Royals Against Hunting

[Curryong]

I don't think Prince Charles shoots any more and hasn't for several years, though he still fishes. His sons do but I read that their father stopped, whether for ethical reasons or boredom with the sport, or arthritis in his shooting shoulder or what, I don't know.

[Ish]

Originally Posted by Curryong

I don't think Prince Charles shoots any more and hasn't for several years, though he still fishes. His sons do but I read that their father stopped, whether for ethical reasons or boredom with the sport, or arthritis in his shooting shoulder or what, I don't know.

Charles still shoots, or did as recently as 2014.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/...shooting-party

[Curryong]

It says in that article though that he hadn't been seen with a gun or in a shooting party since 2008. I think it must have been two or three years ago that I read that Charles had stopped. If it leaked that he had stopped shooting and that was for PR purposes, to boost his environmental image, then no wonder Charles was annoyed when he was spotted.

[Ish]

I think it might more be that he's mostly stopped being photographed while hunting, and doesn't do the big more public hunts that his sons still do.

If I remember correctly, the DoE has stopped hunting for health reasons - he had to stop shooting after he was fitted with a stent in his heart because doctors were concerned the blow back from a gun would disrupt it (or something to that extent, I can't find the article that I read about it).

[Von Schlesian]

Originally Posted by Countessmeout

And no one is stopping them from hunting birds and deer. They simply cant use hounds to kill (they can be used to flush out). Fox hunting is barbaric, it isn't hunting in any sense (the dogs do the killing) and I pray it is never legal again.

Deer have to be culled to conserve both the vegetation and the species of deer, it is a government requirement for estates to remove a certain number of stags and hinds each year. If this practice was halted, over breeding would cause devastation to the natural vegetation and the herds would ultimately starve to death in huge numbers. The beasts are selected for stalking by gamekeepers or ghillies, who are aware of the age and health of the stags. This way, they can ensure a humane end to their lives in the case of the weaker deer, who may not otherwise survive the coming winter. Deer stalking is absolutely a question of conservation, despite the popularity with foreign businessmen and oligarchs, who pay vast sums for the chance to participate in the cull and in so doing, contribute to the tourism industry in more remote parts of the UK.

As for fox hunting, hounds are no longer allowed to be set on the fox for the kill, but rather a huntsman is required to dispatch the fox cleanly. It depend which side of the fence one sits. Some would also consider the gratuitous murder of livestock by foxes, who kill in many more numbers than they mean, or are able to consume, to be barbaric. Farmers still have to kill foxes as part of pest control, whether or not they have been chased from their covert by a field of mounted hunters or not.

[Countessmeout]

I don't recall saying I had a problem with deer hunting. I am more than aware that it is used for conservation.

I called fox hunting, and by that I mean the sport where people ride horses and have dogs tear apart the foxes, barbaric. Foxes are not barbaric, they are animals, they act on nature and instinct. Barbaric is a conscious act of savage cruelty. Animals lack the conscious capability of that. Yes, foxes kill livestock, and yes farmers have every right to protect their animals and kill them if needed. That is not the same as fox hunting (the sport).

[Von Schlesian]

Countessmeout, my description of the culling of deer was not directed at you specifically, but in response to your having mentioned it, to the readers generally.

Murder of livestock is cruel and foxes destroy in far greater numbers than simply to sustain their own lives. That current practice of hunting requires the clean and swift dispatch of foxes, rather than a violent death from the hounds. Many of the hunts in the United Kingdom practice drag hunting, where the hounds and field follow a trail of scent laid down over the hunt country. This provides exercise for the hounds and horses and helps preserve this traditional aspect of rural lifestyle.

Though she hasn't been mentioned in this thread, Princess Michael of Kent has made no secret of her fondness for hunting but as with most, it is more for the thrill and challenge of keeping up with the field and accompanying the pack, than the pursuit of foxes.

[maria-olivia]

This is an old Story and not against hunting who was popular at that time.
Grand Duchess Charlotte and Prince Felix of Luxembourg went to a hunting in Belgium, incognito.
When the went back to Luxembourg the weather was that bad that they decided to sleep in a Hôtel à la Barrière de Champlon. (Ardennes)
They entered a hotel, they looked a bit dirty and were refused for the night.
They went to the hôtel at the other side of the road and were accepted.
To the first Hôtel they send a Card with the compliments of Their Royal Highnesses the Grand Duchess and the Prince of Luxembourg !

