill other living beings but we still are meat eaters and will not turn down a gift of elk meat when offered. In fact if I had a choice I would eat only elk harvested as it is rather that the "meat products" we have available.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. I know Democrats who hunt

They hunt for food, not for 'sport'. They eat what they kill. Some do it because they like meat that isn't full of hormones. Some do it because they can't afford to buy meat at a grocery store. All the hunters I know have great respect for the animals they kill and pray thanks for their sacrifice.

[Don_G]

9. I Hunt

But I enjoy Venison on my table far more than through my windshield on I-71 at 4:30 AM.

[Superfly]

11. I am a hunter and I am

rabidly Democratic (except with respect to taxation). The two are not mutually exclusive.

[murielm99]

13. Four of the five dems in this family hunt.

Fish, too.

It is a good way to save money at the grocery store. It is a good way to put variety in your diet.

Once in awhile, I see someone fined around here for going over limit. I don't know anyone who hunts the way Cheney does, though. That is murder, not sport or necessity.

Hunting is not necessarily about killing. Sometimes, it is just a good excuse to tramp around outside for a few hours, whether or not you bring anything home. I don't know if that makes sense to any of you.

I guess calling it a sport is questionable to some people. To me, shooting skeet is a sport. Hunting deer or pheasant is a way to put food on the table. It is not about guns.

We need our guns for other reasons, too. Coons are nasty and destructive. I have no compunctions about killing coons. They destroy our garden, and kill kittens in the barn. Our neighbors lost a dog to a coon. If we see coons, skunks or possums in the daytime, it means they are sick and should be killed.

Gun control is about people in cities who buy illegally to commit crimes. It is about criminals having automatic or semi-automatic weapons, and being better armed than police.

I am not worried about anyone taking our guns and telling us we can't hunt. Those people are irrational. They talk about "defending themselves." I don't think I would even consider using a gun to defend myself. I could not shoot a person, and I am not very big. The other person would probably take the gun from me.

All this stuff about repug hunters seems to be a stereotype. Everyone in my family is liberal or progressive I think alot of the attitude about hunting depends on where you live.

[progressiverealist]

16. Not all hunters are jerks, but all jerks hunt

That seems to pretty much hold true in my experience.

[AirConditionedGypsie]

21. I know plenty of jerks who

don't hunt, don't eat meat, don't wear leather and harass people who do.

[alwynsw]

89. You need to broaden your experience

Try buying a steak in a supermarket when you're in line with a militant vegan. I have.

[Punkingal]

17. Where I grew up....

everyone hunts. And they eat what they kill. It has nothing to do with politics.

[11 Bravo]

18. No. I hunt and fish and my family eats what I kill.

(And this cannot officially be considered a hunting thread until Skittles arrives, caps lock and all.)

[slackmaster]

19. I used to assist my late Ocicat in his hunting efforts

When he was having trouble catching a pesky rat or mouse he'd enlist my assistance in cornering the varmint.

I've never shot an animal other than a big dog very lightly to scare it off (there was no injury to the dog).

I have eaten wild deer, pig, and elk meat on several occasions and found it all quite tasty. Also rattlesnake a few times. That tastes more like frog's legs than chicken.

[drdigi420]

22. i have nothing against hunters

i just think nothing could be more boring than sitting in a tree waiting on a deer to walk in front of your scope

not very challenging, and probably cold and definately boring

i say we start allowing hunters to hunt each other

just kidding, i don't really care what they do as long as they keep it away from civilization (do it out in the suburbs instead)

[GabysPoppy]

23. Misleading question

Sport would indicate a contest between equally matched opponents.

Hunting does not fall into this category. Only a Repug could justify shooting pheasant with an assault weapon.

[Superfly]

25. And, yet...we know exactly how you voted...

[GabysPoppy]

70. Oh, really now

Have you installed the new "SEEYA" cam on your computer?

Or is making assumptions a sport also?

[Hammie]

40. Thoughtless answer

Sport would indicate a contest between equally matched opponents.

Skiing, rock-climbing, skydiving, and white-water rafting all aren't sports? How come when I go the sports show at the convention center it is almost exclusively hunting and fishing related? In the future, if you want to find out what a word actually means, instead of what you think it should mean, pick up a dictionary.


