I took this photo of a huge buck in Berks County in an area that is off-limits to hunters.
That being said, today is the first day of rifle season for deer hunting in PA. School kids typically have the added bonus of enjoying another Thanksgiving vacation day added to their weekend since so many Berks Countians hunt. Have you heard the gun shots?
Hunting in PA is tradition. Mostly men and some women in camouflage scouring the woods to “bag the bucks” occurs on the Monday following Thanksgiving.
This tradition has animal advocates believing the whole concept of hunting is wrong while others defend the ‘sport’.
Pro hunters state that the whitetail deer population is getting out of control. In PA, there has been a steady drop in the number of harvested deer with a bit of increase to 122,930 deer killed last year. The hunters claim the overpopulation leads to disease and our habitat being eaten and destroyed by the deer. Killing deer also has the ability to feed a family and those in need. Hunters also claim it helps to stop the starvation of deer who are left with few remaining places in which to live since the suburbs have been built up by homes, businesses and mini-malls. Many hunters contribute to an organization, “Hunters Sharing the Harvest” which is “credited with helping to feed more than one million Pennsylvanians at risk for hunger, according to the Dept. of Agriculture.
Those against hunting whitetail deer state that shooting a deer is cruel and inhumane. While I am no expert in deer hunting, one has to ask if deer hunting is cruel and inhumane, then how can you, the person who eats other meat, justify eating chickens, ducks, beef, ham or lamb? The means in which you find that piece of meat on your plate comes at a horrible expense of the animal that exists in a factory farm whose entire life is to be born, crammed into tiny areas and plumped up, so you, the consumer, can eat it.
Is there a difference between deer hunting and factory farming? People are so against Sarah Palin and her advocacy of killing wolves. How many of those people eat meat? While I’m no fan of Palin’s, I have to wonder why so many people including celebrities keep bashing her about the wolves. Celebrties in particular are still hot on her trail despite her trail going cold. Is it really about the wolves or about Palin?
We live in a meat-eating dominating society. More and more people are becoming aware and turning to a vegan lifestyle. I personally don’t eat meat. I am unable to eat meat due to an illness. Don’t get me wrong, I was a vegetarian when I was a teenager. If my illness would allow me to consume meat again, I wouldn’t. I know entirely too much about factory farming to ever think about placing a piece of meat in my mouth.
But I do wonder why people are so offended by deer hunting but have no problem ordering that juicy steak at that fancy restaurant. These same people are offended by hunting but do they know what their shoes, wallets, purses or belts are made of?
I know many deer hunters in Berks County and I know some to be extremely ethical hunters. They kill with the clear goal of shooting a deer to kill immediately. I also know some who are sloppy and have allowed deer to be injured. I find this reprehensible.
Does killing deer make it any better than Ammon and Elmer Zimmerman of Maxatawny Township killing 80 of their puppy mill dogs? You tell me. ..