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War on Field Sports?


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1 hour ago, Scully said:

Fair enough, but as Motty has said, too many folk seem to feel they have to justify what they do to the extent they are almost apologetic about it. I’m in full agreement with him.

Let me have one last attempt at explaining my interpretation of sport and sporting. We all know of the phrases ‘he’s a good sport’; given a ‘sporting chance’ and other such terms. To me such terms infer fairness in attitude and practise; I don’t consider there is anything fair about shooting soft skinned quarry with either shotguns or rifles; they simply don’t stand a chance against an ounce of lead shot or a few grains of a lead projectile travelling at huge velocities and impacting with terminal velocity. I don’t consider it ‘sport’ or ‘sporting’ because they simply don’t stand a chance. Every time I hear someone going on about a ‘sporting shot’ I shake my head; the term baffles me. 

This doesn’t sort the problem of the topic of this thread of course, and while I can understand why people pay to do it it’s not for me as I genuinely believe I’d get bored. Saying that I would gladly pay to shoot doves in Argentina. 

I just think we need to be honest with ourselves, about why we do what we do. 

Enjoy your days shooting; we have a rough shoot planned for today but I can’t attend as I have ‘man flu’. Feel like ?.

It appears the only difference between our respective positions is either choice of words or emphasis....or both?? You have, in this debate, identified the kill as the primary reason for enjoying shooting...I, the enjoyment of the whole experience as the reason for my participation! The kill is occasionally (in my case!) the result, it is part of the 'sport' but I genuinely do not believe I derive any pleasure from ending the life of (killing) something!......I think It would be sick if I did!

Oh! And by the by I have never felt the need to justify, hidden from, been apologetic for, nor dishonest with, myself or anyone else about shooting or my enjoyment of shooting.......or for that matter, any other fieldsports I choose to participate in!

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14 hours ago, Scully said:

Yes, I kill wild animals because I enjoy the thrill of putting my skill with a shotgun against winged quarry, and for no other reason.  I love it with a passion more than I can convey.

I love driven shooting and decoying; especially those high wind driven fast curling pheasants and fast jinking and twisting pigeons. I love to see those challenging birds fold up dead in the air after I’ve whipped the muzzles through, and come crashing down to earth; and with pigeons that explosion of ‘chaf’ as they fly through a stream of no6 shot from a full choke. I find it exhilarating beyond belief. I’ll do it all day if possible. It isn’t ‘sporting’ because at the risk of sounding big headed I don’t miss much. I do miss of course, but not often. I also wound, like everyone else, but it doesn’t deter me at all. The more difficult it is the better. The more memorable the shot the better, and it can take just one cracking bird enough to make my day, but if the birds aren’t there I’m disappointed to the same extent I’m disappointed if the birds don’t show when decoying. 

I wont shoot easy birds ( unless decoying ) not because they’re ‘unsporting’ but because there is no challenge in it and it ruins the meat. 

Bolting bunnies to guns is on a par with decoying as far as that  ‘buzz ‘ is concerned. 

It isn’t sporting because if we do our part the quarry doesn’t stand a chance; every conceivable advantage over the bird is given to the shooter. 

ill debate with antis also, and have done so in the past, and when they ask me why I do it I’ll tell them with honesty; because I love it.

It’s quite hard to put my finger on it as I’ve had to explain that while I don’t relish seeing things die, and I especially regret seeing them wounded, i don’t care enough to stop doing it.

I don’t despise antis because they oppose what I do, but because of the way they oppose what I do, with hypocrisy, deceit and dishonesty. 

You carry on, and sincerely enjoy yourself, but at the end of your ‘activity’ leading up to that point,  you’re still killing for your own satisfaction and enjoyment, and everyone knows that. If you’re not then leave your gun at home; you can hunt without the kill. 

I don’t shoot foxes anymore because I always felt remorseful afterwards, and I don’t trap anymore in case I kill a mustelid, which I adore. Pheasants and pigeons I could shoot all day; the former ( like grouse and partridge )  are catered for and to for no other reason than to be shot. Man exploits them for his own benefit and enjoyment; they are bred for no other reason. ‘Sport’ ? Really? 

Yeah and, you describe the true meaning of the word wonderfully above :yes:

 

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35 minutes ago, Uilleachan said:

Yeah and, you describe the true meaning of the word wonderfully above 

 

Not in my opinion; I don’t give anything a ‘sporting chance.’ I’d even do a big bag day if the shooting was varied; but driven pheasants can become predictable after a while. 

Think I’m out now; we’re going round in circles. 

 

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29 minutes ago, Scully said:

Not in my opinion; I don’t give anything a ‘sporting chance.’ I’d even do a big bag day if the shooting was varied; but driven pheasants can become predictable after a while. 

Think I’m out now; we’re going round in circles. 

 

****** hell Scully! I too was out, but you keep making statements that require a response!.........You do give things a 'sporting chance'  because on you own admittance you "won't shoot easy birds"........

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35 minutes ago, Scully said:

Not in my opinion; I don’t give anything a ‘sporting chance.’ I’d even do a big bag day if the shooting was varied; but driven pheasants can become predictable after a while. 

Think I’m out now; we’re going round in circles. 

 

Not giving something a sporting chance doesn't detract from the enjoyment and thrill you get doing it, the enjoyment and thrill is in and of it's self actually the meaning of the word. 

Edited by Uilleachan
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48 minutes ago, panoma1 said:

****** hell Scully! I too was out, but you keep making statements that require a response!.........You do give things a 'sporting chance'  because on you own admittance you "won't shoot easy birds"........

But it has nothing to do with giving it a ‘sporting chance’ or out of a sense of fairness because I’d pillowcase it if I didn’t want to eat it. Pheasants are just flying chickens to me I’m afraid. Happy now? 

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24 minutes ago, Scully said:

But it has nothing to do with giving it a ‘sporting chance’ or out of a sense of fairness because I’d pillowcase it if I didn’t want to eat it. Pheasants are just flying chickens to me I’m afraid. Happy now? 

Another example of sporting conduct!.........not shooting easy birds because they're easy, and would be smashed and unfit for the table!......A killer would just pillowcase em anyway and leave the corpse for someone else to dispose of!......Bit like shooters on these big bag commercial days eh? Lol!

Shall we both jump off the merry-go-round now? Lol!

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