Only a Repug could justify shooting pheasant with an assault weapon.

Some so-called assault weapons actually would be suitable for hunting pheasant, or most other game birds for that matter. As a practical they aren't used because, for each type of hunting, there is a better choice. By better choice I mean one which increases the likelihood of bagging game. BTW, I am not a Repug.

[SOS]

88. As George Carlin once said...

"Anything I can do while drinking beer is not a sport".

[alwynsw]

90. And now we know Carlin doesn't hunt

Only fools mix firearms and alcohol - or imply that they would.

[GabysPoppy]

24. Misleading question

Sport would indicate a contest between equally matched opponents.

Hunting does not fall into this category. Only a Repug could justify shooting pheasant with an assault weapon.

[Terwilliger]

26. only if Repugs are the only ones using guns

and I dont think so

[raifield]

28. Um, no

No.

I only hunt deer, which I consider evenly matched, if not advantaged towards the deer.

My bow & arrows versus the deer's eyes and nose is quite fair, since the deer has to get within 20 yards for me to even entertain the notion of shooting. Until and during that point, I have to do everything exactly right, or I'm screwed. Oh, and the wind can't blow in the wrong direction either, he can't look in my direction for awhile (I'll fidget, I'm sure), and he has the advantage of not being half frozen to death up in a tree to begin with.

Plus, I doubt my 20-gauge, single-shot, Youth model shotgun really qualifies as an "assault weapon", since it is not intended for infantry combat, which is how an assault weapon is commonly defined, as on Dictionary.com, for example.

Anti-hunting stances typically seem to think that piles upon piles of animals are slaughtered mercilessly, while in fact, a hunter typically comes home with nothing at all, if he/she even saw something to shoot that day to begin with!

[ieoeja]

30. I don't kill.

But I do hunt. And I support the rights of those who do kill. I rather like the idea of my child being able to play outdoors without the fear of being eaten. That means getting rid of all the other predators which leaves us the only ones able to control the prey population.

There are exceptions to this. I have killed lots of injured animals or farm animals, just not as sport. And I did go hunting with the intent to kill once. Two years ago the family farm was visited by wild pigs. My brother and others in the community (I now live a couple hundred miles away) wiped them out fairly quickly. However, I stumbled upon a survivor last summer. I was unarmed at the time so we just bristled at each other til he decided to wander off. So I returned to camp, grabbed a spear and went hunting him. I couldn't run him down, but my brother ran into him a few weeks later and removed him.

[RebelOne]

31. That doesn't make sense.

You hunt, but you don't kill? Hunting is all about killing.

[Superfly]

34. Perfect example..

I hunted for deer about 12 times last season. I killed exactly zero deer. Therefore, you can hunt and not kill.

And, BTW, hunting is not all about killing.

[ieoeja]

42. I don't even go armed.

Why can I not walk the forests enjoying the scenery and seeking out the wildlife with no intent to kill? Conversely, most people who call themselves hunters don't "hunt". Rather than searching for the game, they wait in ambush hoping the game comes to them. The only thing these mighty Nimrods hunt is a tree upon which they can install their stands.

To these people your statement may very well apply. It is all about the killing. To me it is about the hunting. I don't like gamey meat, I certainly don't need it, and I do not generally enjoy killing. So why would I kill that which I hunt?

[RoeBear]

43. Just curious as to what state you live in...

...and what kinds of predators?

[ieoeja]

46. Indiana

The farm is in Indiana. Local predators would consist primarily of dogs gone wild**. We have a good number of coyotes as well. Wolves are extremely rare.

Smaller varmints would have the usual assortment of birds: hawks, owls, etc. Eagles (bald, I think?) were only reintroduced a few years ago.


**And you do not want to see a dog in a bikini.

[waylon]

55. Wolves? I smell something fishy here

Unless you mean the zoo

[ieoeja]

56. People argue that.

Some people swear up and down there are no wolves in Indiana. But someone in the county killed one about three decades ago (verified by the DNR). I may have seen three once. They looked big for coyotes, but I may be wrong. And would the midwestern breed of coyote have a gray coat?

