Steve,

This is not a left vs. right issue. It's a silly law that could have far-reaching repercussions, but the fact is, HR 1887 (Depictions of Animal Cruelty Act) was introduced by a Republican, co-sponsored by many Republicans and passed through a Republican majority Senate.
Suffice to say, it's not the right that's looking out for you as a hunter while the left tries to take your guns.
Rather, both parties have long ignored sportsmen and damaged our hunting and fishing heritage.
Giving one party a pass and flinging left vs. right rhetoric only serves to empower elected officials from both parties to continue policies that are detrimental to sportsmen.

I think Greg makes a great point, and one that many folks would do well to take note of. I'll leave that at that.

As Steve suggests, this law was leveraged by animal-rights organizations who have long taken aim at Mr Stevens, in much the same way IRS law was used to bring down mobsters. The difference, of course, is that the mobsters really were evading taxes and that's a real crime... Mr Stevens was creating books and videos about dogs. That research was (and still is) legitimate. He was not holding or promoting dog fights, nor was he instructing people how to fight their dogs. It's a facet of the breed's history and nothing else.

The ramifications of the case, of course, are what most people are concerned with. If they can bring Stevens down for this, how long before they come after videos of houndsmen catching hogs, bears, foxes, or rabbits? And at what point do they turn the legal guns on depictions of an arrowed buck struggling its last, or the death run of a well hit bull elk?

Of course, the ruckus is largely moot right now. The case has pretty well run its course, and Stevens went through some pretty dark times in the process of beating this thing back... and most of that fight was largely unheralded by the sporting media. This week's court date is likely a formality, but the hunting media should recognize the near miss they just experienced. And if we get a surprise this week, it comes in large part because good men did nothing when the time was critical.

Walt, I like to watch hunting videos. When I can't get into the field for myself they are fun to watch how much other people enjoy hunting. If you (or others) don't like them, just turn them off. I think some of the sitcoms that promote gay lifestyles are offensive, but I am not trying to get them banned. I simply don't watch them. Dont take away someone else's pleasure just because you don't like it. That type of thinking is the same as the people trying to end hunting because they don't agree with it.

I agree but disagree with you Walt. I agree that hunting TV shows are not helpful to our group being accepted by others, but really how far can we go to please everyone? I can be respectful of others, and I hope others are too. But where are we to draw the line? We have to draw the line somewhere and say "we have done our best, but now start respecting us and our sport". I really don't want to be a hunter in hiding somewhere down the road. We have to be respectful but we need to be proud of our sportsman's history and stand up for ourselves. It needs to be a respect from us and them, nobody ever talks about non-hunters respecting our sport!

I don't buy hunting videos, but have thought it'd be cool to video one of my hunts. That hardly makes me a criminal, but that's what the left does. They criminalize the innocent and empower the criminals, in many, many ways. On a comical but scary note, Obama's appointees think animals have the right to sue, as if the courts aren't already inundated with frivolous lawsuits. Who wins? Not us.

I have ZERO use for Bubba Big Buck Huntin Videos. They are exactly what is at the root of our problems with the media and the non-hunting public. The same goes for the outdoor channels like the ones F&S runs adds for in their magazine, like the Bone Collector and the fella with the bimbo looking wife that take all kinds of record book game-- you know darn well neither of them could kill a spike if it wasn't behind a fence! I agree, get rid of this junk before it screws up our hunting rights. Hunters shouldn't be looking for profits from hunting in the first place!!