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Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

Title:The Hunting Notesfile
Notice:Registry #7, For Sale #15, Success #270
Moderator:SALEM::PAPPALARDO
Created:Wed Sep 02 1987
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1561
Total number of notes:17784

809.0. "Hunt Saboteurs" by WAHOO::LEVESQUE (No artificial sweeteners) Thu Oct 18 1990 10:47

 With deer season just around the corner, I thought I'd start a note about
something which I hope doesn't happen to any of us- an encounter with anti
hunting protesters.

 I can't believe the number of anti-hunting groups that have cropped up in
the last few years. I recently read an article in Outdoor Life about these
groups; they range from animal rights fanatics to misguided conservation types.
And everything in between.

 Hunting as I do in NH seems not to be a terribly likely place to have to
deal with these bozos, but the potential is always there. 

 Many of these so called animal rights groups are extremely fanatical about
their cause. I'm sure we all remember the pictures on NBC of the anti hunters
interfering with the Yellowstone bison hunt earlier this year. Remember the
guy with the ski pole? He's been charged with assault (hooray!) And the woman
who smeared bison blood on the hunter? She's been charged (and I think 
convicted as well).

 One of the unfortunate aspects of this whole scene is that the various 
protestors don't have to pay their own legal fees and fines. These costs are
borne by the various fanatical groups, like Cleveland Amory's Fund for the
Animals (which really ought to be the Legal Defense Fund for Animal Rights
Fanatics since so little of their money goes to anything else).

 We all have to be prepared to deal with the possibility that some cretins
will be there to greet us when we arrive at the hunting grounds. It's best
not to get involved in shouting match with them; ignoring them is a good
first step. If you are deer hunting and they plan on following you, explain
to them that you are embarking on a deer drive. If they follow you they will
be participating. If they have no license, they will be in violation of the law
in NH. Get a conservation officer there and see that they get cited.

 I truly hope that none of us will meet up with any of these fanatics. If we
do, we must be prepared for the worst. There is considerable documentation of
various acts of violence perpetrated by some of the more radical groups. 
Poisoning dog food, placing leg traps on private land to entrap dogs, etc.
It's a bad scene. Let's hope we can all avoid it.

 The Doctah
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809.1BTOVT::LANE_NThu Oct 18 1990 11:0815
    I described an encounter (about 9 or 10 years ago) with such a group 
    and it was not pleasant.  My teenage sons and I were interrupted by 
    a scattered group of 7 people running on various trails, screaming and 
    calling.  We thought someone was lost or some tragedy but were amazed 
    when one of them happened to come nearby after a couple of hours of 
    this, and heard his story about hoping to scare game away from any 
    hunters.  
    
    They finally got tired and left.  The large acreage in Wilder, Vermont 
    is now almost clearcut and has many very large houses ($250K to at least
    $400K price-range such as the Butler-Farms project) fairly close together  
    and most certainly no more wildlife.  
    
    I'll bet the crazies were nowhere to be found when that happened....
    
809.2anti hunting buying land.SOURCE::WHITTENGONE HUNTIN !!! Thu Oct 18 1990 11:3220
    I was in Maine last weekend and spoke to some of the locals.  I asked 
    them why so much land was being posted in an area that never was. There
    reponse was that alot of anti hunters were buying up the land and
    posting it.  They told me the areas to avoid because the owners were
    real nasty about hunters on there land.  
    
    That is truly a hard thing to fight.  I also read the out of doors on
    anti hunters.  I hope I never run across any of them in the woods.  I 
    am a very peaseful person but I am not sure that if they get in my face
    that I would not do something out of character.
    
    I do alot of outside activity like, snowmobling, hunting and fishing
    and I have a real hard time about people impossing there will on me.
    
    Well that is my two cents worth.
    
     Good hunting 
     
      Don
    
809.3Educate the idiots!!!ODIXIE::RHARRISThu Oct 18 1990 11:5122
    Ammo for the hunter to give the anti hunter.  I just heard on the
    radio today that in the state of Georgia, where I reside, there are
    500,000 thousand deer hunters that produce $2,000,000,000.00 of revenue
    for the state a year.  That is 2 billion if you don't want to count the
    zeros.  Alot of that money goes to protect the wildlife, manage it,
    etc.  If it were not for the hunters, the animals would probably die of
    starvation or disease, because the DNR would not be able to maintain it
    without raising taxes.  And then the anti-hunter would be protesting
    that.  Unfortunately, all they see is that we kill "defenseless
    animals".  The best solution is to invite an anti hunter to go hunting
    with you and show them what it is really like.  I love animals.  I am
    a conservationist, animal lover, deer hunter.  I don't get a deer
    everytime I go in the woods.  That is not what it is about.  These
    people need to open there eyes and not let one or two drunk gun totin
    rednecks be their example of a hunter.  
    
