Deer Feeders? Are we talking about livestock or deer? These ugly machines are certainly taking the "wild" out of wildlife; the natural out of nature; and the hunt out of hunting!
We feed pets, livestock, zoo animals; but wildlife only in an emergency. These may be the worst devices ever made for deer and deer hunters.
Some don't realize that this may completely change deer hunting. This teaches the deer to come to eat, rather than the hunter to hunt.
I compare it to beer or marijuana. They may or may not be bad, but they are often the beginning of a downward spiral into a loss of values and eventual addiction.
Some can build a case that makes feeding wildlife seem reasonable, but it can eventually lead us to less authentic wildlife, less authentic hunting, and to simply killing animals.
Many organizations understand that there are numerous problems with feeding wildlife. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says: PLEASE! Keep'em wild!Don't Feed The Wildlife (a pdf)
Authentic deer hunters get satisfaction from using their skill to read the sign, the wind, to study and plan, to be alert, and finally to make the shot. A real hunter would be ashamed of taking a deer trained to come to a machine to eat.
Unfortunately, it is legal in some places, and becoming more accepted. Some will do anything to get what they want, in the quickest, easiest, way.
Other sports are having similar problems with steroids, lying, cheating, gambling, almost anything to win. Read also: Ethical Hunting & Ego
Immediate gratification is replacing skill, ethics, honesty, responsibility, work... Many of us are in a great rush to "get it all" for ourselves; hopefully we won't destroy "it all" for our kids.
"Hunters" justify using deer feeders in various ways. They say they want to grow trophy deer with big racks. Some of them may have trophy wives with big (unnatural) racks at home. The deer may just get fat and lazy like so many of us.
A young hunter's easy success will help him to get started. What do you learn about hunting while sitting and watching a machine? That you lure them in and kill them? That you can buy something rather than learn hunting skills? That hunting is all about the kill?
Real authentic hunters pay dues, they work, study, and learn the skills needed to harvest a deer. It's not 'that' difficult!
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