# Hunters -- is it really fun to kill 1,000 doves a day? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 4, 2006, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424 "2006-01-04T17:46:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424/61 "2006-01-06T03:51:02Z")
They call doves “living skeet” around here, so yeah, I guess it would be fun. I’ve done some dove hunting and there’s no question that it’s fun. It really is. If you don’t think it’s fun there’s something wrong with you and you’re an idiot. It’s like that game “Duck Hunt” for the old Nintendo, only about 10,000 times more fun. While undeniably fun (at least among unrepressed living beings) my feelings on dove hunting are not one-sided. I’ve read how great huge flocks of doves used to fill the skies moving in masses like schooling fish, incredible flocks that would block the sun like an overcast day. While probably not all that great for farmers it must have been a sight. I would like to have seen that. Now, while doves are plentiful they just don’t exist in those kinds of numbers. They’re very easy to clean, and absolutely delicious. Every year the neighbors invite me, and I usually shoot a dozen, clean them, dribble brown sugar and Old Bay on the breasts, and wrap them in bacon for a slow grilling. Absolutely delicious. The rest of the body is compost. But 1,000? I dunno. I kind of feel bad killing doves in spite of the great fun and yummy food. There’s not much skill or challenge. It’s just really really fun. Imagine skeet that could dodge. The other thing that gets me is that normally responsible people seem to become inconsiderate louts during dove season. When we had the farm, we used to let people hunt there for dove. My house got shot, and my wife’s car! People leave shells lying around. Hunter’s that will spend all day and all night tracking a potentially wounded deer will litter the ground with wounded doves they can’t be bothered to look for. You find these after a day or two of suffering and it’s kind of sad. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424/62 "2006-01-06T03:51:31Z")
If you trust Wikipedia, [“Last of the Curlews”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_of_the_Curlews) was the very first ABC After School Special. It should also be noted that it was the unregulated hunting practices of the late 1800’s that led to the extinction of the curlews; a good example of why we don’t do that anymore. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424/63 "2006-01-06T05:00:50Z")
I wish someone would organize a big campaign to cut down on the numbers of grackles and starlings. They’re invasive, aggressive pests, and they’re crowding out native songbird species. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424/64 "2006-01-06T05:31:19Z")
> [@duality72](#): > > If you trust Wikipedia, [“Last of the Curlews”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_of_the_Curlews) was the very first ABC After School Special. It should also be noted that it was the unregulated hunting practices of the late 1800’s that led to the extinction of the curlews; a good example of why we don’t do that anymore. Wow, about 34 years. That’d be right. Pretty powerful story, but I hunted after I saw it. That’s the thing, I knew, even at 11, that there were regulations in place to insure that every last one didn’t get killed. Of course in times before such regulations, that wasn’t always the case. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424/65 "2006-01-06T15:45:03Z")
> [@Vegn](#): > > Oh, what a relief, we have another meat eater who has appointed himself our spokesperson. > But, seriously, I am only using sarcasm to point out how you pro-hunters are percieved by people who believe it is barbaric killing. However, in a way I perfer it to the people who just buy the plasitc wrapped dead animals and lie to themselves about the lifelong horror the factory farmed animal endured. > And, “disguise”? I have no disguise, “Vegn” is cute, not a disguise. You do realize that hunters, and hunter advocacy groups and organizations, are the single largest contributing bloc (financially) to wildlife and habitat preservation, don’t you? From the quoted piece, I’m assuming you don’t. But by all means: don’t let your ignorance get in the way of your prejudice. ---
**Author:** ![Vegn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/49beb7/32.png) [@Vegn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vegn)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424/66 "2006-01-06T15:59:42Z")
Well, you know what they say about **ass** uming. I do not contribute to groups like National Wildlife Federation. I prefer the groups that actaully care about nature for its own sake. > [@ExTank](#): > > You do realize that hunters, and hunter advocacy groups and organizations, are the single largest contributing bloc (financially) to wildlife and habitat preservation, don’t you? > > From the quoted piece, I’m assuming you don’t. > > But by all means: don’t let your ignorance get in the way of your prejudice. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424/67 "2006-01-06T16:03:33Z")
> [@The Scrivener](#): > > I wish someone would organize a big campaign to cut down on the numbers of grackles and starlings. They’re invasive, aggressive pests, and they’re crowding out native songbird species. Word. When I was a kid, my brother, friends, and I used to spend afternoons popping those little bastards with .22’s. Good marksmanship training, but even killing dozens of them made no impact on their population, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424/68 "2006-01-07T05:47:41Z")
