Fishing Is Much More Cruel Than Hunting.

It seems that in the fall of every year we hear about people protesting the cruelty of hunting. Some of these people will write letters to the editor while others will actually harass and physically accost a person holding a gun in their hands. These protesters are lucky that hunters show such restraint. What I do not understand is why people protest hunting but not fishing. In my opinion fishing is much more cruel than hunting is.

Consider the typical deer hunter. What if they had used bait instead of a rifle – just like a fisherman. There would be an apple with a hook inside attached to a rope. The hunter would then place the apple on the ground and wait for some unsuspecting deer to come along. As soon as the deer chomps onto the apple the hunter jerks hard on the rope and sets the hook. The deer is then dragged, kicking and fighting, back to the hunter. Now the hunter has the same three scenarios available to every fisherman:

#1 - Catch and Release.
This is choice of most “conservationists” . The hunter removes the hook as carefully as possible. However this very often means ripping the hook out of the deer’s mouth. They then take a selfie with the deer to show what a successful hunter they are. Finally the deer is released. But only so that it can be caught, dragged and released over and over again. (Ground-hog day anyone?)

#2 - The Stringer.
The deer has a large metal apparatus threaded through its mouth. It is then tied to a tree so that it can be kept alive, kicking and fighting, while other deer might be caught. Once the hunting is done then this deer will be placed into a cooler for the ride home so that it can slowly suffocate.

#3 - Death
The hunter hits the deer on the head and kills it immediately. The deer is then dressed and prepared for processing. The deer feels no pain and does not fear for its' life.

Most hunters prefer scenario #3. Good hunters try to kill the animal with one shot. Hunters do not look for animals that will "put up a good fight" like fishermen do. But for fishermen scenario #1 is considered to be the sign of a "true conservationist".

So why do people protest hunting and not fishing? It is because people believe that mammals are more important than fish. We think this because we ourselves are mammals. If fish were granted the same rights as mammals then you would most likely find protesters at boat landings instead of in the woods.