Welcome to the hunting fold.

You mention that not all hunters are decent stewards of the land. The same is true of many anti-hunting groups. They connect with nature by having large camp outs a few times a year. They hang out in the woods drinking and spouting bull shit - which is a fine activity in camp. Sadly, they absolutely trash the areas they camp in. This wouldn't matter if they stuck to established maintained camp grounds, but they instead tend to hammer a few pristine acres per event. Some friends and I, who are all environmentalists but are not all hunters, have spent days cleaning up after them.

Somehow, they think that buying that raffle ticket entitles them to destroy one more little piece of the environment.

What I try to do is guide anti-hunters on photography trips. The environmentalists among them are often interested and I get to show them how to not wreck things.

You are such an expert on all things.

More likely, the last time you strapped on a pack was to carry your books and the lunch your mom made. At the bus stop, you bullied a skinny kid into carrying it.

Your idea of dog training is probably watching "The Dog Whisperer" on TV - although you stridently disapprove of the methods employed. You clearly know better techniques, and might even write a letter after finishing that bag of chips.

Call BS all you want.

At least I won't have to clean up your mess in the woods. You leave no trace in the outdoors because you stay in your laz-e-boy.

I bow before the arm chair expert.

Hopefully, I've given portlander enough time to get a little steamed. Kinda sux when someone who doesn't know you makes all sorts of assumptions and then spouts nonsense, eh?

In reality, portlander sounds like some of the fellow environmentalists I've worked with. They don't hunt and think I don't get it but do serve a useful purpose. I do hunt and think they don't get it but do serve a useful purpose. That purpose is environmentalism. We put aside our differences for the greater good. Like increasing duck populations or identifying which critters to cull for the good of the herd.

Oh, and if my premise is complete BS, be more specific. Are feral pigs good for the environment? Is it possible I am right in removing feral pigs asap?

Regarding the dog training bit. I've only trained 'em for 35 years. Much of that focused on field tests, but the main issues are obedience, pointing and tracking outside a testing environment. It's nice to have a high scoring dog, but better to have a good companion.

Regarding the bear dogs, they really are trained. I've been on some of those hunts and I confess that I really don't appreciate them. It is true that they often end with a phone call and some texan riding an ATV over to the treed bear. I just want to slap them. They could just as easily buy the damn rug at a garage sale. If you shoot a bear, you should at least take the time to get to know it first.

On the other hand, if I had to choose which side to stand with - anti-hunters or bear dog guys, I'd have to choose the bear dog guys. Take away hunting and the loggers, strip miners, and factory farmers will lay waste the land. There aren't enough anti-hunting enviros to bail against that tide.

Your dog training skills might amaze me, dunno. It sounds like you've settled on what works for you and them. I'm kind of a fan of the dog whisperer because of the way he handles the dog owners. I was taught as a tot the there are no bad dogs, just bad handlers.

Why do I hunt? Largely because I'm not vegan. From there either you outsource or get your hands dirty. I also don't see any moral or ethical dilemma in hunting. As for people who are anti-hunting, most are really anti gun. They have no problem with the circle of life as long as a person isn't in there. On the other hand, I see myself as a part of that circle. Currently near the top of the food chain, but we never know when we'll be suddenly demoted. So it goes.

I understand what you mean by the steel shot v. lead shot battle. One issue, that is kind of silly, is that hunters are unsure of making clean kills with lighter shot like steel. It actually means they have less range. Deal with it. Other than that, there are lots of hunters who see only one problem with moving away from lead. That problem is the anti-gun crowd. They are on record as wanting to end all hunting and all gun ownership. As such, hunters tend to see gun bans and hunting bans in every environmental effort taken by non-hunting organizations.

I am confused, you say you don't see the environmentalism of hunters. Yet you worked on habitat with DU and taught others how to pick the best animal to take. You've also hiked parks and forests that are maintained largely from hunting specific taxes that us hunters pay.

Finally, I think you are confusing trophy hunters with trophy killers. As I said before, I'm not a fan of the bear dogs. Actually, they are illegal in some states. That's fine with me. I do have to pick allies though. They are better allies for me than the anti hunting crowd.