Dear HCN,
David Petersen claims to
be a hunter, but writes like an Animal Rights Fanatic (ARF). He
follows the pattern of the typical activist, changing the names of
things to disguise their true nature. Thus ranch hunts become the
evil canned hunts.
Reading his opinion piece,
“When hunting becomes staggeringly stupid” (HCN, 10/23/00: When
hunting becomes staggeringly stupid), it is clear that his claimed
40 years of hunting has only led him to the belief that it is his
way or the highway. Once you remove any tolerance for differences
in ethics, aesthetics or practice, Mr. Petersen’s piece shortens
right up. Once you remove the name calling, ad hominem attacks and
pejorative words, it is shorter still. And once you remove the
faulty logic, it vanishes.
Since I have hunted
for 50 years – 10 years more than Mr. Petersen – I am obviously
superior to him as a hunter. Do I then become licensed to impose my
obviously superior value system on Mr. Petersen? Well, I will
certainly reject his labels and ethnocentric
intolerance.
Mr. Petersen needs to face the fact
that ranch hunting in the West may become the only hunting in one
eminently visible future. Especially if ARFs like him attack other
hunters over aesthetics.
And as for his labeling
Safari Club International as sick, I will be happy to organize a
side-by-side comparison of this elitist’s accomplishments in
hunting education and game conservation. My advice: If you don’t
like something, keep yourself away from it. Do not react by trying
to make it illegal for us all.
Jim
Dodd
San Diego, California
The writer is a life member of Safari Club International, Master Measurer SCI, and a member of Professional Hunters Association of South Africa, and Zimbabwe Professional Hunters and Guides Association.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Petersen intolerant of different ethics.
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