Oddly, with all I have seen I have never seen a coyote (with the possible exception above). Heard 'em. But never seen one.

[htuttle]

57. I've seen coyotes in Suburban Milwaukee

Late at night/Early in the morning, they hit the garbage cans sometimes. They are quite good at staying hidden. Heck, they even get them coming into L.A. at night from the desert, then they disappear before the bustle of the morning starts. It was nearly 20 years ago when I last saw one, but it was tan with some grey, and fairly large -- like a large German Shepherd or a smaller Husky (but somewhat more 'gracile' than a Husky).

We do have a few Timber Wolf packs in WI that they've re-introduced up North, but I've never heard of one south of Lake Winnebago, however.

[ieoeja]

58. I'm talking way south in Indiana.

Down in the hill country. The northern two-thirds of Indiana is rather wide open and flat. The southern third looks more like Kentucky with large stretches of unimproved wilderness.

[waylon]

59. Coyotes coat changes color

There hasnt been any reported cases of wolves in that neck of the woods for some time. 3 decades sounds about right but I thought they eradicated them by the 20's. I could be wrong though.

[ieoeja]

62. When he got one.

Everyone was pretty skeptical for the same reason. But the DNR verified it. Are there no wolves in the Smokey Mts? Eliminate the Ohio River and you'd probably call our area the foothills of the Smokeys.

I don't believe that wild pigs were EVER native to Indiana. So when my brother killed one the overwhelming response was WTF? DNR confirmed it and suggested that some idiots import them (illegally) for controlled hunting purposes. Since it is virtually impossible to fence in a wild pig, they quickly escape and become a nuisance.

They assured my brother the hunting season is "always" and the limit is "none". So all the neighbors came out to help eliminate the piggy infestation.

[waylon]

64. Not sure on the smokey mts

but I bet not. There are only a few states (areas) where wolves still exist naturally. Idaho, MT, WY, in and around yellowstone, and they were just recently re introduced there. Minnesota and surrounding areas but Im not sure how far the reach.

Wolves used to be native to every state except hawaii I believe so Im sure they once existed in your area. I would be interested if you found any info on this. Let me know por favor

[locustfist76]

85. Yep

Red wolves exisit in the Great Smoky Mountains, but they pretty much stay in the "No Hunt Zone".

[blindpig]

63. what's wrong with predators?

they have as much right to exist as we do! How old is your child? The only predator likely to attack humans in 99% of this country is a feral dog(pack), which should be eliminated. If you live in an area that still has natural predators and don't like it perhaps you should move and allow them the slither of existance that they have left.
(good move on the pigs though, they are introduced and a real detriment to our wildlife. Dangerous too!)

[demsrule4life]

73. Boar are dangerous

But the young ones, best pork you can eat.

[Wapsie B]

32. That claim

is just one of many unsubstantiated claims by the neocons. Just like the 70 million evangelical christian claim where the inference is that all 70 mil are fire breathing repugs.

[DonP]

65. Nope, it's a claim by Democrats on this board

We had a discussion down in the J/PS forum and some hard core anti-gun, anti-hunting folks claimed that all hunters (or at least 95% of them) were Repugs.

Therefore anyone that was a hunter couldn't possibly be a "real" Democrat.

We got some strange folks down yonder in the "Gungeon".

[11 Bravo]

67. Don't forget,, we hunters are also ...

"cowards", "murderers", and more. Shit, "republican" is probably the nicest thing I've been called by some posters.

[htuttle]

33. Hunting is quite bipartisan in Wisconsin

In fact, Wisconsin's regional environmental groups have made a lot of progress building bridges with Wisconsin hunting organizations over the last few years. The success of the struggle over the Crandon Mining issue is a good example of this. It was finally won by a 3-way alliance of environmental groups, hunting organizations, and a couple of Native American tribes.

[grannylib]

35. I don't but hubby does and plenty of liberal/progressive friends do also

I support it so long as people play by the rules so as not to mess it up for everyone else, and that people use what they kill. I have no patience with hunters just out for a trophy, or who trespass, or any of that shit.

[htuttle]

36. I don't hunt anymore myself...

...but the way I've always looked at it (here in WI), is that unless we are prepared to bring back a enough wild wolves to control the deer population, somebody better eat some of them.

