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

[Ray Hammond]

This fellow is what we affectionately call, in the sales game, "a smoke blower". He knows all the catch phrases but he doesn't THINK about what he says before it passes his lips..he's just stringing together all the stuff he's heard to fill the silence that is surrounding him.

"Hunting is about respect for the wildlife..."

How can you respect wildlife- and shoot them in the ass with a dart full of tranquilizers that COULD end their lives, to earn prizes, money, and fame???????

"I've heard of some die hard traditional bowhunters using blunts to shoot animals including domestic ones.."

What kind of low life trash has he been talking to, and how dare they characterize themselves as hunters? they aren't hunters...they don't respect animals at all if they participate in activities like that.

I think he made it up personally...maybe not...maybe someone in a high fenced pen in TX said it while he was doing some genetic work on faked up big antlered whitetails for his company?

[Dave Lay]

[el cazador]

Smoke blower is right Ray!

This statement... "I’ve heard some die hard traditional bowhunters talk about using blunts to shoot at wildlife (and some domestic animals). I’ve seen rifle hunters that have never fired their weapon before coming to hunt. I’ve seen all kinds of “hunters” take “I had to try, you know” shots and never even go follow up to see if they had wounded the animal." describes just the type "hunters" that this type event would cater too.  We don't need people like this representing true hunters to John Q Public!

The whole thing is just plain unethical.

[vermonster13]

This guy makes a statement about the Trad guys with blunts (using blunts on wild deer is illegal everywhere) as an unethical thing and I agree, but why does he consider guys shooting drugged blunts with compounds a good thing? He doesn't appear to have really done any looking into the WHA, just wrote what they asked him to.

[jindydiver]

Originally posted by vermonster13:
This guy makes a statement about the Trad guys with blunts (using blunts on wild deer is illegal everywhere) as an unethical thing and I agree, but why does he consider guys shooting drugged blunts with compounds a good thing? He doesn't appear to have really done any looking into the WHA, just wrote what they asked him to.

And to try and drag others down to make your argument is just pathetic, and shows the lack of depth in his argument.

[Robert Honaker]

This is going to be hunting's cancer.

[Bill Carlsen]

One theme keeps coming up as I read the supporters of WHA....trophy bucks! I believe we have done ourselves in by putting high value on the whole issue of trophy deer. If you look at the videos, TV programs, etc., do you ever see a show that does not show the "trophy of a lifetime"? What WHA seems to be is an offshoot of the trophy business. One question I have in regards to the high fence populations that these guys are going to develop is how to keep the popualtions in check without actually harvesting some of the animals? At some point, as these herds grow I bet that there will be big money spent to be able to actually harvest one of the big bucks.

[vermonster13]

They are trying to use the fact that cull hunts will need to be done as a justification for this. Some real hunting will need to take place off camera and their format will allow others the opportunity to pursue these big bucks. In other words you can pay huge dollars to kill the deer you saw win the WHA Invitational at Broken Arrow Resort if you have the money to play there. These operations get to be showcased and don't have to have any of their big dollar deer actually killed by the "pros" so they can auction them off to viewers.

[JC]

I missed that whole possibility....dang! Talk about "whoring out"! Not only are they going to sell their doodads and geegaws, and "eco-hunts" to darters, but actual kill hunts. I can see it now..."Yeah, I want to kill that buck that I saw Jim-Bob dart last week, here's my check."

Scuse my while I go get sick....

[Ray Hammond]

That was one of my questions last week to Sykes in my letter. He didn't bother to respond. That pretty much tells us all we need to know.

I called him out, and he knew I was the faster gun and he just stayed in the bar drinking.

[vermonster13]

And here is some good news from the fronts!

Thanks David,

We have no plans to be involved or participate in the World Hunting
Association.

Thanks for the question,

Team Realtree

[Dave Lay]

i got the same response:
Thanks Dave,

We have no plans to be involved or participate in the World Hunting
Association.

Thanks for the question,

Team Realtree

[vermonster13]

The Quality Deer Management Association has come out in opposition of the WHA. They met with Farbman on July 6th.


 QDMA Opposes WHA

[Bill Carlsen]

I just sent an email to Management Advantage and attached a copy of the QDMA statement. Here's my email minus the attachment:

Gentlemen: I am hoping that email will get to Chuck Sykes. It has come to my attention that he is involved with a new program called World Hunt. I am adamantly opposed to the World Hunt program and its interest in promoting hunting as a competitive spectator sport using tranquilizers and offering cash prizes to "hunters" who dart the biggest animal in a closed fence environment. There is much I could say but I will attach a copy of the Quality Deer Management Associations statement  and encourage you and your other sponsors to distance yourselves from Mr. Farbram and his poorly thought out program. There is just way too many negatives involved in this that it cannot, in my mind anyway, be a positive force for hunting of any kind. Please be kind enough to respond to me about this issue. I look forward to the Management Advantage show but will not continue to watch it or endorse any of its sponsors if Mr. Sykes continues to assist Mr. Farbam's World Hunt program. If it is not too much trouble I would like to hear from Mr. Sykes, personally.

Sincerely,
William Carlsen

[2-BIG]

This was posted on another bow site:
My name is Matt & I'm a producer at the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

We are currently working on a story about the World Hunting Association and their method of nonlethal hunting (tranquilziers, et al).

We're trying to find hunters in the Detroit area who are opposed to this practice. We will be in the area on 7/25 and would like to interview some hunters then.

