I am an avid hunter of North American game- I live in a rural area and the only meat I eat is meat I've butchered myself (between hunting, the chickens I raise, and the (fresh) roadkilled deer I salvage). I truly believe in the good that hunting can do for both humans and for wildlife, and I'm happy to discuss it further if my motivations interest you.

I also have a degree in wildlife conservation, and a girlfriend who works in public health in Namibia. I have no interest at all in hunting big game in Africa- I have hunted birds there, and probably won't ever even do that again. But my background and interests certainly collide on the issue. I've spent a lot of time in Namibia and South Africa, I have good friends who are wildlife veterinarians (the guys that get to tranq rhinos from helicopters, which is awesome), and I've had insiders' views of the game system there.

But more importantly, I am a nature lover, care deeply about wildlife, and as a scientist, I've read the evidence that shows that hunting is the best way to save them. So yeah, the misinformation being spread here- a community that purportedly believes in science and data driven policy- bothers me. A lot.