This rubs me the wrong way

[Wary Buck]

Just had forwarded to me a copy of the Nebraska Xtreme Outdoorsman Challenge, apparently being sent to a big mailing list of the NWTF. Basically it is a 3-day hunt for two-man teams anywhere in Nebraska for pheasant, quail, prairie chicken/grous, ducks, geese, deer and turkey. Preliminary info is sketchy, but apparently the goal is to try to kill your daily bag limit each day and in the process compete for $70,000 in cash ($40,000 to winning team).

My gut reaction is that this is exactly what hunting does not need. I have NOTHING against guns, so that's not what my negativity is about.  I'd be just as against this if it involved bows.  I just oppose trying to stack up game animals in the process of trying to win prize money. (I'm not real fond of fishing contests either--unless it's to clean out the carp, an invasive, detrimental species--and atleast many of the fishing contests are catch and release). This is not catch and release, obviously. This is killing animals for competition/prizes and it rubs me the wrong way.

Is this different from big buck contests? Is it different even than P&Y scoring? I say it is. But I've been accused of being a grump before, so what say you...

[vermonster13]

I say it is a different spin on the WHA. Being seen as killers for cash is not the image hunting needs.

[Reg Darling]

Let me say right up front that I love to hunt birds with a shotgun--wingshooting is a lot like instinctive archery in its whole-body engagement of concentration. But an effort to make hunting a competitive, game-type sport like tennis or baseball is simply degrading. Hunting is about restoring or at least temporarily re-engaging our ancient bond of sustenance with the Earth--there many other levels of satisfaction, but that is the foundation. When it is trivialized, we fail to respect the very foundations of our heritage as human beings.

[Wary Buck]

http://www.outdoorsmanchallenge.com  

is a link to the hunting contest site

[Sawtooth]

IMO, it's dead wrong.  I also agree that it's definitely NOT what hunting needs.  It's what people who want to make money need.  Period.  Is it any surprise that the Nebraska Department of Tourism is a sponsor?  States need to step up to the plate and outlaw hunting contests of any type.  Shame on the State of Nebraska for allowing this, and shame on other states, including my home state, for leaving the door open.

Hunting is not, and should not become, a competitive "sport".

[Wary Buck]

Someone else pointed out to me the math involved:

200 teams X $3,000 entry fees equals $600,000. Plus sponsor fees are steep.  The sum of the prize money is $70,000.  Even considering advertising and a feed at the end, someone stands to make a LOT of money while exploiting our game animals and the sport/activity/hobby of hunting.

I know a couple of influential game and parks employees are not happy with this event, but the way the rules and regulations stand, they could not stop it.  And they are trying to distance themselves from it.  Obviously something needs to change legislatively so this cannot happen again.

[vermonster13]

You have to be very careful in how such legislation is worded.

[Sawtooth]

Amen.  Wary Buck, FYI, I certainly wasn't bashing Nebraskans.  Just the system in place that allows this kind of crap.  I hope Nebraskans can change the laws.  Here in Colorado some of this is allowed as well.  I didn't even realize it was until I read your post about the situation in your state.  Thanks for posting it.

[Bowferd]

I am from Nebraska and don't care in the least for this sort of slaughter. I will be forwarding the article to all of my contacts in the hope of suspending this type of competion in the future. Is it a wonder how Peta can find support when we allow this type of (sportsmanship?) Bowferd

[laddy]

Maybe there should be a archery only bird hunting event, to offset this.  No entrance fee, no prize money or trophy, just a "way to go" from fellow participants for the winner, with a game feed after the event.

[Kevin Bahr]

I couldn't agree more, Bryce.  This is a shameful act.  I hope the sportsmen and women of Nebraska see this for what it is and don't participate. Nothing more than bounty hunting.

[Molson]

I agree with Vermonster.  You sure don't want to regulate yourself out of a season.

Best way to fight this is to get everyone on board to hit those who sponsor or advertise on this garbage right in the pocket book.  If it looks like it'll ruin their image, and pocketbook, they'll drop it.

[Bakes168]

I agree that it is wrong, but you have to be careful on how you stop it. Once you take away a few pieces of hunting that you don't like, pretty soon lots of laws refulating hunting will pop up and eventually the anti's will have a field day.

I agree with Molson, hurt the ones who sponsor and promote the event, instead of banning certain types of bird hunting.
Because someday you could lose all your bird hunting.