Is this woman, and hunters like her, ethical?

[jezcruzen]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014...-is-masterful/

When a hunter kills an animal, does the hunter have an obligation to that animal to use it in a way that would be considered respectful rather than simply gloat over the trophy itself while casting off the meat as a donation as a way to blunt some of the criticism by many for what they might consider a senseless killing? Do you think Eva simply marked another achievement from her bucket list and now will move on to her next big adventure?

I read the comments at the bottom of this article. I have my own thoughts, which I will share later. But what do some of you think?

[rabunmom]

Yes I think it was a trophy kill. I hate the idea that people kill animals just for the sport, if you hunt you should eat what you killed.

[Mangler]

It has only been less than 100 hundred years since the majority of citizens in this country hunted for at least a portion of their food supply. It was necessary at many levels back then.

Now it is mostly a hobby. For that reason many don't see the need or benefit from hunting.

I hunted growing up, but now I prefer to enjoy the woods in silence with a camera. I still enjoy shooting, but just for target practice and plinking.

As to the ethics of trophy hunting, I find the act of asking ethical questions in this day and age of so many outrageous behaviors to be a fools errand. I fear our culture has stepped over the threshold, and ethics will no longer be decided based on morals but on what the 51% vote on; and the 51% are getting dumber every generation.

[myakka]

I find her hunting to not be offensive to me personally. I appreciate her comment that she "donated the meat to charity", and that the money she spends on tags supports conservation efforts. This reminds me of the girl who was hated on recently for big game hunting in africa. One of the photos that drew a lot of hate was of a rhino that she shot.
She shot it with a tranq gun because it was sick. She still paid big money to do that, but it had to be treated by the vet at the park it was in.
Similarly she paid a huge fee, shot an elephant, then the local village got the meat.
I have no issue with these things. If it wasn't for the money that hunters put into conservation there wouldn't be the animals out there today that we have.
So for me there is no issue. Plus, she is keeping alive the tradition of hunting. As a prepper, I hope to have a full knowledge base and skill set when the grid goes down. Hunting is something that you won't be able to just start doing.

As for my own hunting, I have never shot anything that I didn't eat except for some invasive species/ nuisance animals.
And these are harming the local ecosystem and destroying habitat for the natives.

[jezcruzen]

I don't think ethics or ethical behavior changes according to popular opinion, Mangler, because I think ethics have a Biblical foundation. But I understand what you are saying. Maybe its more of a case of so many now-a-days simply ignoring ethics or having never been taught ethical behavior. Could be that ethics have simply been overrun by such things as selfishness, arrogance, vanity, and greed.

Lets see if any others have an opinion.

[Schneb]

Trophy hunting, not so much. Some of it, maybe, but generally, no.

Regular hunting for the larder, that's okay. Good to have that bit of reality about where meat comes from, just like gardening gives a good kind of values.

(same with doing your own yard work, learning to sew, cleaning house, fixing a broken window, etc. etc.--learn the value of a job or thing by doing it or making it)

But that said, if she went to a hunting preserve and paid a fee that helps to maintain it, and the preserve's animal populations are managed by allowing only so many hunting trips in, that could be a wise version of a trophy hunt. That'd be a lot like what the regulation of hunting does when the state govt. does it, right?

Or maybe there's more to it?

I'd like to go hunting some day--but didn't grow up with it, haven't ever gotten very close to it. I'd be glad for input from those who have.

[dalewick]

I have worked with and around this question for many years due to past employment as a government trapper/hunter. Ethics are a cultural agreement on what is right or wrong, but society is so diverse in these times that there is much disagreement on what is right or wrong. The same people that are so vehemently against hunting or trapping for any reasons many times are also against the use of animals for medical testing or even as food. They often (in my experience) have no moral issues with such things as abortion or with murdering hunters, trappers or research doctors.

Personally I believe that you should use as much of any thing that you kill as is humanly possible. I have no issues with someone else doing the using, I just don't want to see it wasted. Most states and countries have laws prohibiting the wasting of wild game or fish, so as to prevent to wasting of the resource. If an individual is willing to pay what it cost (License, fees, transportation, etc.) to trophy hunt a species that is being properly managed by scientifically trained people, that use the hunters money to better manage the resources . Why should I have the right to condemn why they are hunting when I hunt too, just for different reasons. How many of the people condemning her for killing that bear would have no qualms with her killing an alligator (especially one attacking there child) or a nest of hornets.

I couldn't tell you the number of times I have seen members of PETA, Humane Society, etc. cussing, threatening and condemning hunters, trappers, farmers, ranchers and researchers while they stood there wearing leather shoes.

Just my opinion.

Dale

[myakka]

I guess my frustration is from some of the people like you mentioned Dale.

I actually had a lady say to me that hunting is wrong and evil, and we should get our food from the store so that nothing has to die.

[dalewick]

[QUOTE=myakka;117757]I guess my frustration is from some of the people like you mentioned Dale.

