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We advocate on all animal protection and exploitation issues, including experimentation, factory farming, rodeos, breeders and traveling animal acts.

Animal Defenders of Westchester
P.O. Box 205
Yonkers, NY 10704

Campaigns
Stop Hunting

Hunters efforts to 'save' animals is self-serving

Published in The Buffalo News, 7/18/06:

(The following is a published response to "hunter-woman" who wrote that Valarie Will was misinformed about hunting being detrimental to wildlife etc.):

Buffalo News  Everybody's Column 7/18/06

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060718/6018057.asp 

It boggles my mind when I read letters like the one July 7 that says hunters have "saved" animals with their field work and dollars. While hunters may "save" animals, in the process they have also destroyed many.

The letter writer praises hunting organizations for their part in the huge resurgence in a number of species. Those organizations do spend money and time on wildlife habitat.

However, more often than not, the animals that benefit most are the ones they love to hunt. Land is flooded to benefit waterfowl while other species are displaced or killed. Trees are sacrificed and seeds planted to create browse for favored ungulates. Predators are killed to increase favored game species' survival.

I remember seeing an elk "savers" display at an outdoor show. While the members talked "conservation" it was hard to ignore the dozens of blank stares of the mounted elk heads on the wall behind them.

Hunters would get more respect for their "conservation" if it didn't include increasing animal populations to insure there's enough to hunt. My respect goes to organizations that are dedicated to saving wildlife without intending to kill some for "sport."

Margaret Spittler

Boston

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