Is Hunting a Sport?

[ToolGuy]

I say no way! Absolutely not!

[KNINE]

Why do you say it's not a sport? Please elaborate.

[ToolGuy]

I say it is not mainly because it is not a competition with teams. Sports usually have competitors, scores and or rules. Hunting is a recreational activity IMO.

[KNINE]

It could be said that the hunter is competing with the animal. I'm not talking about hunting farms where the animals are confined to a limited area. That is definately not sport.

[michaelgt]

Sitting in the woods may be recreation. Sitting quietly, attention focused on each and every sound. Visually scanning the woods. Slowly taking the safety off, shouldering the gun, and squeezing the trigger. Dragging the 160lb, 8-point through the woods, loading on the roof of the Malibu Maxx. That is a sport!Driving down I-75 with the 8-point tied on the roof, and getting the thumbs up from other sportsmen and sportswomen, is wonderful.

[KNINE]

How about trying to hit a rabbit or game bird that you just flushed from a corn field? Also very challenging.

[GrayFox]

although I don't hunt, I'll say it's a sport b/c there are compititions revolving around almost every aspect of it (i.e. big buck contests and whatnot). and it's about as popular as (if not more than) football where I live

[redlava]

No it is not a sport. It is a recreational activity. I classify sports as an activity where you can at least get an increased heart rate and/or sweaty. You can't get hot and sweaty from walking through the woods and/or sitting in a tree.Golf, bowling, and auto racing are on the bubble.

[VforVIBE]

Quote, originally posted by redlava »No it is not a sport. It is a recreational activity. I classify sports as an activity where you can at least get an increased heart rate and/or sweaty. You can't get hot and sweaty from walking through the woods and/or sitting in a tree.Golf, bowling, and auto racing are on the bubble.+1 Quote, originally posted by K-NINE »It could be said that the hunter is competing with the animal. Give the animal a gun, show 'em how to use it and I Might agree with you. If they were paint ball guns.

[GrayFox]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sportQuote, originally posted by dictionary.com »sport –noun1.an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.and I say again lol

[michaelgt]

Quote, originally posted by redlava »No it is not a sport. It is a recreational activity. I classify sports as an activity where you can at least get an increased heart rate and/or sweaty. You can't get hot and sweaty from walking through the woods and/or sitting in a tree.Golf, bowling, and auto racing are on the bubble.Obviously you have never walked through a grass field in search of pheasants, hiked to remote locations for deer, or dragged a 160lb deer through the woods. Try walking in waist high weeds, through vines and other ground plants.

[joatmon]

I vote for what does it matter? ESPN covers card games. I used to do field events on the track team, you don't really get all hot and sweaty throwing a discus or putting a shot, but that was still sport.Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sport , the first and most primary definition:"1.an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc."

[KNINE]

Give the animal a gun, show 'em how to use it and I Might agree with you. If they were paint ball guns.[/QUOTE]Paintball, now that's my kind of sport! Humans hunting humans!

[VforVIBE]

Quote, originally posted by K-NINE »Paintball, now that's my kind of sport! Humans hunting humans!Yeah buddy!

[tcam]

without a doubt a sport in my mind. It requires so many skills and concentration and coordination that it seems almost impossible not to call it a sport. And there are many types of hunting that require huge amounts of muscle. "Shooting" is not the only form of hunting.

[joholste]

yup it is definitely a sport.. as said before look at how much energy you have to exert after the kill...plus if you have a bow you have to practice quite a bit and be able to pull the 70lb pulls on the bow. As far as rules go... the rules are big time here and if you break them it's not just a slap on the wrist or a whistle blown, you can go to jail so yea this is definitely a sport

[NascarXprt]

Quote, originally posted by redlava »No it is not a sport. It is a recreational activity. I classify sports as an activity where you can at least get an increased heart rate and/or sweaty. You can't get hot and sweaty from walking through the woods and/or sitting in a tree.Golf, bowling, and auto racing are on the bubble.for auto racing it takes more stammina, strenght, and concentration than you think, the drivers may look small but can pack a nasty punch.but back o topic i am neutral with hunting being a sport and recreational.

[ToolGuy]

Please no one get me wrong, I mean no disrespect on this! I just threw it out there for debate and heard others debate it before. It does state a sport in the definition but I do not consider it a sport. To be a sport to me it would be similar to me saying when I play my pinball machine in my basement by myself a sport. Me against a shinny chrome ball, a game of both luck and skill. It is very challenging and to try and beat some guys high score with the same initials as me! Now if I were in a Pinball Competition with others, competing for a high score or cash, than I would call it a sport. Playing alone; it just does not fit my definition of a sport, like playing video games in your family room. Some hunting would be a sport than to me such as for money or something like that but just one or two guys going out one weekend to hunt, I just do not see it. I leave with this JOKE pic! Even the hunters have to admit, this is funny! 2 big game hunters...

