Ugh. Trophy Hunters

The Minor News today featured a human interest story about a Fairbanks man who likes to go to Africa and kill local animals and mount their heads on his wall back home. Much to my delight, most of the comments in response are of disgust:

AlaskaRaven says, "Disgusting and sad story."

Txak says, "Why is this a front page story? Disgusting. This person is nothing but a LOSER with money. I do hope karma comes down on him hard..."

Lou Skizas says, "Yeah... trophy hunting like this is kinda disgusting. Collecting a trophy from an animal you shot for food is one thing, intentionally seeking out trophies is just ridiculous."

A loooooot of comments mention karma.

Wordsmith says, "Wow, big man, killing endangered animals for sport. Hope it makes you feel proud and manly. The karma of those creatures is upon you now and will follow you all your life and beyond. So look at those mounted heads in your home every day and remember this."

It is no secret that many Alaskans hunt, but the ethics of responsible hunting here are the strongest I have seen anywhere. I can count on one hand the number of mounted animal heads I have seen in homes since moving to Alaska in 2007. Actually, I can count on one finger. I also don't eat CAFO meat myself, but as someone who does not thrive on a vegetarian diet, that leaves me to either locally raised domestic animal meat or hunted meat. (I don't really trust supposedly "humane" ranches that I have not personally laid eyes on.) So I have no problem whatsoever with hunting responsibly and humanely for food and using every scrap of the animal, down to the gristle and bones for dogs.

But hunting for sport... noooo. Nonononono I cannot abide it and could probably not even be friends with anyone who does, so poorly do I think it speaks of their character. I have treasured friends who are Democrats and Republicans, friends on both sides of the debates on abortion and the death penalty and immigration. I even have friends who are homophobes, which pushes my limits of tolerance. But to kill another creature just for the pleasure of killing it is something that I think speaks so poorly of that person's character that I cannot even be friends with them.

I've noticed something else. Even among responsible hunters, it's only some types of people who, after getting a moose, measure the width of its antler rack and count the number of points on its antlers. Sometimes they even call the press. "I got my biggest rack ever! 61 inches!" or whatever. It's quite another type who, upon killing a moose, says to himself, "Cool. Meat for the year." and does not give one flying crap how impressive the antlers look.

"This fall, he plans to return to Africa, this time with a plan to get a lioness and a hippopotamus."

Ugh. He's got a list of species he'd like to kill. Sigh.