A Conversation with an Anti Hunter

Not all dogs are fit to hunt, nor in the same way are all men gratified by it.

Usually, there is no need to respond to an anti hunter. They are typically unreasonable, politically motivated, ideological, rude, and have no sense of irony.

A recent conversation with an anti hunter.

The message we received:

Dear Sirs
I have just come across your blog and I am stunned to see that you are glorifying hunting sacred animals. It is of course all up to you and it is a choice, nevertheless, it is not what we were put upon this Earth to do. Animals belong here as much as we do.

Anyway, not going to preach or say you are bad people because I don’t think you are, rather the opposite, you are most likely really amazing people. The only thing is I have heard something stirring inside me a long lost ancient voice, our mother, our planet need us now.

She is straining under the pressure of the assault we put her under and her heart bleeds each time we kill one of her children, this includes the animals. The animals are our totems, they are our teachers, friends and companions. We are all interconnected in the most beautiful way and all war against nature and humans need to stop.

We don’t realize that what is done to us we do to the animals. Man was put on Earth to ‘Love and Protect’ their children and as all of us are just that, children, this includes thy neighbor, those you don’t agree with as well as those you do.

I love you as you are my brothers and or sisters but the pictures on the dead animals as trophies does not sit comfortably with me. As I said, this is your choice and all ok but she will not wait much longer for us to change as she has had enough of the raping of her body and all the taking. We hardly contribute too much, more than destruction, so why should she wait for us to change when it is not likely we will?

Again, I am not condemning what you do as my own blood brother would most likely happily come with your shooting parties and hunt, as he hunts. He knows I don’t agree though but that does not stop me loving him, he is my brother. It is just that this morning looking for proud pictures of bold lions, as mine inside is awakening, I see you have taken the light of many. That is not nice but not much I can do about.

Anyway, much love and blessing to you all and your team. Outdoor camping is cool, killing animals, who have the medicine, including the plants, is not cool. Love and protect, and please protect does not mean ‘attack’ or fight, it means showing the way in conduct and way of living, teaching the sacred, not take life.

Big love.
Monica

Our Response:

Thank you Monica for the email. I can appreciate your view, and I also respect you for being kind and civil. We get multiple hate mails including death threats daily and this one was a breath of fresh air. All that said, I do not agree with you completely. Our planet is under strain due to pollution, overcrowding, deforestation, etc., but legal hunting is not a threat.

As hunters we love the animals we pursue…I know that sounds counter intuitive, but it is true. Hunting is the oldest form of conservation, and hunters are one of the only groups who put large amounts of money where their mouth is to go towards habitat, and preservation of the species we hunt. That in turn helps the non-hunted species as well. Of course this is driven also by a desire to hunt these animals. Just as you speak of something ancient stirring inside of you, we feel the same thing. Hunting is instinctive. We are predators. But as intelligent beings, we strive to conserve our prey, and our incredible wild places for future generations.

I’m not sure that you will ever understand us, but I can say that I do understand you. And quite honestly, we are fighting the same fight. It is ironic that we see each other as adversaries.

I have a quote that I carry in my wallet that I would like you to read and give me your thoughts on:

“Not all dogs are fit to hunt, nor in the same way are all men gratified by it. Nor, for those of us who share this dogs pleasure of hunting (if you will,) do I ask special tolerance or understanding. We are as we are and if we seem to you to act immorally it is certainly your right to feel so, but I say most seriously that you exceed your rights when you urge that laws be made in the shape of your conscience to block pleasures permitted by mine. When you prevail you commit a crime against freedom and that’s the greatest immorality I know.”

~ Vance Vourgaily

Sincerely,
The Got Hunts Team