[Princess Squirrel]

Foxes do not kill multiple times to be 'barbaric.' It is a proven fact that, if they have the time and leisure to do it, they will bury the excess carcasses and come back to uncover and eat them when they are hungry again. Rather like you buying in bulk at the supermarket. It isn't only squirrels who bury food. Lots of birds do it, leopards store carcasses in trees and hence the traditional scenario of dogs burying bones. Caching food is a common survival strategy. Animals wouldn't think to be 'cruel.' That is a human trait.

[Princess Squirrel]

I signed a petition asking Prince Harry to give up hunting. The petition mentioned that he failed to go on the Boxing Day shoot at Sandringham because Meghan asked him not to go. I love this girl more and more!

It's funny how everybody thinks Meghan has to do a lot of adapting and compromising now she has decided to marry her Prince. However it is not as one-sided as people might imagine. She has already, so it's said, got her fiancé to quit smoking, now it looks as though hunting has stopped too.

I really hope it is true. There are plenty of fun outdoor activities that the royal men can partake in besides hunting. Polo, skiing (no need to go abroad, the UK does have one ski resort at Aviemore in Scotland, not that they cannot afford going to Switzerland etc), golf, surfing, which William and Harry like to do.

If they really like to shoot there's target shooting, clay-pigeon shooting and even paintballing.

Princess Diana didn't like hunting, so it would be great for Harry to honour her memory by giving it up too.

[Countessmeout]

Originally Posted by Princess Squirrel

I signed a petition asking Prince Harry to give up hunting. The petition mentioned that he failed to go on the Boxing Day shoot at Sandringham because Meghan asked him not to go. I love this girl more and more!

It's funny how everybody thinks Meghan has to do a lot of adapting and compromising now she has decided to marry her Prince. However it is not as one-sided as people might imagine. She has already, so it's said, got her fiancé to quit smoking, now it looks as though hunting has stopped too.

I really hope it is true. There are plenty of fun outdoor activities that the royal men can partake in besides hunting. Polo, skiing (no need to go abroad, the UK does have one ski resort at Aviemore in Scotland, not that they cannot afford going to Switzerland etc), golf, surfing, which William and Harry like to do.

If they really like to shoot there's target shooting, clay-pigeon shooting and even paintballing.

Princess Diana didn't like hunting, so it would be great for Harry to honour her memory by giving it up too.

I am sorry but who said Harry gave up hunting? A tabloid with no source

Harry missed a boxing day shoot, which is nothing new. Many royals miss events like that. Harry was boar hunting in Germany only weeks before, with a German prince friend of his. Meghan had no issue with that.

While I am not a fan at all of hunting, I only protest when it is 'game hunting' as in for trophies. If the food being hunted is actually being consumed, either by them or sold which it is, there is a huge difference. Or if they were using inhumane ways of hunting (fox) or they are killing endangered species.

[Princess Squirrel]

Originally Posted by Countessmeout

I am sorry but who said Harry gave up hunting? A tabloid with no source

Harry missed a boxing day shoot, which is nothing new. Many royals miss events like that. Harry was boar hunting in Germany only weeks before, with a German prince friend of his. Meghan had no issue with that.

While I am not a fan at all of hunting, I only protest when it is 'game hunting' as in for trophies. If the food being hunted is actually being consumed, either by them or sold which it is, there is a huge difference. Or if they were using inhumane ways of hunting (fox) or they are killing endangered species.

The tabloids had nothing to do with it. It was a petition on a petition website. Do you think the birds shot at Sandringham are just an overpopulation of birds? No, they are bred specifically to be blasted out of the sky, shot, and if not cleanly killed, like many, may be lucky enough to be found and have their necks wrung. Otherwise they die slowly in agony. They are not all eaten. Of course the hunters would have you believe this. In fact so many are killed that they cannot give them away. Many are simply buried.

I like our royal family but their love of blood lust makes me deeply ashamed of them. I hope it is a true story, but if not, shame on Harry. It's perverse that he campaigns for some species to be conserved, while blasting hundreds of others to death. Who decides which species are 'worthy' and which not? Overpopulation? Humans are the biggest destroyers of the environment on the planet and nobody suggests we blast humans to death by the thousands!

