I still think people are still letting their imaginations get away from 
them.  Bill sterotypes a mindset of those who shoot or might hunt with 
an assault weapon.  Right now those same people are out in the field 
hunting with shotguns.  I doubt anyone is going to take up hunting just 
because he can use an assault weapon.  Those who I meet out hunting have 
almost always been nice people just out to enjoy their sport in the 
outdoors.  I meet people who shoot assault weapons out at Black Hawk 
park and most are not a lot different than you or me.  Some people just 
have different ideas of fun.  Just last weekend I talked to a prominent 
doctor at a local hospital that said he enjoys shooting assault 
weapons.  He even took a course in how to shoot them.  I told  him I 
also took (or they made me take) a course in shooting them; they 
actually paid me a little to take the course; but I didn't like the 
green clothes they made me wear or the attitudes of the instructors.  
Not my idea of fun. 

I certainly agree with Mr. Eidsmoe that ideally you make one good shot 
at a game animal and that's it.  For those who don't hunt, please 
understand that good shooting is quite a skill that must be developed 
over years of practice. Even still, sometimes something happens and you 
don't get a good clean shot.  A good quick follow up shot is more humane 
that letting an animal run away wounded.  Not to say that some people 
don't empty the gun at a running deer--I hear their shots.  Just because 
I have a semiautomatic shotgun doesn't mean I just blast away at deer.  
In fact, most years I don't even shoot it; I'm content just to watch the 
deer.  It's not the weapon, it is the person behind the trigger.

Unfortunately there is a barrier between nature lovers and hunters; if 
they could find a way to shake hands and join together it would make a 
powerful voice for conservation.  Classically hunters face some of the 
incorrect attitudes that we have discussed today.  Hunters view nature 
lovers as holier than thou and snobish --with some justification.  So 
again, tolerance folks.

There are as many reasons that people hunt as there are people.  Most 
simply  enjoy the outdoors.  They have as great an aesthetic of nature 
as you and me.  Ok, so why the gun?  It just adds a dimension to your 
experince--you watch everything carefully, listen to everything.  To me 
I feel much more in tune and aware of nature.  But, that's just my 
feeling.  I don't get that from just bird watching or hiking in the 
outdoors.  Hunters know the ways of wildlife and study them carefully.  
Why?  Because they have an objective.  Lanny Schwartz

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