RUDY - I grew up on a farm and hunted from about age 8 till middle age. In the early 90's I was chaperoning a youth conference where Hartman Rector Jr. was the featured speaker. He was already emeritus at that time. In his comments, he critized the youth (in a nice way) about hurting or killing animals. Not just cruelty, but he really emphasized things like people wearing snake skin boots and hat bands as being very bad. But he also critized sport hunting. It was like a slap in the face to me. I was so affected that I sought him out after the program and talked with him privately. I emphasized that I don't shoot animals just for sport, I only hunted those animals that I enjoyed eating and used the ones I killed as food. He asked, "Do you need to hunt to feed your family?" I said no, I earn enough that I can do without the wild game. Then he said that in his opinion I should re-think my hunting and that I will have to answer for/justify every animal that I have killed. I have read the applicable scriptures and think I understand where he was coming from, but not sure I fully agree. Since he was such a significant source and even though I enjoyed hunting very much, I heeded his prompting and stopped. If for no other reason because I realized that it had become too important in my life, maybe even to the detriment of my family. It has been many years now and additional things have come to my attention that make me wonder if the church has ever issued a formal statement (policy) about hunting? I have heard president Monson speak about some of his hunting experiences in his past, but I have no idea if he still hunts. I also wonder about the difference in buying my meat (which means I've paid someone else to kill the animal for me) versus killing the animal myself? Will the Lord look differently on my buying a Butter Ball for Thanksgiving versus me taking one in a fair hunt? In most states, if hunting were not allowed, the animals would quickly overpopulate since we have removed most of the natural predators. Your thoughts please.

JOEL - The question as to whether LDS should or should not hunt for sport has not been addressed in any formal Church statement, although there are some scriptures and historical statements of opinion from past Church leaders concerning this subject.
Joseph Smith for instance demonstrated a concern for animals through his efforts at revising the Bible. He changed Genesis 9:2-5 to read:

"Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But, the blood of all flesh which I have given you for meat, shall be shed upon the ground, which taketh life thereof, and the blood ye shall not eat.
And surely, blood shall not be shed, only for meat, to save your lives; and the blood of every beast will I require at your hands." (JST Gen. 9:9-11)

In regards to this scripture President Joseph Fielding Smith said:

"The inference in this interpretation is that the use of the flesh of living creatures should be indulged in sparingly although there was no sin in the shedding of their blood when required for food. There is no inference in the scriptures that it is the privilege of men to slay birds or beasts or to catch fish wantonly. The Lord gave life to every creature, both the birds in the heavens, beasts on the earth, and the fishes in the streams or seas. They also were commanded to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. It was intended that all creatures should be happy in their several elements. Therefore to take the life of these creatures wantonly is a sin before the Lord." (Amswers to Gospel Questions, vol.4, p.43)

President Joseph F. Smith said:

"I never could see why a man should be imbued with a blood-thirsty desire to kill and destroy animal life. I have known men-and they still exist among us-who enjoy what is, to them, the "sport" of hunting birds and slaying them by the hundreds, and who will come in after a day's sport, boasting of how many harmless birds they have had the skill to slaughter, and day after day, during the season when it is lawful for men to hunt and kill..
I do not believe any man should kill animals or birds unless he needs them for food, and then he should not kill innocent little birds that are not intended for food for man. I think it is wicked for men to thirst in their souls to kill almost everything which possesses animal life. It is wrong. I have been surprised at prominent men whom I have seen whose very souls seemed to be athirst for the shedding of animal blood. They go off hunting deer, antelope, elk, anything they can find, and what for? "Just the fun of it!" Not that they are hungry and need the flesh of their prey, but just because they love to shoot and to destroy life. I am a firm believer, with reference to these things, in the simple words of one of the poets:
"Take not way the life you cannot give, For all things have an equal right to live." (Gospel Doctrine, "Man's Duty to Man.")

President Lorenzo Snow related in his journal the change of heart he had concerning hunting shortly after his baptism:

"While moving slowly forward in pursuit of something to kill, my mind was arrested with the reflection on the nature of my pursuit - that of amusing myself by giving pain and death to harmless, innocent creatures that perhaps had as much right to life and enjoyment as myself. I realized that such indulgence was without any justification, and feeling condemned, I laid my gun on my shoulder, returned home, and from that time to this have felt no inclination for that murderous amusement." (Personal Journal)

Other Church leaders such as President David O. McKay, Joseph Fielding Smith, and Spencer W. Kimball have all made strong pleas for a concern for animal life.
In the scriptures God has told us:

"Wo be unto man that sheddeth blood or that wasteth flesh and hath no need. (D&C 49:21)

But He also said:
"And whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God;
For, behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance." (D&C 49:18-19; see also 1 Tim. 4:1-3.)

So according to the scriptures and Church leaders I guess it's OK to eat meats but not to unnecessarily kill when there is no need.
Like you I have also heard a few stories from some General Authorities who went hunting for various reasons. But as noted above, there are others who have voiced their opinion against it. So I think the decision to hunt animals or not is one of those things that God is going to leave up to each latter-day saint to determine for himself according to the situation and needs.

"For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward." (D&C 58: 26)

Thank you for your question. I learned something. I have always enjoyed fishing; I might have to reconsider :-)

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