well gosh.
My throwaway observation has started a debate.

I hunt - it's good exercise, a great social event, and the fact that in 7 years of proper hunting (before the ban came in, we drag hunt now) we never caught a damn thing hasn't detracted from my enjoyment of it.

I also shoot - for the same reasons as above (except I'm a good shot so do actually bag some), plus the fact that there's the bonus of lovely, delicious pheasants/grouse afterwards.

I know that there are many people out there who don't agree with hunting/shooting/fishing. There are also many people who do. I happen to fall into the latter category.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Fri 28 May 2010, 17:22, 1 reply)

As of this moment
I have two pheasants in the freezer. I'm wholly behind shooting, as your dinner is more or less as free-range as it gets. Likewise, I can see the appeal of drag hunting - riding horses through the countryside, with a pack od mutts, having a pint and a catch-up afterward - all lovely. It's the whole 'messy and pointless killing of a wild creature' aspect that I struggle with.
( Happy Phantom has been to Hastings, Brighton, and Eastbourne too, Fri 28 May 2010, 17:46, closed)

I've found this really interesting
I now live in the country, but my grandfather was always heavily involved in shooting and hunting. I think you're about the CA projecting the issue that it was "townies" who didn't know the countryside ruining things. I'm a firm beleiver in in shooting - but as you say, birds are not just tossed to the hounds after they have been shot.

Your right though, drag hunting is a perfectly viable alterntive, and though this doesn't aleviate the whole "odd cat" being caught up in things, at least the object isn't to watch a cat/fox/animal be torn to shreds. Bullfighting/badger baiting/dog fighting etc, really have no place in the 21st centuary. Spain have their own cross to bare, and given they haave a penchant for chucking goats from churches etc, don't think things will change there. The fact that fox hunting has ben banned should not be reversed because it is barbaric... furhermore because it would only stir up the hunt sabatuer fuckwits who planted traps for the hounds and horses. I remember being appaulled that anyone who claimed to love animals cold set out to maim animals (not to mention people using the fence after) - but I suppose they beleive their course is greater than anything else.
( @><|= w0nu!) or cunt to my friends, Tue 1 Jun 2010, 23:44, closed)