Quote:
Originally Posted by Groundhogger
^I think this is a very well-balanced, reasonable post. If I were to maybe just "split hairs" for one moment, it would be the text I've highlighted. I would like to suggest that if one invests hundreds (if not, thousands) of dollars in hunting equipment, sets aside a day, drives to a location, puts miles on the boots...and then suggests that the meat isn't the primary purpose...? I'd probably say "then it wouldn't matter if you left the gun at home and brought a camera...?"  I'm not trying to be a smart ***, I guess I just wish people weren't looking to put labels on the way people hunt. "Meat"/"Sport", that sort of thing. A grouse (here) IN it's natural setting is usually walking around on the ground. If I purposely scare into the air to "inject" some kind of sporting element that doesn't need to be there, I'm only doing that for my amusement. Not judging, just suggesting that I truly believe there is room for every approach, and I honestly don't feel one is less "sporting" than another. There could be an argument made for wing shots being more "challenging", but let's not let the "sporting" term sway how we view the way others hunt. Just my 2 cents. |
I am not trying to put labels on people, I will try to say it in a different way.
I agree that the purpose of the sport hunter is to harvest meat. I would also say that all hunters are sport hunters, but within the community of sport hunters there are different mind sets.
One hunter will take advantage of every opportunity to harvest meat that presents itself. So he would shoot ducks\geese walking in the decoys or grouse on the ground with his shotgun. Thus upping the odds of bringing home meat. This is what I mean by his primary purpose being harvesting meat.
The other hunter would not shoot ducks\geese walking in the decoys or grouse on the ground with his shotgun even if that was the only opportunity to harvest meat that presented itself. Hence he is still hunting for meat but limits himself in the ways he is willing to harvest that meat. So to this hunter there are other things more important than the harvest, that is what I mean by meat is not his primary purpose.
As I said I think both mind sets are equally valid.
As far as fence lining or short stopping goes, those guys are not sportsman. They are idiots with guns.