Tana C posted a message and
a picture on Facebook today, showing off the hunting rifle she just bought.
In light of recent
violence and stricter gun laws, I thought this was in poor taste. Of how many shooting have we heard
lately?
Being anti gun, anti
violence and certainly anti hunting, I posted a comment in reply to Tana’s announcement.
The comments that
followed were divided. Some shared my
views on gun possession, those in favor of guns clearly sided with Tana.
Tana herself defended
her gun ownership and hunting actions by stating “Deer and elk provide food for
my family”.
No arguing with that,
but … just how much does the deer and elk she’s about to shoot cost her?
I did a little research and found that the rifle Tana bought (a Savage 7 mm + scope) costs $599. A box of 20 bullets goes for $20. A hunting license set her back $219 per acre. Total cost: $838.
I did a little research and found that the rifle Tana bought (a Savage 7 mm + scope) costs $599. A box of 20 bullets goes for $20. A hunting license set her back $219 per acre. Total cost: $838.
I don’t know about you
but $838 puts a lot of food on my table.
That’s not all
though. A hunter needs to wear camouflage
and needs a hunting knife. Let’s estimate
that at another $200.
Once the animal is
processed it needs to be frozen. One
needs a massive chest freezer to hold that much meat. Shall we say $300 for that appliance?
Grand total: $1338.
Tana also stated that
the animal she kills and eats is hormone free, unlike some of the meat that
ends up in the supermarket.
While this might be
true, there are other things to consider.
Veterinarians inspect whether animals are fit for slaughter and once killed
the Ministry of Health sends their inspectors to verify that meat is disease
free and handled and stored in hygienic conditions.
While the deer that Tana
shoots might be hormone free, what condition is he in? He might be sick, he might have eaten contaminated food or
drank polluted water.
Fact is, some people
pretend hunting provides food for their families and that wild animals are more
healthy, but that just an excuse. It’s
the kill they like. They like to dress
up. They like going back to basics. They like picking up a gun. They like the power it gives them.
People will claim that
some states are overcrowded with deer and that hunting is necessary to keep
down the numbers. In that case, the hunting
rule not to shoot female deer makes no sense.
If anything, it’s the females that should be shot, because they are the
ones reproducing. If there were more
male than female dear, there would be less offspring next year and the year
after.
I’m against hunting and
I make no secret of it. I’m against the
slaughter of animals too, but there are certain things in life that one just
cannot change.
If gun control ever
kicks in, maybe the ban should include hunting rifles too.
Are we civilized human
beings, or bloodthirsty killers?
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