Worst Idea Ever...HUNTING ALERT!!! READ & EMAIL!

[vermonster13]

Mr. Sykes,
 
I have some difficulty with you telling the hunting community that what David Farbman is attempting to do with the WHA is going to recruit new hunters and retain hunters- it is disingenuous, and could be seen by some as purposefully misleading.
 
You know what it will draw is video game players, and spawn a new industry of shooting deer with drugs behind high fences on golf course - type communities that will eventually have condos, restaurants and shopping for the spouses of participants. Tranking deer with darts for the purpose of taking a photo with the animal is NOT hunting.
 
You also know that ACCESS is the single greatest factor related to why hunter numbers are not increasing. The only access this program provides is access to Farbman's and others' special deer pens in specific states where deer are considered livestock. After all, real estate development IS Farbman's business, isn't it? Great White hunter wannabe's will flock from the city to get their picture snapped with Buckie, the monster genetically mutated buck of the 21st century.  And its hardly access that most American hunters can afford, anyway.
 
Any time you administer drugs to any animal you are putting it's life at risk, even if the percentages are miniscule. Doing so in order to win girls, cars, homes, and money will be seen by the public as exploitation of living beings. And believe me, when the media gets through with this bastardization of hunting that is what the public will see it as. In study after study,  the public has consistently shown they respect hunters who take their kill home to feed their families, but that trophy hunting is wrong,they do not care for it, nor do they respect us when we hunt for that reason.
 
If ONE DEER DIES as a result of this activity, what happens then? You, nor anyone else can guarantee this will not happen.  And if Farbman is right, what happens when folks begin cheering for the bucks, rather than the hunters? You cannot "explain away" the lack of "face time" for a buck when its dead...you've got to tell the truth. How's that going to play? What happens when a buck gets so big, and some powerful guy calls up the "pen" and offers 250K to shoot that deer for real? You think they are going to turn that down? How do you explain the disappearance of Buckie?
 
The Anti's, and their agent, the country's left wing media will cause the public to SEE this activity as the "face" of hunting if it occurs, and the 80% of our population who do not hunt and are against hunting will not respect this activity when they view it on TV and will vote AGAINST hunter's rights when they are called upon to do so in a state or national ballot.
 
I always try to "follow the money" when I see things like this crop up in hunting, politics, or business. I wonder what stake those supporting this activity have in its success?  When so many are against it, there's got to be a reason, and its almost universally financial, that someone would find it possible to support it.
 
I respectfully ask you to reconsider your support of this activity for the good of the sport we all love.

[vermonster13]

Pope & Young have taken a harder stance on this.

TO: Official Measurers

FROM: Glenn Hisey, Records Chairman

SUBJECT: New "World Hunting Association" threatens the image of hunting

Within the last two weeks, news has come out about a new commercial operation called the WHA. Fortunately, there has been a significant outcry within the hunting community so far. However, with the sponsorship and money behind this "endeavor," it is unlikely to disappear quickly and quietly. At face value, the WHA is a tremendous threat to "real" hunting and most definitely will become a huge public image nightmare for the hunting community. As such, we felt it was necessary to bring this to your attention, as official measurers of the Pope and Young Club.

... (I deleted the next paragraph explaining what WHA is... I think we all know this part)

You will shortly be noticing a public statement from the Pope and Young Club denouncing this affront to real hunting. This WHA is just plain wrong on so many levels, it is difficult to start listing specifics! Just when you think you've seen it all, and the commerce of hunting couldn't stoop any lower, we are now confronted with the affront to the values, principles and integrity of hunting.

We can only guess, at this point, how this thing is going to shake out. But, most certainly we do not want to hear the Pope and Young Club's name, or the records program, mentioned in ANY way with this aberration (whether it be using/abusing our scoring system, or simply someone on TV saying "there's a Pope and Young'er"). To that end, I am encouraging you...no, I intend to be stronger than that... WE DO NOT want ANY official measurer of the Pope and Young Club involved in any way with this "thing!" If you choose to (your prerogative), be assured that your appointment as an official measurer for our organization will be in jeopardy (our prerogative).

If you have any concerns.....

[Texasrecurve]

Good for P & Y, that is a good strong stance.

TR

[Bill Carlsen]

I got this response from Bill Krenz of Bowhunt America magazine, today:

William,

We agree with you completely.

We, and many others, were duped by this organization. They placed an
extensive series of ads with us, but would NOT reveal the nature of
their "game" until after the first ad appeared.

