STOP "Sport Hunting" - Killing for Fun!

Picture: Proud wolf murderer!

As a former hunter at the age of roughly 8-11 years of age, I was able to observe hunting for what it is and those that do it. At first I was very "empowered" that I could have such a effect on animals that were far to fast or elusive without my 410 shotgun, then moving up to a 20 gauge shotgun. With a 20 gauge shotgun one has a much better "kill range" and of course a bigger shell.

One day as I murdered birds that were not even legal by the scores, when they started flying all around the truck, little tiny birds, sparrows if I recall. I remember the thrill of the killing of innocence, and for a a few minutes I was all consumed with this newly acquired "power". However, after the mass murder, I alone committed on these sweet, curious, little beings; I felt such shame that I wanted to take it all back, but of course it was too late for those I had already murdered.

The finally blow to me was, one day sitting in the middle of a "dove field" and watching a "cow bird" flying my way, minding his own business and with no fear of me. I looked at the bird and remembered the mass murder I committed some few weeks before. Nevertheless, I was tempted to shot this living being out of the air, and I will add with some adults encouragement to "shoot it", I did. The poor creature fell about 15 feet in front of me and was mortally wounded. With blood all over the bird and the gasping for air it so desperately wanted, I had to shot it again to put an end to the pain, suffering that "I" caused that animal to go through, and eventually it's death. I never again killed another living being to my knowledge. I was horrified at what I had done, and what those around me were doing legally or illegally was of little concern, for the fact was we were all killing innocent animals for "our", "lust of killing", comradery, trophies on a wall of death, what ever the reason, it was all very clear to me that this was not just wrong but brutal and horrifying in the extreme.

I feel that this confession, is more powerful than anything else I could ever say. I was able to see the shame in these actions of mine at 11 years of age. I want to show it is never to late to stand fast and stop an action one does, mostly by peer pressure and the widespread acceptance of this ritual that it enjoys.

Today, many people feel it is their right to take the life of another living being (that feels pain and suffers just like we do). It is at best an old tradition of necessity many years ago. In this country the demand for meat (flesh) is more than met by the millions of animals killed everyday in horrific ways by the "new" factory farms. This mind set if deeply ingrained into people who have been taught from the beginning of their life, that hunting is a good thing and if you don't your some kind of weird, wimpy person that doesn't have the stomach for it. Count me, as one of the so called weird, wimpy people, if hunters or any one else choses to label me that way. I would describe myself differently, but it's not about me it's about the animals and putting an end to barbaric hunting in all but the most remote areas, where there is no food store down the road or down anywhere within many 100's of miles. These people, usually in this country are Native Americans mostly in the State of Alaska. It is hard if not impossible for me to find "a lust for hunting/killing" or "greed" in these genuine people in such remote areas. As for baby seal killers, that is another topic of great import to me, and will be addressed by me on another Petition.