Please e-mail me if you're in the Detroit area (or can be there on the 25th) and are seriously opposed to this form of hunting.

Thanks!

-Matt [email protected]

[BigRonHuntAlot]

I received this via e-mail today ...

POPE AND YOUNG CLUB
NEWS


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July 19, 2006

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Email Communications
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Pope and Young Club Denounces World Hunting Association Concept
A recent announcement by the World Hunting Association has raised significant concerns within the Pope and Young Club. According to WHA publicity releases, a televised tournament series featuring "professional hunters" is slated for broadcast this coming fall. Competitors reportedly will seek to tranquilize deer within high-fence game farm properties. Lucrative prizes are to be awarded to individuals collecting the biggest or most captive deer during televised "hunts." Both bows and firearms will be used to deliver the tranquilizing agents.

"Hunting is not a 'catch and release' proposition," said P&Y President M. R. James. "Nor is it intended to be an entertaining public spectacle. The Pope and Young Club certainly does not want its organization identified with this type of commercial endeavor, either directly or indirectly. That includes any reference to P&Y-class animals or the use of our measuring system to determine the score of captive deer. This idea flies in the face of the ethical, Fair Chase bowhunting challenges our organization embraces."

Noting that the Pope and Young Club does not accept captive animals as record book entries, Executive Secretary Kevin Hisey added: "The idea that this concept is just plain wrong goes well beyond the issue of game farms and high fences. Many responsible hunters will view it as an affront to the values, principles and integrity of hunting so many hold dear."


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Established in 1961, the Pope and Young Club is a non-profit North American conservation and bowhunting organization dedicated to ensuring bowhunting for future generations by preserving and promoting its heritage and values. The Club also maintains the universally recognized repository for the records and statistics on North American big game animals harvested with the bow and arrow.

Pope and Young Club
273 Mill Creek Road - PO Box 548 - Chatfield, MN 55923
Phone: (507) 867-4144 - Fax: (507) 867-4144
Web site:  www.pope-young.org  - Email: [email protected]


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[vermonster13]

Texas Wildlife Association
“Working for tomorrow’s wildlife … TODAY!”
 www.texas-wildlife.org
2800 NE Loop 410, Suite 105 <> San Antonio, Texas 78218
<> 210/826-2904 <> 800/839-9453 <> FAX 210/826-4933
TWA Position Statement on World Hunting Association (WHA)
The Texas Wildlife Association does not support the concept of competitive
hunting, tournament hunting, and paying hunters for participation in
competitive hunting activities. While this can be acceptable in many of the
shooting sports as well as other sports, we believe that for the future and
integrity of hunting, that such activities step over an ethical line, much like
internet hunting. Therefore, we cannot conceptually support the World
Hunting Association proposed competitive tournament for top dollar prize
money. In addition, hunting is not a “non-lethal” or catch-and-release
endeavor as proposed by the WHA, and we have concerns that it would be
erroneously portrayed in this manner. While we commend the WHA for
their passion and belief that they will entice a new audience and convert
more folks to hunting, we do not think this is the way to do it. Deer hunting
is just not a competitive sport, but about respect and reverence for the
quarry, an experience in nature and natural settings, traditions and sharing
with family and friends. The hunt is about inundating yourself in nature,
understanding the prey, and making safe and ethical decisions. Hunting
cannot be about the hunter, the tournament, or the prize money.
Adopted August 2, 2006

[GroundHunter]

I completely agree with all of the traditional bowhunters' disgust with the WHA concept. I think it is wrong to call it "hunting". It is a game, an idea for a new kind of "reality TV", but it is not hunting, anymore than reality TV is reality. It seeks to capitalze on the entertainment appeal of competition branded as hunting, staged for the coliseum. Like the games of ancient Rome, it will sell to the masses who do not really want to do the real thing, but want something to entertain them.

We should voice our disgust, and withold all support for it. We should make this clear to all who want to be a part of traditional bowhunting, and to those who market to traditional bowhunters. It's not for us.

At the same time, I don't think we should spend a great deal of effort and money in opposing it. The people who want this sort of thing will not get the point.

I don't blame some bowhunters for jumping in to the WHA deal for promotion and money. It's hard to make a living on bowhunting talent. Buffalo Bill and Howard Hill had to sell the story as entertainment.

Traditional bowhunters will not have to be told, and cannot be sold a ticket to the coliseum. The traditional trail is not the easy trail, with guarantees, ATV's, pampered comfort, and instant-success-in-a-box for a money price. It is a road less traveled, less crowded, where the quest is the trophy. I like it that way.

Let the masses, huddle 'round their electron rodeos, and buy all the packaged games, caps, t-shits, action toys, wheel-bows and gizmos, blinds, clothing and geer, even big-dollar canned hunts. Let them simulate hunting to their heart's content, even hunt on the same ranch I hunt. They cannot spoil my hunt. We can walk the same woods, gaze at the same blue sky, but they won't see what I see, until they are ready, until they are looking for it - the few who take the traditional trail.

Perhaps our activism should focus on living our tradition, building our community, and just letting our light shine for those who can see it.

[vermonster13]

The problem with the do nothing approach is that the otherside is doing something. The face the general public sees on TV will be the one they come to know. Us living with values will only effect a very small circle of folks as opposed to a medium that can reach billions(not saying that many will watch). If you don't do everything you can to right a wrong when you see one you are just helping it propogate.

[vermonster13]

The WHA is now listed on Wikipedia. This site will turn some stomachs.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Hunting_Association