[Countessmeout]

Originally Posted by Princess Squirrel

The tabloids had nothing to do with it. It was a petition on a petition website. Do you think the birds shot at Sandringham are just an overpopulation of birds? No, they are bred specifically to be blasted out of the sky, shot, and if not cleanly killed, like many, may be lucky enough to be found and have their necks wrung. Otherwise they die slowly in agony. They are not all eaten. Of course the hunters would have you believe this. In fact so many are killed that they cannot give them away. Many are simply buried.

I like our royal family but their love of blood lust makes me deeply ashamed of them. I hope it is a true story, but if not, shame on Harry. It's perverse that he campaigns for some species to be conserved, while blasting hundreds of others to death. Who decides which species are 'worthy' and which not? Overpopulation? Humans are the biggest destroyers of the environment on the planet and nobody suggests we blast humans to death by the thousands!

The petition may have been where you heard Harry gave up hunting because of Meghan but what was the petition's source???? A tabloid that printed a story claiming Meghan had got Harry to give up hunting. Anyone who takes unnamed sources like this as truth without taking a cruise ship of a salt with it, needs to rethink how they read news.

The reality is Harry was hunting in Germany since his engagement. So clearly Meghan hasn't forbidden him from hunting.

You clearly have little understanding of conservation of animals. Perhaps before blasting people for hypocracy, do some research. If you don't understand the difference between slaughtering a rhino for its horn (when they are almost extinct) and shooting ducks for meat, you need to do some reading on the subject.

There are strict rules about how many animals can be killed at a time. Guidelines to protect how many animals are killed. It keeps the population strong within an area. The money used for things like hunting licenses are used to pay for nature conservation and other work.

I am the hugest animal lover you will meet. But you really do need to actually do some research before blasting people when you don't have a good foundation.

[Princess Larisa]

Originally Posted by Princess Squirrel

The tabloids had nothing to do with it. It was a petition on a petition website. Do you think the birds shot at Sandringham are just an overpopulation of birds? No, they are bred specifically to be blasted out of the sky, shot, and if not cleanly killed, like many, may be lucky enough to be found and have their necks wrung. Otherwise they die slowly in agony. They are not all eaten. Of course the hunters would have you believe this. In fact so many are killed that they cannot give them away. Many are simply buried.

I like our royal family but their love of blood lust makes me deeply ashamed of them. I hope it is a true story, but if not, shame on Harry. It's perverse that he campaigns for some species to be conserved, while blasting hundreds of others to death. Who decides which species are 'worthy' and which not? Overpopulation? Humans are the biggest destroyers of the environment on the planet and nobody suggests we blast humans to death by the thousands!

Are you a vegetarian?
If yes, I totally understand how this would distress you.
If no, then this post is totally nonsensical.

Meghan, btw, is not vegetarian and has actually talked about eating game. Therefore it would be highly hypocritical of her to ask Harry to give up hunting.

[Princess Squirrel]

Yes I am a vegetarian and I find it deeply insulting, as someone who has studied animal rights for 35 years, to be told to 'do some research.' I don't need to research to know that humans don't need meat any more than they need rhino horn.

I don't see how anyone who doesn't personally know Harry and Meghan can possibly conclude Meghan 'doesn't have a problem' with Harry boar hunting. All you can logically conclude is that she failed to stop him going. My husband went through a phase of smoking for 4 years. Does one therefore conclude that I 'have no problem with him smoking?' Actually yes I did, tried to persuade him to give up the whole time until he finally did.

I won't be taking any further part in this discussion as it is obvious that there is a huge pro-hunting lobby here and I won't be patronised by those members. I shall continue to not tell anyone I support the BRF out of shame for their love of hunting.

Btw your 'conservation' arguement has been used in Africa to justify shooting elephants, to encourage rich Americans to pay money to stalk and kill elephants. The people who sell the permits argue that the money made 'helps with conservation.' All I see is elephants getting rarer and rarer. They also breed animals like lions specifically for 'canned hunts.'

Don't bother posting a patronising reply, I won't be reading it. You've upset me a great deal Countessmeout.

[Spheno]

I find it deeply insulting that people think that it's acceptable to meddle in other people's life.

[King of the Jungle]

Interesting that Meghan is not a vegetarian.
If that is so then she would be hypocritcal to want Harry to give up hunting.
Harry is a great shot and only shoots in an organised way to help contain numbers to maintain a healthy habitat for future sustainability.
The fact of a pheasant or a deer living happily for years in the wild being shot by a licensed shooter, and suffering a quick death is not a cruel way to obtain meat for the table.

[Jacknch]

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