PETA Puts Target On Anglers, Hunters

Tampa Bay Online ^ | Oct 3, 2004 | FRANK SARGEANT

[neverdem]

Darn, we missed it.

Sept. 25 was designated ``Turn in Your Tackle Day'' by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and I forgot to get it done.

The animals-before-people group targeted recreational anglers for their combined wrath, and had marked Sept. 25 as the day for all of us who are feeling guilty about barbing bass, snatching snook and whacking wahoo to get it off our conscience by turning in our instruments of torture.

PETA has one bureaucrat with what has to be the politically correct job title of the decade: fish empathy project manager. And readers of this column won't want to miss the Web site FishingHurts.com - you'll find urgent suggestions such as substituting a tasty slab of tofu for your grouper fillets, demonstrating at local fishing tournaments, asking local government to ban fishing in local lakes, and retiring the fishing merit badge for Boy Scouts. They don't want us wearing leather shoes or riding on leather auto seats, eating hamburgers, or using animals to develop new drugs that might save millions of human lives.

Presumably they also oppose the use of animal products in dog and cat foods. While my dogs will eat pretty much anything that hits the floor, including erasers and cardboard, my cats eye anything that does not come out of a Friskies can with great suspicion. Veggies are not among the things they deign to consume. Some of this would be laughable were it not for the numbers of people who have bought into this silliness over the past 24 years. PETA claims 800,000 members, and if those are all paying members at $16 a pop - or more - that's more than $12 million a year they have to lobby for wiping out our favorite sports. And they have proven very good at getting public attention.

Actually, if PETA could restrain its more radical elements, there are some ideas for rational people to support in the program. They value all life on the planet, right down to caterpillars and catfish, as we all rightfully should. They're a strong voice in stopping cruelty to animals of the sort that no decent person can tolerate, including dog fights and rooster fights. But the fact they actively are trying to destroy hunting and fishing makes them a danger to sportsmen everywhere, and by extension to wildlife management areas, huntable wildlife and recreationally targeted fish, all of which have benefited enormously as a result of billions of dollars worth of support from sportsmen in the past 70 years.

FISHING SHOW: The Florida Sportsman Fishing Show comes to Florida State Fairgrounds east of Tampa next weekend. The show includes an 80,000-square-foot tackle and boat supermarket, plus continuous how-to seminars at Expo Hall.

Show director Robin Smillie said the hands-on learning aspect of the show is the major draw.

The show also features casting instruction for kids. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $7 for adults and free for children under 12 with parents. Discount coupons are at www.floridasportsman.com

SEMINARS: Rusty Chinnis, outdoors editor of the Anna Maria Sun and an Orvis fly-casting instructor, presents a free seminar Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Tampa Bay Fly Fishing Club meeting at Compton Park Rec Center in Tampa Palms. Non-members are welcome. ... Captain Randy Rochelle joins captain Mel Berman of WFLA, 970 AM, for an offshore clinic Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Park Auto Mall, 8000 Park Blvd. in Pinellas Park. For more information, call (727) 545-3100. ... Captain Dave Pomerleau presents a free snook seminar Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Minnows & Monsters Tackle, 3811 S. Manhattan Ave., Tampa; (813) 835-1512. ... Captain Larry McGuire presents a free grouper/snapper seminar Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Boater's World on State Road 60 in Brandon.

QUOTA PERMITS: Leftover quota permits are available from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission for hunting on state wildlife management areas this fall. Some 5 million acres of public lands are available. Visit www.MyFWC.com for details.

CONDITIONS IMPROVE: Despite dirty water, trout are becoming active around Tampa Bay, particularly in waters beyond the Sunshine Skyway, where Gulf tide changes are helping to clear the murk. Anglers fishing potholes near the mouth of the Manatee River reported good catches last week.

This story can be found at: http://outdoors.tbo.com/outdoors/MGBTWGXFUZD.html

[neverdem]

ping

[sheik yerbouty]

PETA? "People Eating Tasty Animals".

[TXBSAFH]

Alright PETA you know the drill, I am morally obligated to do whatever behavior you protest. Fortunately I have already acquired a deer lease this year and have a combination fishing and hunting license.

[gunnygail]

Just for that, I'm serving up EXTRA steaks tonight!

[rockabyebaby]

"Just for that, I'm serving up EXTRA steaks tonight!"

Rock on! How about a side of chicken just for the hell of it and maybe a lobster, yum!

[DSBull]

This is happening in Houston.
PETA is putting up billboards that basically accuse fishermen of committed murder..(I think to my self, only the good ones)
They are complete morons since sportsmen do more to help wildlife than any PETA freak does, by their license fees and support of restocking programs.
If you don't fish and hunt, populations would grow to the extent that disease would possibly kill off a species..

Acutally the only species that needs killing off are weeny, long-haired, freaks that think animals have constitutional rights...

"THEY WILL GET MY FISHING POOL WHEN THEY PRY MY COLD DEAD FINGERS FROM THE REEL"

[bfree]

The Target store near me won't sell fishing equipment because, get this, they think it is cruel to the fish.

[DSBull]

Be right there, will beer be served?

[DSBull]

You don't still shop there do you?

[DSBull]

Pole that is...

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

These PETA people do not realize that if humans stopped hunting and fishing the animal population would grow at an uncontrollable rate. Mother nature would then cull the herds by starvation or disease. Not to mention if the already out of control deer population was left unhunted, nobody's cars would survive.

[taxesareforever]

And where is the location of this store?

[gunnygail]

Hell yeah. Some pork meatballs done German style for an appetizer. Thanks PETA.

[Grammy]

My niece, the marine biologist, also thinks fishing is mean. She scolded that catching and releasing hurts them. I asked if she would rather we catch and eat?

[taxesareforever]

And readers of this column won't want to miss the Web site FishingHurts.com - you'll find urgent suggestions such as substituting a tasty slab of tofu for your grouper fillets,

If I substitute anything it will be a slab of fatted cow for the tasty grouper fillet.

[gunnygail]

LOL.

You know, the less meat that PETA weenies eat forces the rest of US to pick up their SLACK!

get busy Freepers!

Pork, the other white meat.

Beef, it's what's for dinner.

Chicken, simply yummy.

Rattlesnake, crow, doves, squirrel, rabbit...tastes like chicken.

[Prime Choice]

I have fished, hunted, and eaten the flesh of that which I killed. I have done it before, I will do it again.

According to PETA, I am a cruel and heartless person who has no compassion for the little creatures; that I am an miserable creature with no capacity for kindness to animals.

Doesn't bother me. I have 23 rescued and special-needs critters who say otherwise.

[Fierce Allegiance]

I will be thinking of them while I am hunting up in VT this weekend!

[nomorelurker]

I hope to be catching and releasing in about 24 hrs.