OldGreyEagle 5 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 So, spun off from the thread on Extreme Distance Shooting. Hunting is an activity that Venturers may do. Hunting is an elective for the Ranger Award. From time to time there is talk of a Hunting merit badge. What are the thoughts on the Ethics of Hunting Link to post Share on other sites
Trevorum 24 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 If you kill, you should eat it. Link to post Share on other sites
le Voyageur 72 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 My own thinking is that BSA could be, and should be at the fore front of creating Venture hunting programs that promotes a strong sense of ethics on hunting, and firearms use. However, I would prefer that it stay at the Venture level, and not offered as a MB, unless BSA can put a strict, no exception age limit on the MB, with a fixed number of MBC's that can sign off on the MB, say one per District... Link to post Share on other sites
Gunny2862 11 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Can we stipulate that there are non-game animals that we kill as nuisances and don't eat - or is that going to be too big a stretch? Link to post Share on other sites
Papadaddy 121 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Like the dog next door that wants to rip my throat out every time I pull up in my driveway? Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 If you have a dog next door that can get to you before you get to the house, you are way to in town to be discharging a firearm. SHooting the dog is out, then again a small baseball bat or billy club to the skull could be effective, in self-defense mode of course Then what follows would be the Taxidermy merit badge, if you kill it, you mount it... Link to post Share on other sites
perdidochas 658 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 I'd keep it the way it is--as part of Venturing. Link to post Share on other sites
Gunny2862 11 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 I was thinking of small nuisance ground living animals that create nuisances to horses and their riders and that left unchecked will take over your property and make the entire thing unrideable land unless you are willing to risk maiming the horse. Link to post Share on other sites
Trevorum 24 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 I don't consider that to be hunting. We don't generally eat varmints. Link to post Share on other sites
Beavah 205 Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Yah, but as Bill Murray demonstrated, if you're goin' after gophers, it's more fun to use explosives. I think it's perfectly right and proper to teach young men how to handle firearms responsibly and to hunt ethically and responsibly. I think havin' youth in contact with formal programs and other adult members besides their family or their buddies only enhances their experience and their safety. I think whatever the state law sets as the minimum age should be the minimum age the BSA considers for its programs, because that's the age our boys are likely to be goin' out outside of scouting. So if we as an organization want to have an impact on citizenship and ethics and safety, that's the age where we have to reach 'em. 'round these parts, that would include most or all Boy Scouts. Beavah Link to post Share on other sites
ghermanno 11 Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 This is a "touchy" subject. I believe that Scouting shuld teach a youth how to properly use/care/protect the outdoors. That being said, I know too many parents that would allow the Scout to shoot something so long as he doesn't touch it after the fact. How could we, the Scouters, ensure that "little Johnny" will ensure that the animal is killed with minimal pain inflicted and not wasted or left to die in the wilderness? BSA would not allow it as they would see the Scouts shooting at anything that moves (including other Scouts) and do not want the liability for that. I have seen what happens when someone plays "games" with firearms. A Marine accidentally shot his friend while playing "Cowboys & Indians" with M16's. Not pretty. I think, unfortunately for thos of us that love the outdoors & hunting, that we must allow the "parents" to train the youth or send them to "hunting courses". My style of hunting nowadays is with a telescopic lens and digital camera. My $0.02 for what it is worth. Rick Link to post Share on other sites
Basementdweller 608 Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 I wonder what National's vision for allowing Crews to hunt was????? What was the intent????? I don't think it was sitting on a Ridge or hill with a spotting scope blowing away Prairie dogs or Ground Hogs at 500 or 1000 yards.... It simply seem inappropriate to me, just think when one of the Crew members takes a video of the Crew blowing away some prairie dogs and then post it on You Tube....Gets picked up by a huffington or other news outlet and goes viral.... Irregardless of how you believe the City Dwellers don't understand killing animals for no other reason than you can. I think the vision was Duck hunting, or upland game hunting over a dog with shotguns.....Deer hunting with legal weapons, bow or firearm. There are lessons to be learned doing these, beyond just simply pulling the trigger.... I wonder how the BSA would feel about the Crews participating in organized competition.... Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 Seeing as how a Venturing Crew may be registered as a Sports Crew, I think the BSA is ok with Crews in organized competition and there is the Varsity Program which again is sports and competition oriented As I understand it, the thought of National in allowing hunting is to teach young adults responsible firearm handling and firearm ethics. Note that to complete the elective you don't HAVE to kill anything, although you do need to plan and carry out a hunt These are the requirements for the Hunting Elective in the Outdoor area of Venturing 1. a.Successfully complete a hunter education course offered by your state wildlife/conservation agency. b.Learn and explain the requirements to become a volunteer hunter education instructor in your state. c.Explain how to report a wildlife-related violation to the appropriate law enforcement agency. 2.Do 2(a), (b), or ©.a.Successfully complete a bowhunter education course offered by your state or the National Bowhunter Education Foundation. b.Successfully complete a National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association Rifle Basic course. c.Participate in a National Rifle Association-International Hunter Education Association Youth Hunter Education Challenge event sponsored by your state. 3.Do 3(a), (b), or ©.a.Assist a certified hunter education instructor with a hunter education course. Review the ERHIC (Educational Tools for Hunters: Improving Choices) materials provided by Tread Lightly! and the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America to see how they can be used in the course. b.Either plan or assist in putting on a National Hunting and Fishing Day program. c.Talk with a game warden/conservation officer about his/her job. If possible, observe/assist at a game check station in your state. 4.Plan and carry out a hunting trip approved by an Advisor. 5.Make a tabletop display or presentation on what you have learned for your crew, another crew, a Cub or Boy Scout group, or another youth group. Link to post Share on other sites
Trevorum 24 Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 "... the City Dwellers don't understand killing animals for no other reason than you can." (emphasis added) ??? I'm not sure I understand, either ... Link to post Share on other sites
Tampa Turtle 1011 Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Had a conversation with a Star--a good boy--at a campout this weekend. "We should do a paintball campout." "Well", I said "BSA doesn't really want you to do that. You can organize your patrol to do that unofficially." "Why the heck not?" said the Star "I guess BSA doesn't like you looking all militaristic and shooting at people" He replied "Are you kidding? When we boys are Rifle Shooting at summer camp that is all we are thinking about!". Link to post Share on other sites
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