Dear Gentlemen,Recently, this high up government honcho (head of the dept. of fish and wildlife for the golden state) bragged about killing a mountain lion while hunting in idaho where the big cats can be legally hunted. Unbeknownst to me, one cannot legally hunt the majestic big cats in the golden state. This story has caused a lot of people (hunters v. animal activists) here in the golden state to get there panties in a bunch.
On one hand, I think mountain lions are super cool, and don't really see the point of killing them unless they start snacking on someone's dog, or, god for bid, some small child ... hikers and bird watchers get what they deserve when wandering into a mountain lions turf. It's not like you see mountain lions on menu next elk or buffalo. Although, said dick-wad public official claims to have dined on the big cat, and noted the sweet flavor of the meat.
On the other hand, I live in the suburbs of san francisco (i.e., very populated area) and mountain lions are always sneaking into my neighborhood where my small children frolic so innocently. There are clearly enough mountain lions (out west anyway) so that their populations can be "culled" a bit by honest hunters, and most hunters have more respect for this planet than the average animal activists. Further, i feel that i have no business judging the hunters call of the wild (or desire to get up at the ass-crack of dawn, go out in the wilderness where its fucking really cold, and wait ... and wait ... and wait ... and wait ...) I mean, more power to the hunter.
Herein lies my dilemma, does a gentlemen condone or celebrate the hunting of "trophy" animals?
bang-bang,
the golden statesman
Dear Mr. Statesman,
Hunting is a gentlemanly activity because it promotes the virtues of patience, skill, action and the desire to be a part of the natural world. Hunting should generally be celebrated, but it depends upon the manner in which the hunt is conducted.
Trophy hunts have the reputation, deserved or not, of a rich man going out to a ranch in Africa where he is handed a gun pointed at a Rhino and instructed, "shoot." This is the antithesis of virtuous hunting.
Trophy hunters also reputedly do not care about conservation of land or prey. These guys supposedly derive some joy in killing the last Ivory Billed Woodpecker, just to say they did it. Again, the manner of the hunt matters.
A gentleman takes no joy in the destruction of the world. And does not deceive himself that he is an 18th century frontiersman when he drives to the hunt in a car with a computer that tells him exactly where he is and how long it takes to get home.
In your situation it is the politicizing of the hunt that is particularly ungentlemanly. The hunt is an act of patience and participation in nature, while boasting about the kill on tv has nothing to do with nature and is actually about the high paced political world of electronic transferred sound bites with gory images.
Celebrate a hunter who hunts with civility and humility, who promotes the virtues of patience, conservation and adventure. Disapprove of the hunter who does not care about anything but the dead carcass and the chance to brag to his buddies that he is a killer.
Conscientiously,
The Gentlemen
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