> [@The Scrivener](#): > > I wish someone would organize a big campaign to cut down on the numbers of grackles and starlings. They’re invasive, aggressive pests, and they’re crowding out native songbird species. I like starlings. I can live without the grackles though. Don’t get me started on Canadian geese. Damn furiners. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424/69 "2006-01-07T05:47:24Z")
> [@The Scrivener](#): > > I wish someone would organize a big campaign to cut down on the numbers of grackles and starlings. They’re invasive, aggressive pests, and they’re crowding out native songbird species. I like starlings. I can live without the grackles though. Down get me started on Canadian geese. Damn furiners. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424/70 "2006-01-07T06:26:47Z")
The inference is obviously there, expressed several times above. But I’m curious… will anyone actually come out and say their side is the only ones that “got it” about the passenger pidgeon, Carolina parakeet, curlew, and like extincts? Do they honestly believe the lesson was lost on everyone else? It’s not some great big secret that only a privlidged few lament. In fact, the amount of worldwide awareness those disapearances raised, legislation they inspired, and monitoring they created will insure that type of wanton recklessness won’t happen again. I’m not sure why anyone would pursue a tangent that hunters, who argueably have at least as much to lose, if not more, if a target species was to disappear, somehow have yet to recognize the pinnacle value of prudent conservation. Not only do I not disagree with a cautious sentiment, I embrace it. But after looking hard at the facts (numbers, logic, ecology, morality, sensibility) my mind’s at ease. Eh, informed group here and after considering the whole picture instead of kneejerking, there’s simply always going to be some things people disagree on but I’ll offer this; hunters will without a doubt recognize and act if and when a line needs to be drawn. I’ve yet though to see anything about that area and condition that resembles a compelling arguement. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424/71 "2006-01-07T06:54:44Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > The inference is obviously there, expressed several times above. But I’m curious… will anyone actually come out and say their side is the only ones that “got it” about the passenger pidgeon, Carolina parakeet, curlew, and like extincts? Do they honestly believe the lesson was lost on everyone else? > > It’s not some great big secret that only a privlidged few lament. In fact, the amount of worldwide awareness those disapearances raised, legislation they inspired, and monitoring they created will insure that type of wanton recklessness won’t happen again. I’m not sure why anyone would pursue a tangent that hunters, who argueably have at least as much to lose, if not more, if a target species was to disappear, somehow have yet to recognize the pinnacle value of prudent conservation. > > Not only do I not disagree with a cautious sentiment, I embrace it. But after looking hard at the facts (numbers, logic, ecology, morality, sensibility) my mind’s at ease. Eh, informed group here and after considering the whole picture instead of kneejerking, there’s simply always going to be some things people disagree on but I’ll offer this; hunters will without a doubt recognize and act if and when a line needs to be drawn. I’ve yet though to see anything about that area and condition that resembles a compelling arguement. Okay, who let intelligent, thoughtful, balanced, even handed thinking back into the pit…??? I thought we had passed a law… ---
**Author:** ![Jotun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@Jotun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jotun)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424/72 "2006-01-07T10:05:24Z")
> [@Vegn](#): > > I just hope with all that shooting up in the air we get a side benefit of the culling of the foulest, most dangerous to our health, most overpopulated animal on earth…humans. > [@GWVet](#): > > This just makes you a sick fuck. It doesn’t make it any less true, though. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Jotun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@Jotun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jotun)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424/73 "2006-01-07T10:26:34Z")
> [@Vegn](#): > > I saw a “Daily Show” episode in which the interview was with a guy who developed a tofu product that tastes like human flesh so that people who don’t want to eat human flesh can still see what it would be like. I wish I could remember the name of the product, it was really funny. But, I am just hoping it doesn’t discourage cannibalism. I mean, there are so many great tofu products there is no reason to eat animal flesh anymore, so I don’t. Hopefully cannibals won’t give up their meat. It was called “Hufu”, and you can still see the clip on the [comedy central](http://www.comedycentral.com) website. Just do a bit of searching. I disagree with you on the tofu products. I have tried many of them, they didn’t appeal to me. I do sometimes use blended silken tofu as a binding agent in place of eggs (I’m allergic). I would try Hufu, though. I’ve always been a little curious about what human flesh would would taste like. I prefer cooking with vegetables and mushrooms over working with meat or tofu anyway. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunters-is-it-really-fun-to-kill-1-000-doves-a-day/338424.md?page=3)