Hunting? Immoral?

[Rainbow Mage]

its strange you mention sacrifices as more humane.

In australia, our slaughterhouses must 'stun' the animal before it is slaughtered...but the jewish community want their meat without the stunning taking place... so there is exception on religious grounds that the animals have their throats cut and the blood drained from them while they are fully conscious. The muslims are okay about stunning the animal before cutting its throat so at least they are unconscious for that part of it. '

but i think i'm okay knowing that the animals are not conscious when they are killed. I dont know if we are the only country who do that though.

In the US they are supposed to stun the animal and then cut the jugular vein, but it's been proven time and again that they actually don't. The government doesn't regulate the slaughterhouses very closely.

 

[Nerthus]

What do you think about a person who hunts with a bow?

That wouldn't change my views on hunting.

 

[Madhuri]

So this is my first thread around here (I think.) Hope I do well!

I am a huge hunter but I do have my own set of morals I follow when I hunt.

1. I eat what I kill.
2. I give the game a fair chance.
3. I only use myself and dogs.
A. The only time I use vehicles is to transfer big game after I kill it.

Am I acting immorally when I hunt animals?

Isnt hunting more moral than eating cows that have been breed and massively slaughtered?

Also, its a healthier option to hunt. You get exercise from the hunt plus the food you get is extremely lean, even more so than the extra lean you can buy in stores.

Is it wrong to hunt animals?
Is it wrong to eat them?

I personally consider it immoral to kill and eat any animal in our day and age when it is not necessary at all for humans to consume meat in order to be healthy.

However, I think that hunting in the manner you have described is preferable to supporting the meat industry, which treats animals like objects/products and imo is completely barbaric. So when compared to supporting the meat industry, I find your manner of hunting to be the moral option. However, when compared to leading a vegetarian lifestyle, I find hunting to be the immoral option.

I will add that eating meat, even supporting the meat industry by purchasing and eating meat does not make anybody a 'bad' person. Every single one of us contributed to suffering, it seems unavoidable. Many of us, without even knowing, purchase items that support industries that use and abuse humans. So we shouldn't be too quick to judge each other.

 

[Madhuri]

When you think about cows, sheep and chickens which are bred purely for the purpose of eating...they do not undergo the same distress that a wild animal undergoes when it is being hunted. Domestic produce is accustomed to having human contact and they are not in fear of their lives. Wild animals on the other hand are fearful of human contact which is why they run when they see you.

So its not immoral to breed animals and slaughter them for meat as these animals have no idea they are in any danger. They are often shot in the head thus are killed instantly whereas a hunted animal undergoes a long period of fear and confusion while it is being hunted.

Wow, Pegg, I have to agree with Father Heathen here. Those animals are not all calm and content when taken for slaughter. I personally know people who worked in slaughter houses and came away with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from having to see and experience the daily terror and distress of these animals that are lined up to be killed. These animals are not as stupid as humans like to imagine that they are.

 

[Madhuri]

I can respect their personal dietary choices, although I do find the notion that meat consumption is immoral to be completely baseless.

Baseless? For real?

How do you define morality? Does it only concern humans in your opinion?

Or is what you are saying here that you do not find basis in the actual act of eating the meat?

 

[Erebus]

So this is my first thread around here (I think.) Hope I do well!

I am a huge hunter but I do have my own set of morals I follow when I hunt.

1. I eat what I kill.
2. I give the game a fair chance.
3. I only use myself and dogs.
A. The only time I use vehicles is to transfer big game after I kill it.

Am I acting immorally when I hunt animals?

Isnt hunting more moral than eating cows that have been breed and massively slaughtered?

Also, its a healthier option to hunt. You get exercise from the hunt plus the food you get is extremely lean, even more so than the extra lean you can buy in stores.

Is it wrong to hunt animals?
Is it wrong to eat them?

I've lived in the countryside long enough to know that hunting isn't automatically immoral. Some animals need to be killed in order to keep livestock safe and if a farmer goes out with a shotgun and kills a fox or badger that's been killing lambs or chickens I say fair enough. This is entirely different to a group of toffs going out on horseback and hunting foxes at random.
In your case I don't have a problem with what you do. Humans are naturally predatory and going out killing your own food isn't remotely "evil" in my opinion.

