The Definition of a Sportsman (5 of 7)

A Sportsman is an Animal Activist

In a recent episode of “30 Days”, George Snedeker, an avid hunter from North Carolina, is placed in a home with a family of vegans from L.A. for 30 days. The family is active in the local affiliate of PETA. George does not understand nor agree with the vegans reasoning for not eating meat, but he is a good sport about participating in a protest against fur and at a protest at a local fast food chain restaurant. He also takes part in the family’s meatless meals. There is no dramatic philosophical shift by either George the hunter or the vegans from LA after 30 days together, but that wasn’t expected. What did happen was a small change of attitude by George regarding industrial farming practices when he was exposed to how some animals are housed and mistreated. He experienced the animal abuse first hand when he participated in a rescue of a wheezing sick calf that was left on its own in an open field to die. George took the stray calf to a local animal rescue and nursed the calf back to health. The experience created a bond that helped George realize that he had more in common with the vegans from L.A. than he thought. He discovered he too was an animal activist.

This was not a dramatic shift in George Snedeker’s philosophy, however. George, an avid deer hunter and outdoors man, believes in making use of the whole animal and not wasting, a value shared by all sportsmen. There is also a correct way to harvest an animal, taking a shot that is within a hunter’s ability that will result in a quick kill. Witnessing sickened cows being “horsed” into cattle cars with front end loaders and the experience of rescuing the calf left for dead gave George perspective on where the burger for his Big Mac or Whopper comes from.

A sportsman is an animal activist. A sportsman takes pride in a successful hunt and shows respect for the animal that will become a meal, but he or she expects the same respect for an animal that ends up as hamburger or steaks from the local grocer. It is easy to look down on animal activists if one is ignorant to the mistreatment of cows on feedlots and the way chickens are housed. George, the hunter from NC, witnessed this first hand. The Black Angus standing in the field may end up as steaks on the grill Friday night, but the least we can do is give it as much respect while it lives and when we decide to harvest it, as we do with the wild game from the field. Remember, we are what we eat.