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[GrayFox]

LOL! great pic! playing video games is a sport as far as I'm concerned

[Whelan]

Do the test. Walk into Sports Authority. Is there a gun/hunting section. You betcha, right next to camping. lol.Hunting is totally a sport because they DO have competitions. Just like fishing tournaments for the largest bass and what not, the largest buck, most points (i.e. antler tips), etc. They do compete. Especially when you get into bow and arrow.

[GoodVibErations2004]

I used to be very into archery. we had competitions where I trained and for thanksgiving I won 3 turkeys. (the frozen eat for dinner kind). thats sport. same as hunting.

[zionzr2]

Quote, originally posted by Whelan »Do the test. Walk into Sports Authority. Is there a gun/hunting section. You betcha, right next to camping. lol... And is camping a sport? If not then Why is it in a Sporting Goods Store. B/c Sporting good stores sell other outdoor activity equipment.I say in an of it self Hunting is not a sport. Sure it can be a sport and there are competitions involved with hunting things, that would be sport. But A couple of people out on the weekend hunting a critter to stock the fridge, to me not sport. Survival and providing for a livlyhood but not sport.So I guess for me if it depends on the purpose of the hunt as to wether it would be sport or not.

[Whelan]

I was kidding about the Sports Authority comment. But I still consider it a sport. Actually let's just add another option to the poll stating that it is both. It is what can be called a recreational Sport. Just like Ultimate Frisbee, or Frisbee Golf are recreational and also sports cause you can have competitions.

[Bikerscum]

It'll be a sport when they can shoot back.

[Whelan]

I knew there was a PETA member here somewhere, LOL j/k.water skiing is a recreation and a sport. So is sailing. I could make a list all day long.

[Bikerscum]

[QUOTE=Whelan]I knew there was a PETA member here somewhere, LOL j/k.Well, if you knew me, you'd know I'm FAR from a PETA member. I'd (removed) on most of what PETA does. I eat meat. Lots of meat. When it's gone... more meat. I also am somewhat aquainted with firearms...That's just the rimfire. A sport is when there's competition, either against others or yourself. How, exactly, is a deer competing against you as you put it in the crosshairs? Are you competing against others to shoot it first? (That's a scary thought). Competing against yourself? Happy holidays

[vibebob]

nope, NOT a sport in my vocab. sitting in a blind or a tree waiting to ambush and murder an animal is not a sport. you set bait week after week to get the critter used to the area and then sit and wait. nope not a sport.if you want to call hunting a sport then go after a black bear with just a pocket knife, then I'll call that hunting a sport.

[ou.grizzly]

Quote, originally posted by vibebob »nope, NOT a sport in my vocab. sitting in a blind or a tree waiting to ambush and murder an animal is not a sport. you set bait week after week to get the critter used to the area and then sit and wait. nope not a sport.if you want to call hunting a sport then go after a black bear with just a pocket knife, then I'll call that hunting a sport.Not everyone sits in a blind to hunt an animal. Also, in MI now one can not bait deer anymore.Same aspect goes for a one who is hunting for turkey. A lot of scouting goes and "calling" then in takes a lot of patients, practice, and dedication. A hunter can not bait for a turkey, needs to scout their location, actions, and habits.Not going to get into the argument of it is a sport or not. Whatever the person feels it is, then that is their answer. Your definition does not have to be the same and neither party is wrong for calling it different. The entire aspect of hunting it is gives the human individual a challenge; by nature human beings like a challenge and drive to master that challenge. It is human nature; to overcome a challenge. Some yearn for primitive activities to hunt.

[ramenboy...]

i don't know... but ask her.happy holidays folks!

[Vibe_dude]

Quote, originally posted by redlava »No it is not a sport. It is a recreational activity. I classify sports as an activity where you can at least get an increased heart rate and/or sweaty. You can't get hot and sweaty from walking through the woods and/or sitting in a tree.Golf, bowling, and auto racing are on the bubble.Now this is what I have been saying about NASCAR for years.its not a sport, its entertainment...the car does all the work...the driver just has to hold the wheel slightly to the left for 200 or more laps.As far as hunting it is both sport and entertainment.and here in Canada a very important source of food for alot of ppl.