Kosher Meat, Meet Elk

Mr. Hirschfeld,
Throw me a line here.
Why is hunting not permitted, as long as the animal is slaughtered in accordance with the laws of Kashruth? Is the animal any less dead (theoretically) caught and slaughtered in the wild, then raised on a farm or kept in a pen and then ritually slaughtered?

And if the meat is kosher, what makes it any less palatable (figuratively as well as literally) than cattle or chicken?

And why would elk be any less kosher than any other animal with split hooves and which chews its cud?

Why your hesitation to endorse the availability of elk?

I don't even understand the question or assumption underlying the question -- is it that elk somehow "should not" be kosher because the animal is hunted and thus "goyish"? Nonsense! Let's try broadening our minds and our palates. Personally, I'm looking forward to elk chulent!

I had a really great bison-burger at a kosher grill last summer. This is not especially new news.

Rabbi,
My original post no longer appears here.
Also, it seems you think I was being fresh. Not true. I was simply trying to gain an understanding.
So much is lost when translating from/into email/blogging...

sorry that it been a tough day and sorry that you thought i was annoyed by either the content or tone of your question. nothing could be further from the truth!

i loved that you asked for more information and loved your "throw me a line" line, which is why i answered directly in the comments space.

please keep your questions coming. even if i can not always answer directly, your ideas and those of other commenters will shape the content of windows & doors -- and i look forward to that!

My husband and I, though not particularly observant, (he would like to be more observant than I; I was never good at following rules!) keep kosher. He sees it as a daily reminder of our Jewishness and looks upon it as a small step on the path to spiritual purity. I look upon it as a way to avoid cooking meat, since it is so time consuming and difficult to deal with all thoses dishes and utensils in our relitively small kitchen! I have two horses, a sheltie puppy who goes with me everywhere (I have my own business, a feed store, and therefore, can take my dog to work with me)and share my husband's cat. I love animals, according to my husband, far more than is seemly. Not surprisingly, I do not wish to eat them, though I will cook fish and occasionally eat turkey or chicken if it is served at a friend or relative's home.

I believe kosher slaughter was created to remind people of the seriousness of killing an animal and also to prevent suffering. In ancient times, hunting was always bloody and horrible for the animal that was killed. Now, a good hunter can take down an elk with one shot. (Of course, too many of them are incompetent.) Now, most people are so far removed from the process that they forget the stuff in the packages once ran and played and had big, brown eyes. People eating kosher elk will regard it as a novelty but I doubt they will think of it any differently than they do a hunk of brisket.

I would not critcize anyone who chooses to eat meat. I don't think vegetarianism necessarily makes one morally superior. I, however, like to see the deer wandering in the fields and prefer to think of elk running wild in Alaska. My dog can eat meat, he needs it. I will stick to Boca Burgers!

PS YOU HAVE A LINK TO "THE TONIGHT SHOW" THEN WHAT DO YOU DO TO SEE THE CLIP OR WHAT EVER. LESLIE

As long as the brand name isn't "Bambi," I can live with this.