I actually had a lady say to me that hunting is wrong and evil, and we should get our food from the store so that nothing has to die.[/QUOTE]

Always makes me wonder under what rock were these people raised. LOL! Had one actually tell me that hamburger came out of a machine and had nothing to do with anything living. She had seen it come out of the stores machine. I couldn't talk to her for awhile, for laughing so hard. (This was actually at a public hearing on a Beaver Control Program, with about 150 people attending) She turned red and huffed out. :)

Dale

[Buggyout]

Funny you should bring this up. At one of the snooty parties I was misfortunately attending in San Diego, I met a beautiful blond Lawyer who shared with me that not only was she a world hunter, but a bow hunter at that. She looked a little older than the woman posted here. She and her husband (Also a lawyer) were SO involved with hunting, they would go and leave the young kids to who ever was staying home - Constant hunting, tracking or preparing. She showed a picture of "her" trophy room, not to be confused with her hubby's. She had a standing, STUFFED 12' Grizzly. :rolleyes:

I just knew that this woman ate her steak raw...and... I would hate to be opposite her in a court case.

-Buggy

[Sekelbos]

I have worked with and around this question for many years due to past employment as a government trapper/hunter. Ethics are a cultural agreement on what is right or wrong, but society is so diverse in these times that there is much disagreement on what is right or wrong. The same people that are so vehemently against hunting or trapping for any reasons many times are also against the use of animals for medical testing or even as food. They often (in my experience) have no moral issues with such things as abortion or with murdering hunters, trappers or research doctors.

Personally I believe that you should use as much of any thing that you kill as is humanly possible. I have no issues with someone else doing the using, I just don't want to see it wasted. Most states and countries have laws prohibiting the wasting of wild game or fish, so as to prevent to wasting of the resource. If an individual is willing to pay what it cost (License, fees, transportation, etc.) to trophy hunt a species that is being properly managed by scientifically trained people, that use the hunters money to better manage the resources . Why should I have the right to condemn why they are hunting when I hunt too, just for different reasons. How many of the people condemning her for killing that bear would have no qualms with her killing an alligator (especially one attacking there child) or a nest of hornets.

I couldn't tell you the number of times I have seen members of PETA, Humane Society, etc. cussing, threatening and condemning hunters, trappers, farmers, ranchers and researchers while they stood there wearing leather shoes.

Just my opinion.

Dale

Well said Dale-I fully agree with your assessment!
Also,as somebody with some experience in this field, there is a huge misconception among some inexperienced novices [wanna-be-hunters or anti-hunting?] and the reality out there.
[For example sustainable hunting where the excess animals are taken by legal hunting and culling, for the survival of the species [and everything is used to the benefit of everybody] , vs POACHING, where criminals are killing animals indiscriminately only for the horn,tusk,skin and let the rest [meat] rot.
This is where ethics comes in.....
There is nothing wrong with trophy hunting under the correct circumstances-
Maya,I'f also met some of those [she told me that milk comes from cartons! ] and I could only shook my head and wonder how they are allowed to breed!

[jezcruzen]

OK, I have mixed emotions over this event. I'm certain that Eva and her father were legally permitted by the state of North Carolina to hunt and kill a bear. I am also fairly certain that what they had was a privileged hunt, meaning that they were fed, lodged, catered to, and guided to their kill and that it was likely conducted on private property so outsiders couldn't intentionally or accidently interfere. Now, thats just my assumption since I doubt either did this strictly on their own. Still all very legal and money changed hands up and down the line both in state and out of state. The motivation for these two hunters was obviously the experience and the kill of a trophy black bear, not meat or any other reason although funding conservation, population control (bears) and donating the meat were all justifications and periphery benefits of their hunt. It was what most of us who do hunt would call a "canned hunt" with a much higher percentage of success as guaranteed by the outfitter as opposed to what an average hunter could expect. In other words, neither Eva or her dad worked for it. Thats the rub for me. It was all legal, but for me it all lands a bit over on the unethical side of the fence. The guide did the hunting for them. They just made the shot. Posting the photos on her FB page probably was not the smartest idea, although it was her choice and right to do so. Making one's self into a lightning rod seldom has a good outcome, and in this case only acted to provide more ammunition to the anti-hunting side.

So thats my take on this. I know that some of us will disagree a little and some maybe a lot.

[Sekelbos]

It was what most of us who do hunt would call a "canned hunt" with a much higher percentage of success as guaranteed by the outfitter as opposed to what an average hunter could expect. In other words, neither Eva or her dad worked for it. Thats the rub for me.

So thats my take on this. I know that some of us will disagree a little and some maybe a lot.

Well,I must agree that the 'canned hunting' thing opened up a whole new can of worms , and 'ethical hunting' does not enter the picture for me. We have our own problems with this activity over here, called 'canned lions' !

[I can NOT bring myself as far as to call it a hunt--maybe more of a adrenalin target shoot with a glorified photo shoot afterwards?]
I will be interested in observing how you good people on the far side of the world from me tackle this controversial topic!

[dalewick]

Jez,

Canned hunts are illegal in North Carolina as well as in at least 19 other states. I think that even includes high fence hunting. I understand how you feel about this kind of hunting. I have similar feelings. I don't know the circumstances surrounding this hunt but I do know how the anti crowd reacts to any animal killed. If this was a guided hunt only I have no heartburn with that, as many states and countries require a guide be hired by nonresident hunters.
I guess I am just so distrusting of the anti crowd that without knowing all of the specifics about someone's hunt, I'm willing to give the hunter the benefit of a doubt until I would see proof otherwise.

Dale

[Sekelbos]

This is but one of the reasons why I see red when somebody mention 'canned 'hunting'



You don't need to have any skill or degree of fitness, as long as you have lots of money,
you can shoot a tame lion and then pose for the facebook picture as a big, mean 'hunter'!
No,no,no!