Issue link: http://ssaansw.uberflip.com/i/1059218
Opinion - Tasty Rewards It was astounding to read an article published by ABC News that read "Ethically-sourced meat: Kill your own pig and reap the tasty rewards". Of course, we had to read it. Whilst in the end it wasn't actually hunting related, it did manage to stir up a sense of frustration that we know all hunters feel. Let us explain why. The article presents a position about the eating and buying habits of consumers with regard to meat products and how this has changed over time. We always find it interesting that consumers, albeit a small percentage, have this desire to ensure that their products, especially meat, is ethically sourced with this penchant for choosing free-range products due to a perceived higher regard and consideration given to the animals' wellbeing, their quality of life and ultimately their quality of death. Apparently, it has become the norm for one to ask their butcher where their meat comes from, with somewhat of an overwhelming acceptance when animals have been raised on farms. Free-range farms obviously take precedence, and, in the referred story, a pig pen half the size of a tennis court is considered free-range. However, on the other side of the spectrum is a blind distaste towards recreational hunters that have the same ability to carry out the humane and ethical dispatch of wild animals, harvesting the meat for their own personal consumption. Somehow, recreational hunters are considered barbaric with some sort of blood lust and thrill for killing. Recreational hunters are no different to the chef who featured in this story, or even other high-profile chefs such as Matt Moran in his TV series "Paddock to Plate". The manner and respect we show for our quarry is equivalent to theirs, and we are equally rewarded by being able to feed our family and friends truly free-range, organic, ethically sourced meat. Ultimately, the pig in this story met its' demise with a well-placed bullet to the brain from the farmer's rifle. It folded and was dead before it hit the ground. To the reporter, it was an acceptable practice in the hands of a skilled operator. Is that not what we, recreational hunters, are too? Our hunting pursuits often take extended manhours and resources to find and harvest the right meat for the table, something that is often overlooked by the ill-informed anti-hunting movement. However, it's not always just about the harvest. Our exploits have residual effects far beyond the dinner table. The opportunity to remove feral animals in aid of conserving our precious natural environment and preventing them from competing with livestock for food or damaging crops is just one other such reward we are gifted for the time and effort we put into our chosen recreation. 30 Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW) Inc.