As a hunter I have encountered arguments such as this quite often and am just amazed at where the lines are drawn. It's OK to kill mice, snakes, bugs or even plant forms but somehow there is a line drawn (for many) there and anything above that killed is somehow wrong.
It is worse for me when someone is mischaracterizing hunting (granted there are those that are inhumane and do not treat it sportingly). In a normal deer hunting season, I spend about $3000 on food seed and supplements for the animals on my land, spend about 200 hours keeping the land habitable by game and non-game species and then spend about 150 hours hunting and on average kill 2 deer, of which I take to a processor and have the meat processed into sausage and chopped patties. I receive enjoyment and relaxation from the whole thing. I have a digital camera and a digital video recorder with me on my hunts and shoot tons of photos and hours of video throughout the year because I observe animals that I do not intend to take at that time.
LV, you have twice stated something to the effect of evening the odds by not using my compound bow, magnum rifle or in-line muzzleloader. This is where you have a grave misunderstanding of what and why a hunter does what he does. Most hunters are interested in a clean kill and utilizing any weapon that diminishes this ability I consider very inhumane. Even hunting with a bow where you have to be within 30-35 yards of the game, death is not as clean as it is with a rifle. Also, please understand that these game animals are indeed very smart because they live life minute by minute like their life depends upon it. This is not because of us hunters it is because in nature, they are naturally prey and it is instinct for them.
I think I fairly represent the average hunter also and don't feel it is honest to mischaracterize either how we take the game or the level of intelligence that game animals have and their natural born ability to elude the hunter.
Now aside from that, the FBI profiles serial killers early in life by those who very arbitrary in killing of animals. Those that get some lust or satisfaction from the actual kill. As I said I, and I think most hunters, get know satisfaction from the kill itself. There is no bloodlust. If there where I wouldn't worry about how I manage the wildlife on my property.
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