Dog fighting, hunting not same

I want to reply to "Why no outrage against hunters?" (Dec. 10, Letters). Dog fighting is illegal and involves beating, torture, starving and killing of caged animals once bred for human companionship.

As an archery hunter, I have spent hours perfecting my craft to make sure that the animals I kill die quickly. The last two deer I shot died instantly because their hearts were split in two. They died with as little pain as possible, and from less torture than a Michael Vick dog or a slaughtered cow.

The main issue for me is maintenance of a wild herd. If we humans continue encroaching on habitat, then we must maintain wild herds. I lived in Utah for 20 years. Several years ago, Northern Utah experienced an early, heavy snowfall. Thousands of deer and elk starved to death because of poor maintenance. That was tragic. Wouldn't it be better to allow a longer hunting season to prevent such a horrible end to thousands of wild animals?

Lastly, this letter doesn't state any direct similarities between illegal dog fighting and legal hunting. Where is the evidence?

GARY VESSEL

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