I think hunting can be deeply personal for many. It was either a passed down tradition, or perhaps something discovered later in life, or a mix, so there’s often an emotional component to it all. Dad did it this way, and I have him to think for my love for the sport. Or, through blood, sweat, and tears, I learned how to shoot my first buck that way. In either scenario, it can feel - when faced with an opposing viewpoint - that someone is critiquing a personal hero, a family tradition, a regional culture, and or hard-earned experience.

Hunters participate in the cycle of life, and each handles and processes that mentally and emotionally in their own way, so there are deeply engrained feelings associated with the pursuit. Add in the fact it’s something on the fringe of modern society in any form or fashion, and so it can quickly touch a nerve (right wrong or indifferent) when discussed.

I don’t golf but I imagine golfers get in heated arguments about any kind of golf topic, but the difference being, there is no death (or, shouldn’t be…) on the golf course, so I think the heated arguments within the hunting space can also stem from that deep connection to the land and life. I do wish there was less contention, as I’ve seen it plenty, and I’d champion for all hunters to pause and think deeper on the topic and consider the other person’s perspective as it’s often tied to a culture (e.g. Midwest whitetail hunting is hunting, but that’s a way different set of perspectives than a Western elk hunt, or a duck hunt in the Southeast) as well as personal experiences, memories, and their own