spikekiller Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 (edited) My little joke thread last week about me giving up hunting and joining with the animal rights group got me to thinking(i know its rare but happens from time to time) about something. What if your best hunting partner did quit hunting...not because of health reasons or the likes but quits and then goes all out in agreement with the animal rights people. Could you still be friends with him/her or do you think the friendship would end there and now? Or what about a family member is/becomes a animal rights activist...could you still have a relationship with the person? Maybe somebody has already faced something like this if so how did you handle it? Edited December 8, 2008 by spikekiller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCH Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 I'll miss him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andrea Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 As long as they kept their fanaticism to themselves and didn't harp on me about my hunting....then maybe. My best friend isn't a hunter and is quite the animal lover.....but she respects that I hunt and I respect the fact that she doesn't want to hear about my latest kill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NS whitetail Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 I wouldn't end a friendship over it, as long as they didn't start to nag on me, if they did, then I'd tell them to buzz off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoods07 Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 Hard to imagine:rolleyes: BUT...I guess I could be tolerant as long as he wasn't a fanatic and imposed his thoughts on me. If his antics got out of hand (protesting, his attire, etc), I would say good riddance. I have several friends that haven't left the city and can't imagine killing an animal, but I'm proud of what I do and feel that I'm well informed as to both sides of the argument. For those reasons, I can still tolerate their company:D Good thread btw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 I wouldn't end a friendship over it, as long as they didn't start to nag on me, if they did, then I'd tell them to buzz off Ditto. Hopefully the friendship is bigger than a hobby like hunting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 I'll miss him. Call me shallow or whatever, but I would agree with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontHunter Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 I'll miss him. Yep ... Call me shallow or whatever, but I would agree with that. And another Yep .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straight Shooter Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 I can remember the day he quit hunting after he had shot a squirrel and felt bad about it. We had hunted for years together and something about that squirrel that day ended it for him. I still hunt hard and he hasn't picked a weapon back up since and that was over 20 years ago and we are still friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 i actually had that happen. my best friend didn't like hunting. but, one year, asked me if we could hunt together. so we got a rifle, went sighting in, and after 100 plus rounds through the new gun, we were ready to hunt. opening day in 1976 we went out. it was early when i spotted a nice buck antelope. we snuk (sp?) up on it, crawling the last 50 yards. i put the spotting scope on it and confirmed it was a good buck. i said load up and get him. one shot later, he was down. a good, swift, clean kill by my aspiring new hunter. we walked up on the kill, and it suffered no ground shrinkage. she started crying, handed me her gun, and never hunted again. my wife is my best friend then and now. she tried hunting, and hated it. it didn't affect our friendship one iota, and she still encourages me to go and enjoy my hunts. she's even bought me sheep hunts back when they were only $10,000. each... my point, of course, is that folks change. i wouldn't be much of a friend if i dumped my best friend because he, or she, changed her mind on hunting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCH Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Some of you are missing parts of the question, heck some aren't even in the same ballpark:D:D. Part of the question involves the friend becoming a animal rights activist. Not just a non-hunter...an actual "activist". I've got several friends that don't hunt. I've got several that actually cringe when I even mention hunting, but they're far from being animal rights activists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clrj3514 Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 probly couldnt be as close to them because we'd argue to much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Kat Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 I'd kick him in the shins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 i wouldn't be much of a friend if i dumped my best friend because he, or she, changed her mind on hunting. Yup. Hunting is not my life and most of my friends are either non hunters or former hunters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 i have friends who are total liberals, and it doesn't affect my conservative values. i have friends who are jewish, and it doesn't affect my christian beliefs. i have no black friends who hunt, but i still hunt. and i have family members (niece and sister in law) who are members of peta. they are still family. i have a wife who doesn't like steak. i eat steak 2-3 times a week. i'm not a one issue friend. i'm open to all ideas, and i don't think i have all the anseres. (just most of them... lol). i value, and respect, my friends decisions even if i disagree with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 I have a lot of friends who do not hunt and never have. It doesn't make any difference to me. There are a lot of different issues in life other than hunting! Since I have quit hunting, I do not look at hunters any different than when I was hunting! I just can't make it out there anymore! I have had several people tell me they would take care of any animal I have shot. That to me is not the answer. If I can't take care of my own animal, I am going to give it up and that is what I did! The last animal I shot was an elk and the only thing I did was to pull the trigger. Everything else was done by someone else. I did not enjoy it one bit! I did enjoy eating it though! I would never base friendship only hunting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 ....my point, of course, is that folks change. i wouldn't be much of a friend if i dumped my best friend because he, or she, changed her mind on hunting. Very Good Point... I've never had a friend who changed from being a Hunter to becoming an Animal Rights person...so I cant comment on that part of it. But a friendship should be bigger than that in my opinion. People make choices everyday...sometimes those choices are enough to break what you thought was a friendship and as it turns out was'nt as deep of one as you thought. Wish them Good Luck in thier lives and walk away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCH Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 I attend the Animal Rescue and Kare(ARK) benefit every year. Although I'm not a member, I believe in most of the views on the SPCA. If my friend were to quit hunting because they believed it was wrong, but didn't go activist on me.....we'd still be good friends. The word "activist" is the trigger for me. An activist to me is one of those guys throwing red paint on fur coats or the ones boycotting local diners because they serve hamburgers. That would be a deal breaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 I attend the Animal Rescue and Kare(ARK) benefit every year. Although I'm not a member, I believe in most of the views on the SPCA. If my friend were to quit hunting because they believed it was wrong, but didn't go activist on me.....we'd still be good friends. The word "activist" is the trigger for me. An activist to me is one of those guys throwing red paint on fur coats or the ones boycotting local diners because they serve hamburgers. That would be a deal breaker. Yeah, but a knucklehead like that wouldn't be associated with you to begin with. In your scenario though, I'd probably not associate with someone like that, mostly because he/she is a scofflaw. My motto with friends is that I won't burn a bridge, what they do is up to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Call me shallow or whatever, but I would agree with that. Me too. It was our love of hunting that made us friends to begin with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Finn Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Non hunter, no problem. Activist, probably could be distant acquaintances, but not friends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Not missing anything here, so long as they did not harp on me I would try to continue to keep the friendship. Realistically though I could see where it would be awkward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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