I don't understand antis

[Fishy Wishy]

City + idiot = cidiot (although. Cityot or citiot). Requires 2 defining traits...1 you are from a city (not only those from Toronto....those from Mississauga and Scarborough are equally disliked). 2 you are an idiot. If you don't fill both requirements you are under qualified to be a cidiot.

Red + neck = redneck. Again we have had to learn not to let cidiot references to redneck bother us as we all have necks but unless our neck is red they must be talking about someone else....poor gingers.

FW

[trimmer21]

There is a widespread perception that predators are disappearing due to human encroachment and ought not to be hunted. This despite the fact that coyotes are on the increase. It goes hand in hand with the feeling that predator hunting is intended to wipe out populations, which is based on past policies towards predators.

These ideas don't prove as susceptible to change. When we look at attitudes towards hunting based on the quarry, predator hunting has the lowest levels of support.

So yes, in terms of broad public support, predator hunters are pretty much SOL. That's true whether you want to believe it, or not.

That,to me, seems to be a rather broad statement given that most people that I've met socially,as conservationists and/or media types,know that assumption to be patently false. I have never missed an opportunity to educate others when they've made blanket statements. I emphasize that varmint/predator hunting is only about population balance and agricultural damage control and,as hunters,we'd never advocate "wiping out" any species,no matter what they are,for any reason. We can never call ourselves hunters and "conservationists" by taking any other position. To do so would be horrendously hypocritical putting us on a level with the anti's and animal rights zealots.

[welsh]

I emphasize that varmint/predator hunting is only about population balance and agricultural damage control and,as hunters,we'd never advocate "wiping out" any species,no matter what they are,for any reason.

I'm not suggesting you shouldn't.

But the data from dozens of public opinion surveys conducted over the past 30 years or so are consistent. People are not likely to change their views on this subject based on facts or arguments.

[MikePal]

I emphasize that varmint/predator hunting is only about population balance and agricultural damage control and,as hunters,we'd never advocate "wiping out" any species,no matter what they are,for any reason.

I live rural and in general terms the hunting of Coyotes is understood by one and all for what it is. The only time I saw some backlash, more by media coverage anyway, was when some local Gun Clubs put up Gun as 'prizes' in a draw..tickets given with proof of kill. That bothered a few of the squeamish.

It was more acceptable, to the general public, to offer a bounty for the kills than to get a ticket for a draw for a new gun....funny how some folks rationalize things to come to terms with their conscience beliefs.

[trimmer21]

I'm not suggesting you shouldn't.

But the data from dozens of public opinion surveys conducted over the past 30 years or so are consistent. People are not likely to change their views on this subject based on facts or arguments.

I have no statistical data on the public opinion surveys,although,without knowing who,how,where and under what circumstances they were conducted, I hold all polling results as highly suspect.
I certainly whole-heartedly agree that people are not likely to change their attitudes (heaven forbid) when presented with factual arguments. I mean who the hell do we think we are confusing the issue with cold,hard facts,anyway.LOL

[Sudsee]

Don't come on a thread calling people citiots and saying they are misinformed gullable and base their opinions on what other people say and then in the same breathe make a bold statement that all animals in agriculture raised for meat and other great products that domesticated livestock are used for are of terrible quality. Don't make matter-of-fact comments that livestock are raised without ever seeing the sun, caged and treated poorly. That is simply not the case and you are the severely misinformed one in this situation. There are thousands of farm families out there working very hard and are very dedicated to their livestock and the quality of product that they produce. Organic meat is not only based on how it is housed but also how it is fed. If you are hunting in and agricultural parts of Ontario or anywhere in the world you are going to have a hard time finding crops that are certified organically grown and I would bet that corn, beans, wheat, hay and other crops make up a large percentage of the diet for that "organic meat" you claim you are eating. I am an avid hunter and angler but I am also involved in the agriculture industry and I and many others on here may take offence to you putting down ignorance and mis-information with yet even more ignorance and mis-information. Thanks for your consideration and have a good day.

