Eating meat. What is your stance?

[NewbieShepherdGirl]

I was raised a farm girl, so I've eaten many of the animals I've raised. Some of the lambs we'd have butchered I'd raise from newborns and show them in the fair. At first it's kinda hard, but you learn to think of it as, "It's not a pet. It's livestock." We treat our animals very very well, and I was raised to have an overall respect for the animals. That being said, they're here for us, so eating them is part of life.

Now, I personally don't like very much meat. It is not some ethical objection I have to it, but more a taste preference. I like lamb, some chicken, and some fish, but that's about it. I don't like beef at all. I will eat it if I am served it, because I don't like to be rude, but of my own volition I don't cook it. Same with pork (with the exception of bacon). That being said, I will cook either one of those meats for my family (I love love love to cook); I just eat cereal while they eat a steak lol!

[NewbieShepherdGirl]

Originally Posted by Kyleigh

Luckily for me, food isn't really a "thing" and I can take it or leave it! I only eat b/c I get hungry!

Me too! I'm glad there's someone else out there that gets it! I love, love, love to cook. I spend so much time looking at recipes online and in different cookbooks, but as far as eating goes...meh...I do when I get hungry, but it doesn't take much to fill me up, and I'm not hungry real often.

[billsharp]

I love to eat meat. We are evolved and genetically programmed to consume meat, although we could give it up. I choose to consume.

I was raised keeping a small herd of cattle and we processed a calf every year for meat. Having participated the killing and dressing, I have no problem with the process, although I don't think that it should be purposefully or unnecessarily cruel.

Although I don't object to hunting for sport, and am comfortable talking with buddies about hunting, I am too tender-hearted to shoot animals for fun. It is not particularly fun for me.

[Freestep]

Originally Posted by billsharp

I am too tender-hearted to shoot animals for fun. It is not particularly fun for me.

That is one thing I never could understand: trophy hunting. Sure, keep the rack on a nice buck or use the bear skin as a rug. But killing a big game animal you can't eat or use in any way? Like a lion or leopard? I just don't get it. It seems like wanton waste to me. In fact, killing animals just for fun and not using the remains is a crime in some places, like Alaska.

To me, there are only a few GOOD reasons to kill an animal. One is for food. One is for self-defense or defense of livestock. Another is if the animal is suffering. But killing an animal just for bragging rights? "I'm such a badass cause I shot a beautiful male lion that was minding its own business." Sorry, I don't understand that.

[Questforfire]

I eat meat - beef, chicken, bacon mainly. My dogs eat meat. I live on a farm and we have sheep and Highland cattle. I am not keen on pork or fish, I do like lamb chops, but don't eat much lamb at all. All our animals lead a natural, healthy and mostly organic life, but can't always guarantee their end, as many are sold at market and could go one of a few ways (bought for breeding, for meat or for fattening up etc)

I wish all animals could be raised as naturally as possible and be treated with kindness and respect, and be humanely slaughtered either at small, local abattoirs or actually on the farm where they are raised/kept.

If I had to kill my own animals for meat, I would definitely become a vegetarian.

I, too, abhor trophy hunting.

[selzer]

I think there is more to hunting, then driving up close to where the game animal is, and waiting for a few minutes, and when it comes along, shooting it.

I think a lot of it is being one with nature, being out there in the woods, and being able to look at the signs and hunt for the animal without getting lost, etc. You might walk for 6 or 8 hours and not see anything to shoot at. But if you do, see a critter, you must know if it is in season, a good specimen, in some cases male or female, and then you need to shoot it, preferably on the wing if it is a bird.

Then you have to go and find it, if it was a proper shot, a bird or rabbit will go down pretty much where you shot it. Larger animals might run for quite a distance before they quit.

Then you have to field dress it. I think this has to appeal only to the naturalist. Yuck, but you have to know how to get the guts and sex glands out, if you do not want the meat spoiled.

Then you have to haul it out of the woods and get it home or to whoever will process it for you.

If you have a hunting dog, it is seriously interesting and enjoyable to watch a dog do what it was bred for: watching a setter hunt, and then set, holding a bird with its eyes. Watching a a dog flush out the game. Watching them get birdy. Watching them retrieve or point. I am sure those who hunt with hounds have a list of their own hound-dog related hunting stuff that is just awesome to watch.

We have herding dogs. And it is exciting and interesting to watch our dogs do that.

I have no problem with trophy hunting. Limits are put on all critters. These are determined by the department of wildlife. If no more than that many animals are harvested, their numbers will be fine and it will be better for the remaining animals and the other game if the overage of these animals are culled.