It's one of those topics that has unfortunately become polarized. It didn't used to be that way 40 years ago.
People seem to think you have to either fully support something or you oppose it. It goes hand in hand with thinking that something is an "inalienable right" and that because it is a right, it does not come with a commensurate obligation to wield that right responsibly and with appropriate respect for the rights of others. The fact that rights and responsibilities go hand in hand has been a basic tenet of western civilization. if you separate one from the other you inevitably have abuse of that right.
In terms of hunting that attitude quickly devolves to "if it's legal, it's ethical", and there for "ok". That ignores all the subtle nuances that use to comprise "ethics" and balancing different and often conflicting things against one another to come up with the best overall solution. Now? It's just "screw you, I got mine". If you think about it's what's at the heart of just about all of this country's problems.
Hunting has a definite role in wild life management, and I am a staunch advocate of wild life management practices that use hunting with limits an rules designed to improve the over all health and sustainability of the population. And yet I see more and more irresponsible hunters doing unethical things, skirting or playing fast and loose with the rules, making inhumane kills, leaving wounded game in the field, etc. - and not even seeing what's wrong with the *way* in which they are hunting.
If you call them on it they start whining about their "rights" and or that it's legal so they can do it, and that if you disagree you're obviously a/an (insert slur here). It's a response devoid of responsibility, ethics or consideration for the rights of others, and usually signals a total unawareness or uncaring attitude toward the bigger picture.
As for shooting a white buffalo, sure the owner has a right to make a buck. But selling a very rare genetic specimen that is also revered as a cultural icon, to a hunter on a canned hunt, is at best insensitive, if not just plain stupid. He could have sold it to a tribal government - or donated it and taken a tax credit - and gotten a better return on his investment. We used to work with a tribal grazing association. A white buffalo is an opportunity to secure additional and or longer term grazing rights. At a minimum it buys you and your operation a huge amount of good well and future support.
For the hunter? Oh boy! I get to shoot a farm animal! What a thrill.
I was raised on a ranch. We called that "Tuesday". We'd shoot a steer in the brain with a .22 Magnum, lift it up with the same bucket loader we'd fed bales of hay to the cattle in the winter, gut it, skin it, and butcher it. It never occurred to us to brag about shooting a 1200 pound domesticated animal. We were more likely to brag on the exceptional quality grass raised and corn supplemented, excellent flavored, well marbled meat we produced.
A canned buffalo hunt is right up there with the guys shooting black bears over bait, and then having them mounted in some fierce standing on two legs pose, like it was some sort of dangerous game, shot while charging the brave, intrepid hunter.
