There have been many thoughtful responses over the last day or two and I would like to clear the air over a few of mine.....
First, apologies for any perceived personal attacks.
I began hunting in the midwest at the age of 6. That's right 6 yrs old. 20ga side by side shooting rabbits, squirrels and pheasants-(direct decendants of the original euro strain introduced over 100 yrs ago, not feedlot birds with 6in tails)
I chose not to shoot waterfowl when I learned that geese and ducks mate for life. Seemed to me at an early age that there was an ethical issue killing the mate of a committed relationship, even if the genus is other than ours.
I attended one hound hunt, this for raccoons. A tradition in my neck of the woods. A right of passage for the young men (chauvinism was a little more accepted then). Shooting a 'coon out of a tree after chasing hounds for miles in the dark seemed like target practice. Rarely were they dead when they hit the ground. A few really tore up the dogs. It was not real pleasant from my perspective.
I have hunted from a very early age.
I have fished from a very early age.
I choose to engage in activities I feel are sporting.
I practice catch and release more often than you might imagine.
I have no need for pictures of dead animals.
I am satisfied to buy my meat from Costco, where the animals were on a one-way trip from the start, never having to earn a living and fight for existence.
I respect the animals that do scratch out a living and fight for their survival.
Am I a PETA member? No.
I am a hunter/fisherman/sportsman with a moral and ethical compass that sometimes points in the opposite direction of other hunter/fisherman/sportsman.
I do believe in the ethical treatment of animals whether it is preservation or a humane kill.
Am I an Elitist Snob? Maybe.
Am I going to back down from my point of view? Only if you can prove me wrong.
Let's move on.