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Competitive Hunting Update: World Hunting Association says it won’t use darts
Just when you dared believe that the World Hunting Association’s plans for competitive hunting tournaments had been shot down for good by the “friendly fire” of pro-hunting groups, WHA founder David Farberman has announced that the group will move forward with it’s opening event on October 5 at Lost Arrow Ranch near Gladwin, Michigan—but without the use of tranquilizer darts, which Farberman points to as the most contentious issue. So now, so-called “professional hunters” will kill instead of dart whitetails in order to count tines, compare scores, win money, and get their mugs on TV.
So here’s an open question, which I invite you to comment on below. I’m wondering, how will any of us who are proud to call ourselves hunters and who talk righteously about “respect for the animal” be able to show our faces in public if this abomination achieves any level of success?
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060821/SPORTS07/608210310/1132/SPORTS0202
I can talk about respect for the anilal while hunting without shame because They (the WHA) Ain't Me.
And They (the WHA) aren't all that different from the "lease to hunt" or the "I wanna trophy" crowd, so they aren't creating any image problem with which hunters in general do not already have to contend.
Posted by: Mike Diehl | August 23, 2006 at 01:53 PM
Given that I was brought up to think that you eat what you kill, my first reaction is that the W.H.A. shouldn't be allowed to call this a "sport" at all and that this type of activity does great public relations harm to hunting in general.
Most of the hunters and conservationists that I've known, read about, and respect don't do it for money, prizes, and fame. I believe most of us feel that way about our hunting.
To me, and I hope alot of other hunters out there, I think this is greedy butchery and that W.H.A. should be formally disbanded and this type of "sport" be legally banned in the United States.
Posted by: K. Stephens | August 23, 2006 at 07:57 PM
I know the WHA is know useing bullets but can we still dart David Farberman
Posted by: TTEESTAND_TOM | August 24, 2006 at 06:37 PM
I will welcome the WHA in my livingroom..
I think this will be great for the kids and youth...in general.
Commercializing the sport is irrelevant, just look at your bow, your arrows, your ammo??
Again, I will welcome the WHA
Posted by: Ron Ramsey | August 24, 2006 at 10:11 PM
The WHA is bringing us what we need in hunting. Attention, image, and competition. My 12 year old is obsessed with their logo and saw Matt trissel @ the show in Ft. Worth and has not stopped taslking about it since.
If the Worldhunt.com website is really free and is that interactive, how are you going to keep me or my kids from blocking up the bandwidth?
I dont see any harm coming from this and only good things. That is just 1 guys words though.
MW
Posted by: mark washington | September 17, 2006 at 08:47 PM