Once we (and others) discovered the ridiculous nature of the WHA plan,
we immediately pulled all future WHA adds from our issues.

We do not support this organization's goals.

Bill Krenz
Owner/Editor

[Terry Green]

[vermonster13]

State veterinary boards are the places to be asking questions in Colorado and Kansas to make sure this WHA doesn't have one of those set up as a backup venue to Michigan.

[vermonster13]

I guess being a member of the NRA isn't good enough for them to give a reply, glad Newsweek asked them also.

Outdoors: Good Will Hunting?

Newsweek

July 3-10, 2006 issue - This fall, the World Hunting Association, a new competitive league, will feature 10 hunters in a deer-hunting tournament ... not shooting bullets at anything. In an attempt to lure viewers who may be turned off by gore, the association's planners have dubbed this competition "nonlethal"—meaning that hunters will shoot tranquilizer darts from bows, guns and blowguns, and veterinarians will be on site to attend to the deer after they are hit. "It sits better with the public," says WHA founder David Farbman. "Hunting's not just about the kill."

That's a matter of debate. The National Rifle Association has pronounced the scheme "not hunting," says Andrew Arulanandam, an NRA spokesman, because it runs afoul of hunting ethics. Hunting is about the kill, Arulandam contends, and not about wounding animals with nonlethal darts. "They can possibly injure the animal," he says. "In hunting you are supposed to bring down your animal in the most humane way possible." This "catch and release" hunting has also been condemned by the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Karl Zainitzer, one of the hunters who has signed on to compete, doesn't have a problem with the unconventional premise. "People that would never go hunting will now turn this hunting tour on," he says. (Deals are in the works to televise it this fall.) Farbman is similarly unfazed. If this competition doesn't win the hearts and minds of nonhunting fans, he has some other ideas up his sleeve, including donating money to charity and launching a program to feed the hungry—with venison.

—Alicia Barney

 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13529124/site/newsweek/

[GroundHunter]

I sent Chuck my eamil.
Glad to mail sponsors and contact Texas Parks & Wildlife here in Texas.
Frankly, I'm bugged by the whole "Big Buck Boone & Crocket giant antlers are all that count craze in hunting. Tree-stands, shoot-through blinds, managed, guided hunts, protein feding year-round.

I've gone tradtitional bow-hunting because I'ld rather hunt squirells, rabbits and quail - straight up on the ground, wind in my face, than take a farm-raised (read that "managed")monster buck from a commercial hidey-blind covered in $2,000 of the latest camo-scent-loc-tactical underwear gear, with a laser-sighted compound bow, braced on a hip bar so I can draw it and hold it steady.

Oh! I'm making myself sick. Gotta grab my bare longbow and go hit some tennis balls in the back yard with wooden arrows.

[BillyBobHowdieVern]

TTT

[aussiebowhunter]

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[aussiebowhunter]

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[Trad Lad]

My question to Bill Krenz of Bowhunt America Magazine is after you realized you were "duped" and pulled the adds did you use your magazine as a vehicle to "right the wrong" and denounce the organization, you have a strong written voice and it seems are obligated to issue a correction.
Pip

[vermonster13]

Indiana looks to possibly be another place they could do this. Any Indiana folks want to look-up some deer farm laws for us?

[Hunter John]

Hats off to you Dave for taking the lead with this,I have followed the links and responded to all the groups suggested.Again thanks for doing an important but dirty job.Imo this whole thing is just plain wrong and when your efforts pay off we all owe you many thanks for your time and passion.

John

[todd secker]

Indiana outlawed deer farms as a hunting enclosure last year.  That was the big Jimmy Houston scandal.

[vermonster13]

6 enclosures were grandfathered though, that is why I have concerns, especially with the history of a couple of them.

[Bill Carlsen]

TradLad: When I contacted Bill Krenz i strongly suggested that he do exactly what you are speaking to. He did not respond, as you can see, to that part of my email. We will see what happens down the road. I certainly hope that Don Thomas can get the folks at Bowhunter Mag and TBM to at least do an editorial on this issue. Lots of guys don't even know about it.

[vermonster13]

Actually Don has asked me to write an article on using the internet to fight these kinds of things. It will have WHA references for sure. If they wanted me to write a straight article on the WHA, I wouldn't have an issue with that. I have many many many e-mails and files on it now.

[joel smith]

ttt

[Bill Carlsen]

Dave: The day before this all broke on this site I had surgery on my left eye which made helping out very difficult. I did, however, did contact some people I know and a few places I do a lot of business with. If there is anything I can do (now that my eye is getting better) please let me know.