This year has brought the added worry of two new neighbors with an excessive fondness for firearms and large parties combined with a deficient sense of judgement.
I feel rather strongly that people who shoot at empty cardboard boxes, thinking they will adequately stop a high power rifle slug, should not be allowed to have guns. This isn't a political statement or anything to do with the 2nd amendment or any of that blah, blah, blah. It just seems like a really basic, easy place to start the talk about gun control:
- Thou shall not shoot at thy neighbor's property
- Thou shall not use cardboard boxes as bullet-stops, ESPECIALLY when shooting at thy neighbor's property
- Thou shall not shoot randomly at the woods (where one's neighbor hikes!)
- Thou shall not own a gun if these concepts are too difficult
Aside from my dislike of feeling like a target, I am not fundamentally opposed to deer hunting. The deer are terribly overpopulated and they (as well as the environment) suffer greatly because of it. The way we go about it though, just seems so wrong to me. All these guys wait all year, getting themselves wound up for the thrill of the chase. Then, on opening day, the normally quiet woods are suddenly teeming with armed men, most of whom don't know the area, many have been drinking and all of them are out to get the best deer. None of them are out there trying to cull out the sick, weak deer who won't make it through a hard winter. Instead, every one of them is looking for the biggest, healthiest, best deer they can find.
There has got to be a better way to do this.
Anyway, I guess that is it for what is becoming my annual hunting season rant. We are all staying close to home and keeping our heads down.
Great post - hunting season here too - and ya know, I'm not so sure that the deer are over populated! Many of them succumb to parasite loads, late births, being chased by dogs, hit by cars, the occasional
ReplyDeletecougar or bear ... seems they have a hard enough time without being hunted. What especially worries me are the does with small fawns that might be shot and then the youngsters have to negotiate winter on their own. We often find a fawn huddled in the wood shed or under my studio, only to die. Or the really gorgeous bucks that should be allowed to live to be breeding stock so the next generation is fit. Hunting is not the answer, IMO.
Hunting season is very scary here too. Be safe.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like Ramsey and Kipper are vying for lap time. I agree, I wish there was a better way to handle the over population. Back East you have a lot of people in a smaller geographic area. Bound to be some idiots among them. It does not seem out of order to ask your neighbors to target shoot back towards their own property.
ReplyDeleteRant received!!! now how about that kitty sandwich?
ReplyDeleteIt is my normal rant also. I feel confined to the house because too many idiots who shoot at anything will be out and my property borders an absentee owner who lets other ding dongs in. We eat the meat, we are careful...we also corral ALL off our critters in the hollow close to the house.
ReplyDeleteI can rant a bit later, that will make me feel better too!
While I support hunting to control wild populations....I do NOT support the idiots who do it irresponsibly and unfortunately that seems to be more and more all the time! I can understand your concern and worry especially having critters out and about on your property! We too limit our hiking and walks this time of year because of said irresponsible firearm owners! Stay safe!
ReplyDeleteAs a responsible gun owner and wife of a lifelong hunter, I agree with you. We are NEVER careless with firearms, as just once is enough to harm or kill yourself or another. And my husband, while enjoying seeing the "monster ghost buck" that inhabits our property (in the occasional game-camera sighting), brings home young stuff for us to eat - bucks and does, because as a landowner he can hunt several different seasons. We don't like to eat the big boys as they are NASTY. And he chases off anyone road hunting and calls wildlife officials when neighbors or their friends are irresponsible. Which is how many in the hunting community are. Unfortunately, you would never notice my husband, who hunts by himself and definitely w/o liquid enhancement! Be safe! Deb
ReplyDeleteAagghh!! That would bother me too. A lot! Some things just don't mix - like alcohol, drugs, guns; and especially stupidity.
ReplyDeleteI love your new header picture. Beautiful!
Our hunting season starts the end of October. I hate it because the woods are dangerous places. I too am not opposed to hunting but it seems to me that the idiots outnumber the smart ones. My grandfather hunted his whole life and I remember the year he quit- he said that it wasn't safe anymore. I especially hate that they bait deer here - putting out piles of carrots and apples. I move the horses to the front field so that they are not close to the woods.
ReplyDeleteSeveral years ago some idiot received permission from the house next door to hunt on their property. Because we are set back quite far from the road, he said he didn't know there was a house here. Anyway, all of a sudden we hear a big bang and my son and I congregate in the living room saying, "what the heck was that?" The idiot had shot a hole though my son's bedroom wall.
ReplyDeleteNuff said... Don't think I need to say I don't like hunting.
I sympathize with you, Kris. I hate hunting season as well, but mostly because I don't eat animals. Our property is surrounded on all sides by hunters and the sounds of hunting, but thankfully, they're all intelligent, compassionate, law-abiding and considerate friends and neighbors. They eat what they kill; they appreciate and respect it.
ReplyDeleteThat said, if the deer (or any wild animal) is overpopulated, it's usually because humans have again interfered with nature and have reduced or eliminated their predators. The powers that be have got to quit listening to the source of hunting revenue and start listening to Mother Nature.
Cute photos, btw, as always!
They have been shooting here for 3 weeks... I'm so tired of it already... you are right, there MUST be a better way.
ReplyDelete