[PinnedAndRecessed]

If you have a fast internet connection, go here:

http://www.cnn.com/

On the right hand side of the page, look for "WATCH VIDEO."

Click on, "Blood Sport Uncovered."

Tell me what you think.

[Byron Quick]

I think the kill takes too long. For the participants to characterize this as a form of hunting is dangerous to all hunters.

[M.E.Eldridge]

I didn't watch the link, but if its on a CNN website, I think it's probably crap.

[Polishrifleman]

I don't mind, yeah maybe the kill takes too long and I didn't watch the whole video so this might have been covered, but I think another angle on the story is how many of those dogs would have been killed after their track days were over had they not been adopted by someone who wants to see them run and kill a rabbit.

[Sergeant Sabre]

Looks fine to me. I wish my dog would run around and bring me wild rabbits. (Then again, the activity in the video may very well utilize farm-raised rabbits planted in a field, which doesn't seem right)

The dogs do seem to go about the kill slowly. What happned to grabbing the thing and shaking it wildly in order to kill it? Isn't that what dogs are supposed to do?

[saddlebum]

off topic, but did anyone see the video about securing the border on that link? looks like that woman has a s&w 642 in an ankle holster.

[Remington788]

Dogs are predators, rabbits are prey. It's just the natural order of things.

If these people think that this is disturbing, they have obviously never seen a coyote play/kill a fawn deer.

[M.E.Eldridge]

Coyote attacks can be pretty nasty. I saw a couple down a doe and start ripping into before it had even hit the ground. They munched around with it for about 30 seconds or so while it was kicking and thrashing about and then killed it or it died or shock/bloodloss. Not the most disturbing thing I've seen but I'm glad I'm not a deer.

[Byron Quick]

My only concern with the video clip is the connection that some make with hunting and the effect that will have on non-hunters who have a vote when it comes to hunting issues that affect the mainstream of hunting. It's bad PR for us all in the eyes of non-hunters.

[PinnedAndRecessed]

I have to agree with Byron.

I haven't hunted since I moved to Kalifornicate but prior to that, lived in the hills of Tennessee. Hunted quite often.

I never liked to see an animal suffer. Any animal. As a hunter I prided myself on a quick (and as painfree as possible) kill.

I don't care for the "sport" in the newscast. It's not necessary for food and gives hunters/shooters/sportsmen a bloodthirsty/sadistic image.

[Grayrock]

It's just a @#$% rabbit. Little buggers are always digging up my field and eating my plants. Wish my dog could stop them.

[Byron Quick]

Grayrock,

Sure, and most rural folk will agree with you. However, look at demographics and notice where most people live nowadays. Unfortunately, those urbanites will be voting on how or whether you and I hunt.

Here in Georgia, the majority of the voters support hunting they perceive as fair chase for food. About 74%. That means that 26% of Georgia voters either don't support hunting even for food or simply don't care enough to say one way or the other.

Trophy hunting does not have a majority of voter support.

Hunting over bait does not have a majority of voter support.

We can either look to our image and the way the non-hunting majority perceive us or we won't have to worry about our image as hunters. Why? Because we won't be hunters any longer.

[Grayrock]

Maybe we can get the same people who are against this kind of thing to fork over the dough to put little bunny barricades, possum perimeters, pepe le pew preventers, armadillo fences and squirrel blockers along all of our roadways so we minimize the number of rodents (et al) maimed by vehicles every year. It's a horrible thing to see a puff of fur in your rearview mirror.

[mfree]

Remember that the internet reaches everyone.

To you with gardens and landscaping, Bugs there may be tularemia-ridden bucktoothed vermin not fit for the pot. To an urbanite it's "oh wook at the fwuffy bunny wabbit, so cyuuuute!"

Perception is rule, here.

[sturmruger]

I wonder why it takes so long to kill the little buggers? My dog Nikki can kill a rabbit in one chomp of her jaws. I will sometimes just nick one and she rushes in to finish them off in seconds.