My FB conversation with an 'Anti'

[Entropy]

To start off, 'he' was congratulating a teacher for speaking to her class why hunting is cruel and 'bad'.

I commented to the teacher to please allow her students to make that choice, and that hunting is eco-friendly.

He then commented that 'ok, maybe deer"

Me
If you don't mind me asking, 'Why only deer?'

Him
Because deer are plentiful and it is part of the food choice of people living in northern
Ontario.....aboriginal people as well.....I see no reason to hunt other animals at all. NONE

Me
I don't live in northern Ontario and enjoy the time spent hunting with family.
In the past year my family and I have enjoyed squirrel, deer, bear, moose, goose,
duck, fish, veggies (roadside, and garden). All very tasty, eco-friendly, real organic
options. Harvested, cleaned, and prepared with my hands. My fav this fall were apples
my family and I picked on the road side and then made some apple crisp with.

Me
All animals and fruit and veggies above are plentiful.

Me
What bothers me is people who eat meat, and don't want others to hunt. To see food from
field to table, means that you have to ..... recon your self with the world around you,
and actually be ok with taking that animals life, and doing the 'dirty work' to put it
in front of your family.

Do you eat meat?


Him
actually that's good......and you are right...those animals are plentiful..but eating
bear....no......personal preference...roadside apples into apple crisp....love it! I am
sorry...thought you were going to be one of those smart types....I think I was
wrong...I just see no reason for killing animals for all the wrong reasons like the
rhino and elephants.

Him
Yes I eat meat.....and grew up with farm folk so have killed chickens and was at pig
roasts etc etc

Me
I agree about the rhino and elephants. But, I try to remember I am just some guy
in Ontario who gets a 'message' from the media (perhaps bias or not). The man or
woman who kills a rhino or elephant might have no other alternative to feed their
family. You know, I think the world is a lesser place anytime any species is lost,
but in those parts of the world there are different values and needs at play. Maybe not.

Me
If this is the case the only way to truly protect them is the put them in a fenced in
'reserve' or hire those that would otherwise hunt them and pay them to look after them.
Not sure about this one.

Me
Also, if you would like to join me on a hunt for ducks or geese this fall you are more
than welcome. I feel it is very important for non-hunters to meet or experience what
hunting is. It is not just about killing animals and leaving them to rot. I have invited
the entire staff at the place that I work at. None have joined me, but most have tried some well
prepared BBQ'd goose I bring in on occasion.

Me
I have not killed any of our chickens yet. We have a few egg layers. They also make for great
'pets' and a responsibility for the kids. They are much more eco-friendly than say a dog or a cat.
They provide that 'pet like kinship' but also eat left overs from the kitchen and lay eggs.
When our chickens stop laying regular, I give them to a friend who gets a few more eggs out of them
for another year or two, then they are consumed.

Him
I can see the people who actually live in Africa living off the land so to speak....but the Chinese
are in there and doing damage ......there are huge reserves in Africa where the animals are protected
but poachers still get in and kill....yep the locals are paid very very little while the Chinese
are reaping huge rewards. I have hunted a little years ago but didn't enjoy it.

Me
Thanks for the discussion.
If you have a chance to support a return of the spring bear hunt here in Ontario, please do.
It is an opportunity that has been taken from my family, and has also had an economic impact on
central and northern folk.

Thanks.

Him
Nice speaking with you as well...I will think about the bear hunt.

Me
night

Him
Night.



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I saw an opportunity to change the thinking of an anti, I hope I did.

Entropy

[fratri]

Even if you didn't you did a great job trying.... nice.

[gbk]

Thank You for the "report". It was a very nice ,detailed and friendly conversation, with a high chance of " improving understanding "so to say, as far I can see.
Do not take it wrong(not patronizing or something) yet I must say-Good Job!
Gbk

[IceFanADDICT]

Good job, nice respectful way to come by it and hopefully change a few of his views. Not quite sure on your view of African safaris though you may want to look into the benefits of that yourself.

[wtrfowlr]

An excellent non confrontational dialogue to stimulate the thought process. Well done.

[outback]

Very diplomatic of you on the part of all hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Congrats for your efforts.

outback

[Roper]

Nice job. A lot of credit has to go to the person you were talking to that was open minded enough to listen to your sensible point of view.

[trimmer21]

Good stuff! It's been my experience that the antis I've encountered are the foaming-at-the-mouth loony-tunes type,virtually impossible to have a rational conversation with.

[Bushmoose]

Good stuff! It's been my experience that the antis I've encountered are the foaming-at-the-mouth loony-tunes type,virtually impossible to have a rational conversation with.

My experience also. A buddies wife, who is also a grade 3 teacher, is the epitome of "anti". She will however, gobble up a bbq burger like there's no tomorrow. I've also seen her at a breakfast buffet we have gone to, load her plate with eggs, ham, sausage and bacon. But let someone bring up the topic of hunting and she goes ballistic? At the risk of ruining a friendship with my buddy, I can't say much to her. she just doesn't get the connection?

[Bluebulldog]

Well done.

More people can learn from this exchange. To be fair however, both of you were respectful from the get go. In many of these conversations, many either let their mouths get away from them, or they simply refuse to have an open dialogue. The conversation then degenerates into insults, and juvenile behavior.

We all need to remember that when someone comes at our activities ( no matter how close they are to our hearts), we must try to be polite, and open. To do otherwise makes us look like the cavemen that PETA thinks we are.