Picking lobster. Ok let's think about that for a second; these 'bugs' have very little reasoning ability, they go from the ocean into cages, from cages into ships, from ships to other cages; they get rubber bands on their claws, then thrown into boiling water. The boiling water kills them almost instantly. Considering their fate in the open ocean, their death in the boiling water is faster, cleaner and less painfull than what nature would likely have in store. Even so, their ability to know what is going on means that the trauma is likely to be less than a mammal.
In hunting, the deer, antelope, moose or other game is out in it's natural habitat. It faces threates from wolves, coyote, cougars as well as the on-going territorial fights with others of it's own kind. The animal knows it's territory, and is always on guard for threats. The animal knows and instinctually will avoid danger. This is why hunting is different than simple slaughter. The hunter uses his skills to blend into the environment, and stalks his prey. A true hunter kills what he targets; this means that if you draw blood, you're next couple of hours or days will be spent claiming your target. A hunter does not let a wounded prey wander off, while he looks for the next target. No, if you wound it; you kill it. That's why marksmanship is so important; it spares you miles of tracking, and spares the prey unnecessary pain and suffering. A clean kill is a source of pride to any hunter, a messy kill is a mark of shame. Any true hunter will tell you this.
Now, let's talk about the 'drug-store cowboy' and the 'hunter-wannabe'. The 'wannabe-hunter' shoots an animal, and unless the animal drops dead within 10 ft; he starts looking for a new target. Every year we'd find a couple of deer on our land that had been shot and crawled off to die. Wanton waste. I've kicked off more than a few 'wannabe-hunters' from our property; for this stunt they had pulled one or more years previously. God may forgive them for it, I don't.
The fact of the matter is that a true hunter relies upon the carelessness of the prey; in order to make the kill. The prey is not confined, nor prevented from escaping me. No fences, no motorized vehicles, no radios or spotters; my skill in stalking, my marksmanship against the superior senses and agility of the prey. Heaven knows how many deer I walk by on any given trip; or how many deer flee when my scent is picked up.
The range-fed animal is different. He's penned in an area; there is no escape. Furthermore, the automatic feeder has conditioned him to come to a particular spot; at a particular time to get food. The prey need not forage at all, they quickly learn that at a quartz clock sets the feeder off within seconds of some time; and that at that time an electric motor will disperse corn around the feeder. All the hunter has to do is maintain his alcohol level below the level of passing out; until the timer has gone off.
The 'hunter' need not learn stealth, marksmanship, nor even the ability to discern male from female. More than a few cannot even discern cattle from deer. Ask any rancher you come across about how many cattle are shot during deer season. This 'hunter' need not even get his hands dirty; as someone else will dress and pack his target to the processing plant.
The differences are huge. Hunting conveys a sense of honor, a sense of respect and a sense of pride. This atrocity has nothing in common with hunting; except for some depraved sense of revelry in the death of an animal. The animal is not necessarily killed quickly (how many of these hunters have any idea where a deer or moose's heart is in relation to their stance?). The prey has no where to run, there is no way for the animal to escape. That is the difference.
Now, I cannot be held accountable for what an extremist may say. However, I can; with my integrity intact, fully explain the differences between slaughtering tame animals in a petting zoo; and hunting wild animals in their habitat.
"The differences are huge. Hunting conveys a sense of honor, a sense of respect and a sense of pride. This atrocity has nothing in common with hunting; except for some depraved sense of revelry in the death of an animal. The animal is not necessarily killed quickly (how many of these hunters have any idea where a deer or moose's heart is in relation to their stance?). The prey has no where to run, there is no way for the animal to escape. That is the difference."
Yes, yes, we have no argument there IS a difference. My point is not that these people are hunters, or that they are somehow honorable in playing games with real animals. I'm not saying that these people are doing any more than relishing the death of tame or baited animals. But I am saying that the folks who want all hunting ended would consider your view of unsporting and inhumane laughably blind to the fact that YOUR hunting is unsporting and inhumane (at least, in their eyes). If this sort of hunting is inhumane and unsporting, and may be banned as a result, someone with a different perspective on what constitutes inhumane and unsporting will eventually use this as precedent to take the next step.