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Letters and Photos from Hunters Letters and Photos from Hunters
I read an article written by Joe Miele stating how hunting is decreasing, I'd like to know where he really gets his information from, he states that hunters have declined here in Ok, what he doesn't realize is the number of license's being sold may be down but that is mainly because of the age of hunters. Hunters over 65 are not required to buy a license and boys and girls under 16 don't have to have one. Hunting leases have skyrocketed to the point that you have to be put on list for future lease opportunities. I realize non hunters think hunting is cruel and barbaric but every single human on the face of this earth is guilty of killing something and not just occasionally but it is very common. It doesn't matter whether it's an insect, plant or an animal they all start from some sort of seed and grows and dies at some point in its existence and we all are responsible for killing something, it's just a matter of how you want to look at it. I don't believe in trophy hunting and there are other forms of hunting I disagree with but this is my opinion on what's right and wrong and it doesn't make me right. At some point in our lives we are all guilty of killing animals with our cars, we kill insects because they are in our homes or our yards, this may sound like a picky point but every thing on the face of the earth that is alive is there for some reason whether we totally understand their purpose or not and they have the same right to life just as much as any animal or you or I. What I really find barbaric is some organization that thinks they have the moral right to bomb, burn or terrorize someone else because they have an idea about how life is suppose to be and if you don't agree with them then it is alright to hurt or possibly kill them to get your point made. If we as hunters are morally wrong, someday when facing judgement at the ends of our lives we will have to pay for it but God will judge us not some mere human with all their flaws. I don't mean this letter of mine to judge, insult or demean anyone, we
all have our faults and our own ideas of right and wrong, it's just a matter
of understanding where we all fit into this world and that in itself may
never be totally figured out. I could very well be wrong in everything that
I have said, I don't claim to have everything figured out and for those of
you out there who think I'm an idiot, that's a possibility and for those of
you who want to cuss me out or threaten me that's OK too, I forgive you. Reply From Joe Thank you for contacting me and the Committee to Abolish Sport Hunting.
Since you were kind enough to send me your thoughts, I will extend to you
the courtesy of a reply. > I read an article written by Joe Miele stating how hunting is decreasing, I'd like to know where he really gets his information from, he states that hunters have declined here in Ok... < My statistics come from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I've pasted
the links to two reports - one lists 288,000 hunters in Oklahoma in 1996 (http://www.census.gov/prod/3/98pubs/okfhw698.pdf)
and the other lists 250,000 hunters in Oklahoma in 2006. (http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/NationalSurvey/nat_survey2006_state.pdf)
This is a decline of 38,000 hunters in 10 years. > I realize non hunters think hunting is cruel and barbaric but every single human on the face of this earth is guilty of killing something and not just occasionally but it is very common. It doesn't matter whether it's an insect, plant or an animal they all start from some sort of seed and grows and dies at some point in its existence and we all are responsible for killing something, it's just a matter of how you want to look at it. < That's a point where we're in total agreement. Where we disagree is in
that I believe it is our obligation to cause suffering to as few beings as
possible, taken into account that no one is perfect. > this may sound like a picky point but every thing on the face of the earth that is alive is there for some reason whether we totally understand their purpose or not and they have the same right to life just as much as any animal or you or I. < This is the basis for my objection to hunting. > What I really find barbaric is some organization that thinks they have the moral right to bomb, burn or terrorize someone else because they have an idea about how life is suppose to be and if you don't agree with them then it is alright to hurt or possibly kill them to get your point made. < That's what the U.S. government does, no? As for the Committee to Abolish Sport Hunting, if you could give me
evidence of where the organization has done any of what you mention above,
I'll hand in my resignation immediately. > I don't mean this letter of mine to judge, insult or demean anyone, we all have our faults and our own ideas of right and wrong, it's just a matter of understanding where we all fit into this world and that in itself may never be totally figured out. I could very well be wrong in everything that I have said, I don't claim to have everything figured out and for those of you out there who think I'm an idiot, that's a possibility and for those of you who want to cuss me out or threaten me that's OK too, I forgive you. < I don't think you're an idiot, nor do I have the desire to threaten or cuss you for what you believe. There is room enough on earth for many people to have many ideas, but in our opinion, there is not enough room to permit the exploitation of wildlife for human gain. Peace, Return to Letters and Photos from Hunters
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