I don’t know any hog hunter who doesn’t remember the “Monster Pig”, formerly known as “Fred”… the huge domestic hog taken by 12 year-old Jamison Stone with the Smith and Wesson 500.  My last write-up on the topic that won’t go away referenced Rhonda Shearer’s reports on her Stinky Journalism website. 

Anyway, the whole thing hasn’t died down yet, and I received an email from Ms Shearer this morning (apologies for the posting issues… we were undergoing technical difficulties this morning).  I decided to post her comment here as a blog post, rather than relegating it to an old thread.  Here’s what she had to say:

If wishful thinking worked, everyone would be millionaires…the monster pig story just won’t go away because justice has not yet been served.

Positive stories are nice. However, until this monster pig mess is cleaned up, as history as proven, it will stay alive. For examples:

National Geographic will be cashing in on the anti hunting sentiment and international citizens are still writing in. Nat Geo have scheduled to be in Alabama during April to film “Anatomy of a Hoax” –an expose of the darker side of the monster pig killing debacle.

The Greater Birmingham Humane Society, for example, received an animal cruelty compliant from the Netherlands 2 months ago.  I want to ensure the truth is discovered and known on an ongoing basis and not left to the National Geo, and what I find, is their pattern of sensationalism and profit making motives.

Mr. Riddle above seems to feel I am profiting too. This is a false claim. I have no advertising on my site or salary. I received no fees from ESPN (I decline fees from MsM out of principle. If I worked for MsM there is a perception of conflict of interest if and when investigating them in my not-for-profit http://www.asrlab.org media ethics program. )

The facts prove a worthy, bottom line message. This monster pig case is not about hunting or hunters in general but isolated to only 3 men.

The laws should have been able to deal with these three men, yet has not. There are 4 categories regulating  animals treatment in the USA.
None of the 4 would allow the manner in which this pig was killed, yet all have failed. The first three apply to this case.
1. hunting prey
2. pet
3. agricultural
4. medical research

Hunters’ silence or avoidance appears to the public, who are mostly non-hunters, as condoning the manner in which this pig was slaughtered.

With enforcement, the issue goes away. It then becomes clear that only 3 men that did this wrong—not an entire hunting culture. For all of the above reasons, I believe hunters should help lead the charge on recommending enforcement and defining right from wrong.

Another way of thinking about this case is education of the public about what ethical hunting traditions are about.

I would have never taken my son out to kill his first deer without my firm belief in the healthy and wholesome values such an experience brings to a young man or woman in one’s charge.

These men have twisted this fine tradition into something unreal, ugly and pornographic.  I personally will not stand for this case to represent –or hijack–the traditions I have endorsed , personally participated in and exposed my children to.

If you feel the same or don’t…you can read more about the latest developments in this case at ESPNOutdoors.com.
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/hunting/news/story?id=3378412
Our version of this story has more photos and links,
http://www.stinkyjournalism.org/latest-journalism-news-updates-129.php 

Thanks for sending this along!  I’m afraid it’ll be a challenge to get most sportsmen interested enough to do anything about this case… and I honestly doubt that the general public would continue to pay attention if not for the refreshed media attention… but I do agree that the public perception is not good. 

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