Anybody see the 60 minutes segment on exotic big game hunting in Texas?

[davmat787]

I have no issue with hunting, but it should be done with bows or spears.

Want a rush? Go bear hunting with only a recurve bow and a Bowie knife.

The chances of making a humane kill with those weapons is next to nil however. Chances are the bear would run off with an arrow or two stuck in it and perhaps have a slow agonizing death due to infection.

For big game in Africa, there is a minimum cartridge that is legally allowed. The game departments want to ensure you have adequate stopping power to ensure as clean of a kill as possible. IIRC, the minimum allowed in Africa is the .375 H&H, aka "The Queen of Africa".

I am not a hunter, but I do realize it is an important part of conservation. Long ago we upset the natural balance of predator/prey in North America. Without a controlled Deer hunt for example, the Deer population would swing wildly between out of control population growth to starvation and lack of genetic diversity. Plus if you look up just how much land has been bought through hunting fees and licenses, a lot of good is done through a managed hunt. I don't remember the exact numbers, but the amount of money and land reclaimed was very impressive. Plus that money funds all sorts of other conservation and education programs.