I was supposed to write this really long post about anti hunters but trimmer21 got everything right in his post. The cidiots are really gullable and base all their opinions on what other people tell them especially people they think are "smart" like teachers and parents, but these "smart" people don't have experience either and were fed BS and the stupid train just kept getting bigger as they passed along the BS to the younger generation. It also amazes me, some of the cidiots logic makes no sense like how its only cruel when you kill the animals yourself but when they are caged never see the sun and are killed and treated like crap its OK because its on a farm and that magically makes everything allright. The reality is if your gonna eat meat animals are gonna die, and I would rather eat the best free run organic meat you can get that hasn't been genetically modified from the forest and kill it and prepare it myself that way I know its lived its life in the forest not being trapped and died free and I worked to get the meat rather than have it handed to me at the super market, and I had a hell of a time doing it too.

[GrouseWhisperer]

OK...just read all of that and I'm dizzy. I will say this though~I'm concerned when I see "infighting" within the hunting community, so I hope conversations like this stay respectful. This thread, and all others going forward for that matter. Leaving aside the OP's thread starter and riding the rails of this side-tracked conversation...I find the term "citiot" to be an offensive one. I live close enough to Toronto to know people who...to be quite honest...probably deserve that label, but "idiots" come in all sizes, shapes, colors, and from from all parts of Ontario. Period. I find the attitudes towards guns & hunting to be more open and understanding in small, rural communities...but the perception of guns in suburban parts of Toronto means something entirely different~and that's no fault of the people living in those communities. People in ALL parts of Canada are fed a diet of negative press regarding guns and in the absence of positive experiences with them (ie, those growing-up in the city and it's suburbs) the attitudes will invariably become negative ones. In a rural community, kids will hear the same stories, then go hunting on the weekend and form a more well-balanced opinion on the subject. It's not a city vs. rural issue, it's a question of life experiences vs. media-fed people living in situations/places where they go their whole lives having never fired a gun.

time to ramble...

This past weekend, like hundreds...maybe thousands of families...I took my 2 older kids (trap) shooting on a friend's property about 10 minutes from the family cottage. We spent all afternoon at it, 2 cases of clays...14 boxes of 20ga target loads...and my shoulders and arms are killing me from that silly hand-thrower I have. It was a fantastic time, my kids shoot as well...if not better than I do now. No TV, no iPods, no video games, just fun, safe, family time doing something we all love. Makes me think~considering the amount of money that gets spent on the shooting sports in this country...it amazes me that I haven't seen a SINGLE good news story about the private use of guns when in fact....that kind of thing is going on all the time. Millions of rounds get fired in the safe, legal pursuit of our beloved hobbies...yet the only gun shots you hear about are those criminals are responsible for. What a shame. If we want people to have a different perception (and that would serve us all well) then an positive, open dialog should happen at every opportunity. Calling anyone an "idiot", from the city or otherwise, isn't the way to go about it in my estimation. People in urban environments have the opinions they have because what else COULD most of them have when you think about it? I've converted a few people, and no longer keep my interests discreetly out of conversations with city folks. Granted, the upland bird conversations go better than the groundhog ones.

[Fishy Wishy]

^^^Gun wielding maniac seen roaming the woods of Durham County with 2 suspected hostages

Or

Man and kids enjoy afternoon trap shooting.

Which one do think would sell more papers?

Teen shot outside busy Scarborough night club.

Or

Family hunt fills the freezer.

Which one would the Star run?

[MikePal]

I've converted a few people, and no longer keep my interests discreetly out of conversations with city folks.

Gotta say..if some guy came up to me and passionately ‘educated’ me on the merits and joy I'd experience if I got dressed up in Black Tie and attended a live Opera at the NAC…I could not be 'converted' ...I would still be an anti-

[greatwhite]

HA HA LOL... My wife and sister in-law use to try and dress my brother in-law and me up and take us to those things. I fell asleep at one of them and the other well let's just say I don't have to go anymore.

Gotta say..if some guy came up to me and passionately ‘educated’ me on the merits and joy I experience if I got dressed up in Black Tie and attended a live Opera at the NAC…I could not be 'converted' ...I would still be an anti-