The only thing I'd change (since again, I try to look at this from an ecological point of view), is that instead of people being allowed to kill the big bucks and leave the fawns and does, I'd rather they leave the big bucks alone, and hunt the fawns and older deer. You know, more like a wolf would. It's much healthier for the deer population. (IIRC, they tried this strategy with fish up in some Canadian lakes, and apparently it helped increase the average weight of the fish in them over a fairly short time).

[Superfly]

38. Most states encourage the harvesting of does

by issuing only one buck tag, but numerous doe tags. In VA, for instance, I can get 1 buck and 3 antlerless deer on my basic license. I can also take part in depradation hunts where the state issues a bunch of doe tags to a farmer, and those tags can be used by hunters invited to hunt on that farmer's land. Any deer bagged will not go on the hunter's license, rather the farmer's.

Also, most states run something a "Quality Deer Management Program" where only male deer over a certain standard (like rack size, etc.) can be taken. This prevents the taking of juvenile and young-adult bucks who are becoming or already are viable breeding deer.

[htuttle]

39. The 'Quality Deer Management Program' is backwards

If they want bigger deer, they should be hunting the ones that are UNDER a certain standard, not over it.

Otherwise, by killing the bigger ones, they are 'selecting' for smaller bucks in the Darwinian sense.

(and I fear I'm starting to digress wildly off topic...)

[ieoeja]

44. Hear, Hear!

You are correct! The tendency by nearly 100% of hunters to go for the big rack also makes the "I do it for the meat" excuse look a little less than truthful. There is no way you are going to convince me that an 8-point buck tastes as good as that tender little fawn. If it does, the entire domesticated meat business has been doing it backwards for centuries. So what they should really say is, "yeah, okay, I do it for the challenge and because it gets me out of the house, but I like the meat too".

[AffirmativeReaction]

37. I don't think so

My father-in-law is a union dem and lives (and loves)to hunt

[boobooday]

45. The problem with the way republicans hunt

Is they like to shoot things that are in cages. Sitting ducks.

They don't want to actually HUNT, like most HUNTERS. They just want to KILL. There's a big difference, I think, between them, and the true sportsman.

Cause as always, they want to make and control the rules throughout, and have a built-in advantage.

http://www.wgoeshome.com

Jeanette

[Skittles]

48. NO, THERE ARE COWARDS OF ALL POLITICAL PERSUASIONS

I have no doubt, however, that the sickening "sport" of killing animals for entertainment is more prevalent with republicans.

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

51. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ieoeja]

53. Very few self-styled hunters ...

... stalk and kill. Most of them lie in ambush. Which is not, of course, hunting (see my earlier post, "I don't kill; but I do hunt").


In that post I point that I have killed injured pets and farm animals and the rare farm animal for butchering. And I did once hunt for the purpose of killing last year. The wild pig was extremely destructive and needed killing (though I also thought it would be kind of fun armed only with a spear).

[11 Bravo]

54. Did you finally wear out your caps lock?

Whether you like it or not, hunting is very much a part of the culture in parts of this country. My grandfather hunted in Oklahoma to feed his family during the Great Depression, and he taught me to hunt as soon as I was old enough to responsibly participate. As stated earlier, I don't hunt for trophies and my family and I eat anything I kill. Where I currently live (Virginia) the deer population is exploding. If you consider shooting an animal before it starves or winds up as road kill (taking the occasional stray human being with it) cowardice, then I will just have to politely disagree. And please be careful the next time you visit your local supermarket. I would hate for you to slip in a little puddle of spilled blood as you wander down the meat aisle.

[smirkymonkey]

86. It surprises me to see so many hunters...

I don't know anyone who hunts or has an interest in hunting. Maybe it's because I live in a city, but I had no idea that hunting was so prevalent in this country. Interesting.

[adriennel]

50. No

MI is a big hunting state and at the moment most of our major political figures are Dems. You would probably find quite a few Dem hunters up here, which is why gun control is a contentious issue in this state.

