For figures regarding black bear/mountain lion/white tail population explosions in the US see DEC figures.Or come visit me to see white tails in vast excess!
I should add that hunters,working as conservation groups since the early 1900s,have saved more species and had more protective legislation passed in regard to animals in the wild in the US than environmental groups.You can look it up.
When the Bighorn Sheep in California-(a species saved from extinction around 1900 due to protective action by hunting groups)-disappears,if they haven't yet, I hope people will give credit where credit is due,to the anti-hunters who banned lion hunting in California.(Forget about the rise in attacks on people).
Kwaj-I assure you we ate all the beef from our cattle when we butchered one.I also assure you they're bigger than deer.So your statement about how much game folks eat,or don't, well....think about weights and measures next time.Oh yeah,we ate all the deer meat products,too.
"Yes it would be stupid but I'm just trying to present a scenario where the animal has a chance to fight."
I'm not going to give cattle a chance to fight me,why would I give a fill_in_the_blank a chance?The object is to kill the animal,not see who's the baaaaddest,as people usually aren't,except against rabbits.I think the same held true in Paleolithic times.
I'm not going to deny that there are are people who hunt who do stupid,illegal,and wasteful things as you mentioned.Or that there are things one may hunt for reasons other than consumption.If we still had cattle and there were lions around....but I don't know if I'd eat the lion.I've eaten predators before.Tho' coming from a certain worldview I might feel obligated.
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I don't know if I'm going to stay in this thread 'cause such topics can get very emotionally heated for some.I will say tho' I don't agree,if for nothing else simply on Taoist grounds,with anti hunters.I'll respect the opinions of those who are vegetarians on moral grounds even if I disagree w/them.
As to non-vegetarians who object to hunting,for those who haven't,how about taking some personal responsibility for your existence?Try killing,cleaning,and butchering something for yourself,a game or farm animal.Otherwise I feel such individuals' opinions are simply hypocritical."I object to hunting but I want someone to kill and process farm animals for me to eat."
'Course,if most people of the current Western Civ generations did so,they'd probably become vegetarians.
Ranzan-G.Sheps are my next fave breed.Lived w/quite a few-my family kept breaking us up due to the religious differences.