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Crikey, why did we write about alligator hunting?
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Our Tuesday story about alligator hunting in South Texas evoked a lively online discussion. One reader e-mailed me directly with her concerns about the story. At my request, she elaborated on her concerns:
"To be honest,yes, I oppose hunting of all sorts. But I realize that in this area, there are a lot of people who hunt (one of my former boyfriends was a big hunter, as a matter of fact, and it wasn't a deal-breaker for me; we broke up over other issues) and I expect to see articles about hunting in the local papers. Can't say I like it, but as you said, it is legal, and I know that a lot of people have a legitimate interest in hunting articles. My issue with this particular article is that duct-taping and shooting an animal in the back of the head, be it an alligator, deer, bear, or whatever is NOT hunting in the true sense of the word and displays NO sportsmanship.I once wrote a well-researched paper at UH-V addressing poaching, and it seems to me this would likely fall within that realm. If not illegal, it is certainly unethical and immoral, not to mention inhumane. My offense is taken with the actions of the "man" who killed the creature, not SO much with your reporter, but I don't see why an inhumane story involving such cruelty and bloodthirst toward other species would be considered for a story in a newspaper at all. NO attention or spotlight should be given to such inhumanity as this. There should have been NO story in my opinion. I know I am just one reader, but I hope you will consider my point of view. I appreciate your interest and sincerely hope that you can expound upon the reasons behind your decision as an editor to publish something like this. I sincerely would be against seeing anything this graphic and cruel in the future. I realize it does happen, but that doesn't mean I want to see it in my local newspaper. Thank you."
I appreciate the direct and polite questions this reader posed. I also understand why she might be bothered by this method of hunting, or harvesting. To learn more about this process, Tara suggested this link to the Texas Parks and Wildlife guide on gators.
Tara reports on the environment and coastal living for the Advocate. During gator season, it's natural she wanted to go along on a hunt to see firsthand for herself and our readers how people hunt gators in South Texas.
Her story is an accurate and fair depiction of what happens on a gator hunt. For more on this, please also see photojournalist's Sarah Lim's video here and on our home page.
If you're going to support or oppose gator hunting, you ought to first understand what goes on. I don't understand why people think they're better off not knowing, or better off having their newspaper not report what happens.
Because we report on something happening, please do not take that as support or criticism of the story's subject. Readers commonly assign intentions to our selections when really we're just mostly looking for a good story. A gator hunt is a good story, as evidenced by all of the conversation about it.
If you don't like the news, please don't shoot the messenger.
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I'm not opposed to hunting, as long as the hunters are responsible & eat what they kill. What offended me is the same as SM, the way the gators are hunted. It also didn't sound like the man was planning on eating what he killed, he was more interested in the "trophy" aspects of it. Trophy hunting bothers me. It also made me sad thinking the poor gator was minding his own business, relaxing in his environment, not bothering anyone, when he was hooked & drug up to the boat, fighting it all the way, where he was shot in the head.
October 1, 2008 at 7:41 p.m.I come from a family of farmers, people who lived off the land, so I understand where the food I eat comes from. I just don't want to think about it while I'm eating it...may just turn me into a vegetarian & I really don't want to be one!
I guess I never realized that there were so many people opposed to hunting in South Texas. I understand that people are appalled to hear that after you "hook" a gator, one duct tapes it's (powerful) jaws closed and shoot it in the head. I can see how that sounds inhumane. But even the great Croc Hunter, Steve Irwin used duct tape on the crocs he had to deal with. Yeah yeah, I know it's not the duct tape one is objecting to.
October 1, 2008 at 1:31 p.m.I've been hunting before. I don't like it because I have to be quiet and that ain't easy for me. I don't like to get up early and sit in a cold deer blind, and because I am a woman, I don't like to have to pee outdoors. ( you men love it though). I went hog hunting with my husband during the first year of our marriage. We were being "sportsmanlike"... we used our bow & arrows. Well, the way my husband hunts for hogs is, he has a 30 foot stand, which is basically a 30 foot tripod with a ladder and a plastic seat on top. I'm afraid of heights. I found out I'm afraid of hogs, too! Especially those that are as big as Volkswagons! Incidently, hubby never invited me hunting again.
For those people who are vegeterians and vegans, good for you! But broccolli has feelings too! But you won't find many people protesting at the salad bar now will you?
To each his own. If it is legal to hunt alligators, let it be. It's called "Wildlife Management". I don't want to, but I'm not going to judge someone who does. I'll eat wild hog, venison, buffalo, nalgi, dove, quail, duck or what have you. I like beef, chicken and pork (domestic). I don't feel that it makes me a bad person to enjoy it. Jesus ate meat.
Littlebluebook, you had yourself a vegetarian secretary but certainly not a vegan secretary! Vegans do not eat ANY animal products, even those that do not require the killing of animals - eggs, cheese, yogurt, etc. Vegans can eat soy cheese, but I've never heard of any Whataburger offering that option.
BTW I was born and raised in Victoria and nobody in my immediate family hunts.
October 1, 2008 at 12:41 p.m.GO LBB. Wait until someone's dog, or heaven forbid-their kid, gets snapped up by a gator and see what they holler about then.
October 1, 2008 at 1:55 a.m.