I do not hunt--I am like Stan on South Park, I just can't shoot that cute little bunny. I do think others have the right to hunt, because we have a serious problem for MI...we have too many deer...I saw a herd of 8 trying to cross the road this morning on my way to work.
So I guess I'd rather see the deer used for meat and hide than rotting by the side of the road (which I also see lots of on the drive to and from work).

[Skittles]

52. a lot of cities are overcrowded

perhaps we should just shoot some people; I'm sure there would be plenty of volunteers, especially republicans.

[adriennel]

61. it's scary

the area where I live is rural/developing. The more development goes up, the more deer I see roaming the streets. I know (hope) you're kidding, but it truly does come down to people vs. nature. And nature (when it comes to preservation) can't win. I feel guilty everyday for doing my part to destroy the environment : (

[mot78]

60. It's stupid to classify us as feminine and Repugs as masculine

Republicans like football, Democrats think it's primative....

Democrats like sissy Soccer and other "un-American" sports....

Democrats are a bunch of PETA-warhshipping retards....

Well guess what? I like football, hunting, and soccer. I don't consider myself feminine, especially because I'm a guy (not to sexist btw).

[boobooday]

69. Um, why would being considered feminine be bad?

I agree that it is stupid to classify Republicans as masculine because they like to kill things and Dems as feminine because they like to preserve life, but why would it be a negative to be feminine? Why is it feminine to be peaceful? Plenty of men are peaceful AND VIRILE (speaking from experience).

We have to take control of our language back from these guys. And I do mean GUYS. Sexism is a key concept for fascists, and we should be pointing this out. It's in everything they do.

http://www.wgoeshome.com

Jeanette;-)

[MrSlayer]

66. It's not a sport. Sport requires a challenge.

Sitting in a tree waiting for an animal to walk by so you can shoot it is not a sport. Take on a bear with a buck knife and I'll call it a sport.

[11 Bravo]

68. Is tracking a wounded animal down a mountain

through snow, brush, and -10 wind chill a sport? If I miss by 6 inches fron 25 to 75 yards, the deer will run. I owe it to the animal to not leave it to simply bleed out. Then, of course, I need to field dress the animal and carry it out. We don't just sit in a tree.

[MrSandman]

71. Yes I hunt, as do most of the people I know.

Most of them one at least two long guns: a rifle and a shotgun. I would not hazard a guess about handguns. Among my close friends most own at least a rimfire and a centerfire handgun. And guess what? Most of them are Democrats. Granted, the party in WV may not be representative of the party in the NE, but my guess is the same can be said of, NM, as a fer instance.

[Fla_Democrat]

72. Hunter

:hi:

Hunter since 1979, Democrat since 1984.

[alwynsw]

74. I hunt

[beevul]

75. I have not hunted in years...

and do not currently. I do support the rights of others to hunt however.

[alwynsw]

76. You could hunt dust devils

heh heh heh

[beevul]

77. Be vewwy vewwy quiet...

:evilgrin:

[Ilsa]

79. The problem is that

some hunting, especially for consumable meats, used to be a sport supported by the poor as much as anyone. But this has changed as it is becoming increasingly expensive to purchase or lease land for hunting (unless your state allows hunting on public land). Hunting is becoming like golf: it takes alot of money to buy the equipment and find a place "to play" for cheap. It's easier to just buy the meat at the store. One or more hunting magazines have discussed this at length over the last ten years.

My father used to hunt, and he always brought home the kill for consumption. He considered it immoral to kill for the sole pleasure of killing, and he had a very strict code about not shooting unless you could quickly kill the animal with one shot. He hunted on ranch land at the invitation of friends at church, an act of compassion and charity on their part because they knew we could use the food.

[Bucky]

80. I hunt, but I don't use a gun. I use my car. And I hunt telephone poles.

Bagged a six-pointer just last summer.

[smirkymonkey]

82. LOL!!

Thanks for the laugh!

[smirkymonkey]

81. Is this real hunting you are talking about or

dick cheney/tony scalia hunting?? There is a big difference, you know.

[rhino47]

84. Alot of my Dems friends hunt here in PA

Anything perceived as anti hunting would hurt any democratic candidate in this largely rural area.

[Spirochete]

87. I don't hunt

(too lazy, don't like venison). But I could care less whether anyone else does or not.