Ryan Grandel of Jefferson in Greene County is shown with the Pope and Young buck he bagged in Ohio. Grandel followed the buck’s movements for months by monitoring several trail cameras he strategically placed in the area where the buck traveled. See story on page C6 of Sunday's Herald-Standard.
I love comments like the one above. While I agree that the picture is questionable, I certainly believe that killing an animal does not make a person a monster. Especially since that hamburger or chicken sandwich you most certainly have eaten in the past was made available to you by means ranging from electrocution, being shot, beheaded, or having a bolt driven through the skull and into the animal's brain. The difference is the fact that the animals we pluck parts from at the grocery store don't have a chance, their fate is pre-determined. In hunting, the animal does have a chance. Especially in this case as in order to have a buck entered into the Pope and Young record book, the deer has to be killed with a bow. That is much harder than herding it into the slaughter house and driving something into its skull, electrocuting it, or shooting it with a bullet.
By the way, if you want to preserve life, some of it has to be taken, especially since we humans have mostly destroyed the natural predators that once kept the ecosystem in check. Deer #'s would range in the millions, many would starve to death, and whole herds would be overcome by disease due to over-population if we simply took the "My Little Pony" approach of kill nothing when approaching nature. Or, we could restore the natural balance and return Cougar and Wolves back into our local environment to keep the animals in check for us. Look out the next time you let fluffy out to use the potty. I also love the fact that most of the time, people who make comments like this would mash a tiny little spider while screaming bloody murder, and most likely have either rarely or never set foot into the natural environment that they claim to be such experts on and preserve so well. They don't know anything beyond what their internet connection, cell phone, or text book tells them. Oh, one simple fact to point out, if real men didn't destroy some life, the human race would have been nothing more than a memory by now.
So, while the photo could have been better, killing animals is a simple and essential part of a natural ecosystem. The only difference in hunting and eating a burger is the fact that you just paid someone to take care of the messy part for you. You just paid someone to pluck an animal from a pen and slaughter it. Something still had to die in order for that quarter pound treat to be on your plate. And while you aren't being kind to one animal while harvesting it, you are being kind to the environment and ecosystem which that animal is a part of. That is the bigger picture, the one that matters most. While I strongly disagree with people who kill just to watch something die, kill endangered species, poach, or kill for black market profit, I have absolutely no problem with a hunter taking an animal respectfully and fairly. And, even if they don't know it, they are contributing to the natural cycle of life in which the "real world" depends.
BER87 --- I couldn't have said it better. I've had this same discussion with many over the years. I am a hunter, have killed and understand the purpose. I have seen the results of over population in the herds and it is not nice.
When you have to use cameras to hunt its sad and time to quit hunting. Don't call yourself a hunter when you have to hunt like that. Real hunters don't stalk thier prey. Are you that hungry for publicity?
The tree huggers can't stand to see hunting. What does a tree taste like! Get a life people. This guy did you a favor, you could have hit it with your car and then tell us how you you feel about it. Thanks Ryan, thats one deer that won't be causing $2500 damage to my car. Been there !!
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