    BTW, if an anti hunter comes on our deer land to scare game away, they
    will come back to four flat tires and a broken windshield for
    tresspassing.
    
    Bob(1 more day!!!!)
    
809.4HAZEL::LEFEBVREWondering where the lions areThu Oct 18 1990 12:298
    In defense of the anti, let us not forget that they have every God-
    given right to buy land and post it.  And they have a right to voice
    their opposition to hunting.
    
    However, they do NOT have the right to harrass law-abiding hunters who
    have a legal right to lawfully pursue game.
    
    Mark.
809.5Their rights or leftsODIXIE::RHARRISThu Oct 18 1990 13:277
    You are correct in your statement on .4     I personally have nothing
    against an anti hunter as long as they are not like a Jehovah witness
    and try to force there point of view down my throat verbally or
    physically.
    
    Bob
    
809.6Does anyone else feel this way??????ROULET::WIINIKKAThu Oct 18 1990 14:0422
    
    
    Why does it always seem like the people with the most radical and
    off the wall ideas are the ones who make the most noise and try
    to impose their ideas on everyone else?  This IS America and everyone
    is supposed to be entitled to follow their own personal beliefs
    without interference.  If they are against hunting that's just fine.
    (All the more deer for me to chase ;^))  But what gives them the
    right to try and take away the hunters rights.  I admit that there
    are some Yahoo's in the woods that shouldn't be but the vast majority
    of the hunters I have met follow the game laws and probably do much
    more for the enviroment than any of those Loonies runnning around
    the woods trying to screw up hunts and poisoning dogs ect.  When
    was the last time any of you saw a hunter forcing an anti to go out 
    and shoot something.  I'm sorry for rambling on like this but I'm
    just sick and tired of these self proclaimed "Do gooder's" and all
    of the garbage they are trying to spread.
    
    Scot
    
    BTW isn't it ironic how they claim to be saving animals lives but
    feel good about poisoning somebody's dog...they make me sick!
809.7XCUSME::NEWSHAMI'm the NRAThu Oct 18 1990 14:4514
    Yep, its America where everyone can express their feelings and
    beliefs, but, gosh-darn, don't try to force your's on me. I don't
    like Tennis, but you won't see me at the courts screaming and causing
    havoc. I expect the same courtousy from the anti's. It's fine to not
    like something, but the extent that some of these people go to is darn
    right illegal.
    
    I sort of like the idea of a water pistol filled with Skunk fumes while
    your in the woods....But, then again, I wouldn't do such a thing
    because it would put me down to their level.
    
    Let me hunt/scout/track or just plan walk in the woods in peace.
    
    Red
809.8HEFTY::CHARBONNDDELETE the SimpsonsFri Oct 19 1990 09:3316
    One subtle way of harassment - posting land they have no right to
    post. A few years ago some bunch posted the whole mountain where
    we hunt. Turns out they had no right to do so. With so much land
    held by non-locals it's sometimes difficult to find out if the
    posting is valid, and if permission can be obtained.
    
    As for hunt-disrupters, I hope I never meet them. I work most of 
    the year to pay for my hunting time and I will be *DAMNED* if 
    anybody is going to take away my precious recreation time. 
        
    I'm not one to initiate violence, but robbing me of my vacation
    time is the same thing, in my mind, as breaking into my house
    and taking the TV set. I will retaliate.
    
    Dana
809.9Would take a anti to a taxidermist?AIMTEC::SOBCZYNSKI_LSun Oct 21 1990 10:4522
    
    We take our hunting quite seriously here in the South, for many it is
    food the year, this is a plain fact.  I don't believe the chances for
    survial, in the woods, would be to good for anti-hunters.  There seems
    to be an imbalance here in effort.  They, the antis, act the the way they
    do because they have this idiot logic process.  To explain, a person is
    drawn down on, looking down the barrel of a 44 mag, the person drawn
    down on states; If you shoot me you go to jail.  This person lacks the
    reational thought that they in all likelyhood will not be around to see
    the gunner go to jail. Hell if it where me being drawn on, I being
    trying to figure out how to make the person happy, so I could see
    another day.  Well like reply -1 stated, and to take it a step further
    I would be sure to have some pleasant memories it confronted by antis,
    especially if they were to pose a threat to me or my property.
    
    They have the right to achieve their goals, however there are legal
    channels for them to follow.  If they choose to created confrontations,
    they risk it all.
    
    Cheers
    Leonard