Kill common animals quickly, cleanly and for a reason other than personal pleasure (protecting livestock or hunting for food) and I for one have no issue with it.

*edit* In fact I would argue that having killed your own food rather than buying it at a supermarket probably gives you a greater appreciation for what you're eating.

 

[Pegg]

Wow, Pegg, I have to agree with Father Heathen here. Those animals are not all calm and content when taken for slaughter. I personally know people who worked in slaughter houses and came away with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from having to see and experience the daily terror and distress of these animals that are lined up to be killed. These animals are not as stupid as humans like to imagine that they are.

perhaps im being a little naive to believe that the animals are not treated too badly. I know that we have regulations in place to prevent animal cruelty, but i am pretty sure that the bad side of human nature could play a factor in how strictly those regulations are adhered to

all i can really hope for is the day when the slaughtering of animals will be a thing of the past. I know how God views the animals and he even created laws to protect them as we see in the mosaic laws... I trust that God will not allow such things to continue indefinitely.

 

[Madhuri]

perhaps im being a little naive to believe that the animals are not treated too badly. I know that we have regulations in place to prevent animal cruelty, but i am pretty sure that the bad side of human nature could play a factor in how strictly those regulations are adhered to

all i can really hope for is the day when the slaughtering of animals will be a thing of the past. I know how God views the animals and he even created laws to protect them as we see in the mosaic laws... I trust that God will not allow such things to continue indefinitely.

I hope so Pegg, but I tend to think that rather than interfere, God gives us the intelligence and will power to shape the world as we please. That is why, when people fight for change, change happens. In other words, if we do nothing about it, nothing will ever change.

 

[Pegg]

I hope so Pegg, but I tend to think that rather than interfere, God gives us the intelligence and will power to shape the world as we please. That is why, when people fight for change, change happens. In other words, if we do nothing about it, nothing will ever change.

i agree that we have the intelligence to shape the world

but if we are continually shaping the world in a way that the creator deems wrong or bad, then surely he has to act eventually

If you owned a house and the tenants who were renting it began to punch holes in the walls and rip up the carpet and break the windows...how long, and to what extent, do you allow them to keep doing that to your house?

I view us humans as caretakers... but we are not doing a great job of it.

 

[Madhuri]

i agree that we have the intelligence to shape the world

but if we are continually shaping the world in a way that the creator deems wrong or bad, then surely he has to act eventually

If you owned a house and the tenants who were renting it began to punch holes in the walls and rip up the carpet and break the windows...how long, and to what extent, do you allow them to keep doing that to your house?

I view us humans as caretakers... but we are not doing a great job of it.

Does your religion say that God will come and stop all immorality one day? Will he change our nature? That would be nice for sure.

 

[dallas1125]

Ok, I missed a lot when I went to sleep last night. To answer a question that was posted a lot earlier, I use a gun or a bow.

Ill try to get back to some more but I have a dentist appointment 5 min. ago...

 

[TJ73]

If it were up to me, I would hunt and or raise all my own food. I wuold love that and would want to share it as well. I have not issue with hunting to eat. We are part of the food chain. But like everything else it should be done with the upmost compassion as well as a sense of the sacrifice the animal made. To really understand you have taken a life and that is no small deal.
I HATE hunting shows! I can't stomach watching people looking for the best and fittest animal to hang in the living room. And then they brag and make jokes and hold up the carcass.

 

[dallas1125]

If it were up to me, I would hunt and or raise all my own food. I wuold love that and would want to share it as well. I have not issue with hunting to eat. We are part of the food chain. But like everything else it should be done with the upmost compassion as well as a sense of the sacrifice the animal made. To really understand you have taken a life and that is no small deal.
I HATE hunting shows! I can't stomach watching people looking for the best and fittest animal to hang in the living room. And then they brag and make jokes and hold up the carcass.

Well you naturally want the larger animal when you hunt. So for example my dad got a giant of an elk once. We ate all the meat then hung its head in our living room. Never made jokes about it though, is that a bad thing?

 

[Dezzie]

So this is my first thread around here (I think.) Hope I do well!

