TexasCHLforum.com

anygunanywhere wrote:
I did not say shooting feral pigs from a chopper was hunting.

I understand that you didn't say that in your post but you are responding to a threat about HB 836 - HUNTING feral hogs from helicopters. The hunting part was implied from the thread title.

I have nothing against hunters, hunting, or removing destructive hogs from one's own property. Nor do I imply that one should not be able to do just that! Not a place for governement to dictate what you do on your own property. I was just offering an opinion of what we are calling a hunt. I am not opposed to a deer lease either. I just find some humor in baiting an animal with a corn feeder and calling that hunting. I don't make many friends with my opinion on Golf either. Chasing a ball around in wearing funny looking pants in an electric car drinking beer is hardly a sport. Recreational activity yes, sport no.

Right or wrong, just my opinion. (My father in-law didn't agree either. But he's a Texas hunter and loves Golf -nuff said)

I agree that use of helicopters to chase pigs out and kill them just gives the anti-gun nuts some fuel for the fire. You might as well load up some AK-47s and a few AR-15 rifles to complete the image.

I'm not trying to ruffle feathers...just poking some fun out of ya

I know this post will probably offend the majority of "Texas" hunters. I'm not trying to offend anyone, I just find a bit of humor in what "Texans" call hunting. I am not a hunter and grew up with a vegetarian father so I obviously have a different perspective. No, I am not a vegetarian and I am not a PETA representative! I grew up in Colorado and the most common hunting was for mule deer and the term "deer lease" was foreign to me.

Prior to moving to Texas, I took a hunting trip in the texas hill country with my father in law. (We were not off to a great start after this trip) I was shocked to see his elaborate deer lease with corn feeders and blinds. I couldn't believe it was legal to bait deer with corn and sit in a blind waiting for the perfect moment to shoot Bambie. Where is the sport in that? That felt like hunting exotic animals locked in cages at a zoo. After I watched my father in law take a deer I asked why he didn't wait for a larger deer. The size of Texas white tails in comparison to the Colorado mule deers was a shock too! I wasn't sure if we were hunting Peter Cotton Tail or Bambie?

I guess it all boils down to perspective. Colorado hunting was rough back country hiking, ATVs or horseback, and serious thought about if you could get this 300+ pound animal off the mountain after you shot it. Not pick-up trucks on trails, deer blinds, and corn feeders. I always thought hunting was about more than just a good shot, I thought it was about the experience. There was more than just shooting skills involved, you had to be a bit of an outdoorsman to survive the cold snow covered mountain terrain.

So now people want to hang out of a chopper and gun down animals in the name of "hunting" or call themselves "sportsman". What part of this is hunting or sportsman like? Please explain. I am not interested in arguing if shooting from a chopper should or should not be legal. If it can be done safely, the meat is recovered, and you have fun doing it then I say "Do it". I'm just not sure I would call it hunting. Just an opinion.