The newly-formed World Hunting Association made a stir this summer when it announced that its fall hunting match would feature tranquilizer darts and videotaping of competitors, not actual shooting of deer. (Veterinarians would stand by and attend to animals after they were hit.) To them the sport has to do with demonstrating fieldcraft while enduring hardships, so this competition puts emphasis on prowess in hunting game as opposed to what you do after you find game. As WHA founder David Farbman was quoted: “Hunting’s not just about the kill.”
Sound familiar? As led by lobbyist Bill Miles, this was exactly the testimony given by legislators who tried to show how so-called internet hunting was somehow different and worthy of banning. Miles formed a coalition of legislators from the Sportsmen’s Caucus and the Humane Society, and won the ban which just took effect, not that it does anything except put in political jeopardy legislators who sincerely support hunting as we know it.
Readers know that we opposed the internet hunting ban for many reasons, and one was exactly this forseeable development of the WHA. It won’t be long before anti-hunting advocates arrive in Annapolis saying, “Thanks – we agree with Senator John Astle, chief sponsor of the internet hunting ban, and his lobbyist Bill Miles. Hunting is something special in its own right, and from your own testimony we know it is something different from just taking game. Now that you have validated our position, we can move forward with legislation that will guarantee your right to hunt game (demonstrating fieldcraft) just so long as you don’t kill game once you find it. This way, each side gets something it wants.” In promoting the ban, Astle and Miles proclaimed for the very first time that hunting is fundamentally distinct from harvesting game. Legislators who were duped into supporting the ban have a choice: remain intellectually consistent (support a new ban) or contradict themselves (with consequences in a future election.) The Humane Society likes sportsmen about as much as Sarah Brady likes guns. So tell us again why the Sportsmen’s Caucus has as its lobbyist someone who apparently maintains close ties with the Humane Society?