Hunters as endangered species? A bid to rebuild ranks

The front page of the Tuesday, September 27, edition of the well-respected internationally distributed "Christian Science Monitor" has an article headed, "Hunters as endangered species? A bid to rebuild ranks" and sub-headed, "Youth hunt days in several states attempt to attract young people to a fading sport." On the website, the story includes a pole that asks, "What do you think of efforts to introduce young people to hunting?"
Please go to the page and vote.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0927/p01s02-ussc.html

Similar to the New York Times September 18 story (see below for today's New York Times story) the piece tells us "With the urbanization of America... Few kids learn to hunt and go on to hunt as adults. To reverse the trend, state and private efforts range from trying to repeal laws that limit youth hunting to psychology-based campaigns aimed at getting young people familiar with gun use."

The article discusses legislative attempts to open more public land in all 50 states to hunting and a program "targeting 33 states that currently make it illegal for youths to go deer hunting before age 12."

But we read: "Public agencies should serve a wider constituency, including far more wildlife watchers, some 66 million participants who spent $38 billion in 2001, and quit catering to the hunting industry, antihunting advocates say....Animal preservation groups say more than 100 million animals are needlessly killed for sport annually nationwide."

The full article is available on the page at the link above, where you will also find the poll. After you vote, you may like to send a quick letter to the editor on the issue. The Christian Science Monitor takes letters at http://csmonitor.com/cgi-bin/encryptmail.pl?ID=CFF0C5E4

You might like to check out the "Learn the Facts About Hunting" web page from the Humane Society of the United States: http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/issues_facing_wildlife/hunting/learn_the_facts_about_hunting.html OR http://tinyurl.com/9eas9

The Tuesday, September 27, New York Times has an article on the front page of the Arts section (E1) headed, "Vegans, Keep Out: It's Hunting Season." It is about a new reality show, starring rocker Ted Nugent, on the Outdoor Life Network, called "Wanted: Ted or Alive." The article opens with a description of Nugent gutting a deer, watched by "five contestants who were in various states of awe and nausea."

An interesting line is: "He extols hunting as a way for people to get back in touch with what they're eating, and themselves."
Indeed the horror of factory farming, from where most people get food, is hidden from public view. (See http://www.factoryfarming.com for photos.)

You can read the full article on line at: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/27/arts/television/27ted.html

It presents a nice opportunity for letters to the editor, on whichever aspect of our treatment of other species you find yourself moved to discuss. The New York Times takes letters at letters [at] nytimes.com

Always include your full name, address, and daytime phone number when sending a letter to the editor. Shorter letters are more likely to be published.


(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. If you forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts, please do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this tag line.)