I am a huge hunter but I do have my own set of morals I follow when I hunt.

1. I eat what I kill.
2. I give the game a fair chance.
3. I only use myself and dogs.
A. The only time I use vehicles is to transfer big game after I kill it.

Am I acting immorally when I hunt animals?

Isnt hunting more moral than eating cows that have been breed and massively slaughtered?

Also, its a healthier option to hunt. You get exercise from the hunt plus the food you get is extremely lean, even more so than the extra lean you can buy in stores.

Is it wrong to hunt animals?
Is it wrong to eat them?

I think it depends on WHY you hunt them and what animals you are hunting. I can't stand hearing about people hunting animals that are endangered, and using them for inappropriate reasons... If you are hunting for food, I don't really see the problem... as long as the animal you are eating is killed quickly (which I would hope... they usually are).

 

[dallas1125]

How do you kill it?

I might have answered this already but bow and arrow or a gun.

Dallas I am going to tell you my personal take on hunting animals. Personal take, not me trying to sanction this view for everyone to follow. I think hunting animals can be moral, as long as you kill the animal in the least painful way, and not in a torturous way. Hunting for sport I do not believe in. Meaning- to hunt for fun. Killing living beings is a serious thing to me. You don't make a game or a sport into killing anything. Hope that makes my view clear.

I always try for the least painful way but it is very hard to do that. There is no guarantee if it dying painless. I also find hunting fun, although I consider it a side effect. I wouldnt hunt just for the kill. Also I find a deep satisfaction living by my own means.

 

[dallas1125]

I think it depends on WHY you hunt them and what animals you are hunting. I can't stand hearing about people hunting animals that are endangered, and using them for inappropriate reasons... If you are hunting for food, I don't really see the problem... as long as the animal you are eating is killed quickly (which I would hope... they usually are).

I addressed part of this below but ill do it again.

I hunt for the food, and because its healthy. Although I do admit I find it fun...It is not easy to pull of a quick and painless death when you are hunting. I do my best to make it that way though.

 

[Nerthus]

We ate all the meat then hung its head in our living room. Never made jokes about it though, is that a bad thing?

Okay, in all seriousness.... I have never understood why one would want to hang a dead animals head in their house?

 

[dallas1125]

Okay, in all seriousness.... I have never understood why one would want to hang a dead animals head in their house?

My mom never did too.

There are many reasons though for it.

1. Pride
2. Memories of the Hunt
3. It looks pretty cool (Maybe cause im a redneck...)
4. It annoys people in the family who are vegetarians...ok, ok im joking on that one.

Honestly, it is probably pointless but it does get more use out of the animal.

 

[TJ73]

Okay, in all seriousness.... I have never understood why one would want to hang a dead animals head in their house?

I grew up with lots of family and friends with "heads" and bodies hanging from trees after being gutted. It's not odd to me, it's like look what I did.

And yes making fun disturbs me. And just flinging the creature around and standing on it, it just seems so disrespectful, but ya know, I'm not gonna hold a protest about it

 

[MysticSang'ha]

So this is my first thread around here (I think.) Hope I do well!

I am a huge hunter but I do have my own set of morals I follow when I hunt.

1. I eat what I kill.
2. I give the game a fair chance.
3. I only use myself and dogs.
A. The only time I use vehicles is to transfer big game after I kill it.

Am I acting immorally when I hunt animals?

The way you approach it, no. I don't see an issue. I think you have a sense of respect in your endeavor toward the animals.

Isnt hunting more moral than eating cows that have been breed and massively slaughtered?

Yes. Most definitely.

Also, its a healthier option to hunt. You get exercise from the hunt plus the food you get is extremely lean, even more so than the extra lean you can buy in stores.

Is it wrong to hunt animals?
Is it wrong to eat them?

Now you've done it. You've opened up a can of worms.

Hunting for food, to "cull the herd" to regulate your resources in land or water, or to protect your family/livestock is one thing. Hunting for sport is something I can't justify.

And for the record, being a former vegetarian for ethical reasons (we at times will eat vegetarian meals for health reasons), I can say that I see nothing wrong with eating meat as long as the animals were reared properly and were killed humanely.