Outdoor Life, or Outdoor Death?

Outdoor Life is a magazine whose self-description is “The Source for Hunting and Fishing Adventure.” The “adventure” of which the magazine speaks includes the glorification of killing defenseless animals in the name of “sport” (Outdoor Life’s word).

Ever since ISAR was founded about a half-century ago we have been uncompromisingly against hunting and for the humane treatment of dogs and cats. That's why a January 28, 2011 Outdoor Life article by one J.R. Absher caught our eye.

Entitled “Utah to declare open season on cats,” it begins with the snide comment that “Some cat lovers and animal rights extremists in Utah have their proverbial panties in a wad over a bill currently being considered by state lawmakers that would allow residents to kill feral animals, including free-roaming felines.”

Apparently, the bill’s sponsor and supporters are upset that feral cats are killing “game birds” before the “sportsmen” can kill them—thereby taking all the fun out of the “adventure” of adults and children slaughtering defenseless animals such as “pheasants, native quail, grouse, turkeys, waterfowl . . . .”

The problem of feral cats in the United States (and Utah) is a complicated one, implicating considerations of humaneness, environment, public health, and more. Whatever the solution, it should not include armed humans blasting away at those unfortunate felines who didn’t ask to be born, whose existence is already harsh enough, and whose killers are not adventurous “sportsmen.”