Encounter with an Anti Hunter

[CAustin]

So a couple of weeks ago I was on a Delta flight to Atlanta. I scored the upgrade to first class and settled in for the two hours. Minding my own business I did a little work from my IPad in preparation for the afternoon visits I had planned. My screen saver on the IPad as you folks might imagine has a picture of my elephant hunt. Then the background to the home screen is also one of that hunt that has myself and my son next to the bull.
I did not know it but a young man seated behind me in the Delta Comfort section was paying attention to what he saw on the screen. Fast forward to the landing and the plane pulls up to the gate. On the 757 the first class section is forward of the entry exit door so one has to wait just a bit for the folks in Delta Comfort to make their way to the door. I stood up and got my carry on bag out of the overhead and put my brief case on top of it ready for my exit as I always do.
Now the young man takes this opportunity to speak his mind. He says " I see you are a trophy hunter. I want you to stop that....it's wrong" other folks are looking our way and I very firmly said to him "NO I WILL NOT STOP HUNTING AND ITS NOT WRONG FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS. I take it you are an animal lover of some sort that has no idea what conservation is all about. Young man I am as passionate about hunting and the contribution it makes towards overall conservation as you may be about loving animals. If you really want to make a difference in the world with respect to wild animals and the long term preservation of various species you might want to research how hunting contributes to that end".
I could see that he was dumbfounded so I kept at him for a moment and then invited him to stop outside the jet bridge to continue our discussion. Well he did wait and we had about a ten minute polite discussion and frankly the young man was as you might expect very ill informed as to how hunting contributes to conservation. I threw out some of the facts that have been shared here on AH that astounded him. He brought up photo safaris but had not considered that they have a much smaller impact on rural African communities vs hunting safaris. Furthermore, he had no earthly idea that the greatest success stories in wildlife conservation here in the US are directly attributable to hunting. Of course I am speaking about deer, turkey and elk.
So as we parted to go to our respective gates he thanked me for giving him food for thought. He said he still didn't like the idea of hunting but wanted to make himself better informed about how hunting and conservation could coexist!
The way this discussion began had me thinking I might end up having a fight on my hands but by remaining calm with the man and using facts he saw a little different side to things in the end. Still not in agreement but at least better informed. He asked questions and I answered him politely which kept the conversation flowing in a way that ideas were expressed in a positive light.
Anyway not sure what others here have experienced out in the non hunting world but this encounter ended on a reasonable note.
Perhaps others could share their experiences by responding to this thread.
Charlie

By the way thanks to all the AH contributors who provide this community with ammunition to have difficult conversations with uninformed people.
It makes a difference when you can approach a conversation with good solid facts.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Kudos Charlie for keeping your cool and having a polite discussion. Screaming matches whether they be in person or in the virtual world will never result in a positive outcome.

I've been hit up on FB and have tried to do the same. Mostly I'd say it has gone well. One exception where some clown who came from a ranching family in Texas and was fine with killing cows actually threatened me, but what are you going to do?

 

[Velo Dog]

Good work Charlie,

Brainwashed people are near impossible to jump start into thinking for themselves, examining facts before embracing someone else's spin on things and etc.
Hollywood and the pubic school system (not a typo) are brain washing millions of "average" people.
Once the poison of their lies sets in, getting the victims to pause for intellectual thought is like bashing your head on the pavement.
The pavement might crack before your head does, but not likely.
Sounds like you may have cracked the pavement this time, I say good show.

Cheers,
Paul.

 

[Pheroze]

Very well done! You are a credit to the community in the manner you helped to educate this young fellow! Perfect.

 

[Wheels]

Job well done Charlie !

 

[stug]

Well done Charlie.

 

[CAustin]

Kudos Charlie for keeping your cool and having a polite discussion. Screaming matches whether they be in person or in the virtual world will never result in a positive outcome.

I've been hit up on FB and have tried to do the same. Mostly I'd say it has gone well. One exception where some clown who came from a ranching family in Texas and was fine with killing cows actually threatened me, but what are you going to do?

Thanks Phil. You know the guy in Texas is really one of those lost souls who may want do right but doesn't understand that his threats place him in the worst light. And he is sending the cattle off to the slaughter house.

 

[CAustin]

Good work Charlie,

Brainwashed people are near impossible to jump start into thinking for themselves, examining facts before embracing someone else's spin on things and etc.
Hollywood and the pubic school system (not a typo) are brain washing millions of "average" people.
Once the poison of their lies sets in, getting the victims to pause for intellectual thought is like bashing your head on the pavement.
The pavement might crack before your head does, but not likely.
Sounds like you may have cracked the pavement this time, I say good show.

Cheers,
Paul.

Paul your right the brainwashing is happening from all directions. The young man I spoke to was say 30 something. So my take is he is from the Disney "Lion King" Generation that thinks animals are all sweetness and that we humans should leave them alone yet provide for their care. Great if your talking about your pet......but no so much when you speak to wildlife as a whole.

 

[Graham Hunter]

I actually had an issue with a Stewardess a number of years ago when she saw the hunting stickers on my briefcase. Didn't work well for her but did for me as I got upgraded to 1st class with everything included for the rest of the trip and return.

 

[lwaters]

Raised cattle all my life and I know a trophy buck killed by a hunter has had a better life than a steer

 

[CAustin]

Very well done! You are a credit to the community in the manner you helped to educate this young fellow! Perfect.

Thank you!
Your second valediction says correctly
"Education is key"

Charlie

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Thanks Phil. You know the guy in Texas is really one of those lost souls who may want do right but doesn't understand that his threats place him in the worst light. And he is sending the cattle off to the slaughter house.

When he threatened me, I lost it a bit. Offered on FB to pick him up at Sky Harbor airport since it is close to my office. It was on another friend's page and in a thread that had nothing to do with hunting. But he saw my avatar and started crap. Emotional keyboard warrior he is. Other friends stepped in and told him he was out of line. It ended well for me but really didn't do much for hunting. I learned yet again to keep my cool from the experience.

 

[CAustin]

Raised cattle all my life and I know a trophy buck killed by a hunter has had a better life than a steer

Exactly Lenny.

 

[Graham Hunter]

Also had a funny incident in Vegas once. My wife and I got on the Hotel elevator with a young lady. She asked if that was a gun case. I said yes. She asked what we were killing. I told her we were not killing but shooting clay pigeons. She asked why would you want to hurt those poor pigeons. Ron White is right you can't fix stupid not even with duct tape.

 

[CAustin]

When he threatened me, I lost it a bit. Offered on FB to pick him up at Sky Harbor airport since it is close to my office. It was on another friend's page and in a thread that had nothing to do with hunting. But he saw my avatar and started crap. Emotional keyboard warrior he is. Other friends stepped in and told him he was out of line. It ended well for me but really didn't do much for hunting. I learned yet again to keep my cool from the experience.

Agreed......keeping cool is the most difficult part of my professional life and thank goodness over the years I have tried to bring the cool into my personal life.
I really was thinking on that plane that things were about to get ugly. People were watching the exchange. So I put on my Regional VP hat so to speak and used techniques that I have employed for years in work to engage the young man. Don't get me wrong .....I wanted to cuss him out but knew that would be counterproductive!

 

[CAustin]

Also had a funny incident in Vegas once. My wife and I got on the Hotel elevator with a young lady. She asked if that was a gun case. I said yes. She asked what we were killing. I told her we were not killing but shooting clay pigeons. She asked why would you want to hurt those poor pigeons. Ron White is right you can't fix stupid not even with duct tape.

Yep Stupid !
By the way why would you want to harm those CLAY birds??? Got To have pity on the stupid people and let them walk on by.

 

[Graham Hunter]

I feel so guilty I have harmed a lot of Clay Birds.

 

[mikeinarkansas]

What's amazing is that he actually listened to what you had to say and thought about it. Usually it's all slogans and those types are closed off to any other viewpoint.

 

[CAustin]

What's amazing is that he actually listened to what you had to say and thought about it. Usually it's all slogans and those types are closed off to any other viewpoint.

Yes it was amazing that he listened!

 

[CAustin]

I actually had an issue with a Stewardess a number of years ago when she saw the hunting stickers on my briefcase. Didn't work well for her but did for me as I got upgraded to 1st class with everything included for the rest of the trip and return.

Upgrades sure are nice!