Got nothing against hunting for meat and everything against hunting for 'trophies'.
Guns are fine and a useful tool. Which is the general british attitude to them and the main reaosn most brits don't own a gun or want to own a gun.
Contrary to popular belief there are very few barriers to owning a gun in the uk. You have to have No criminal convictions and not been sectioned under the mental health act.
You need to show a use for the weapon. This can be as basic as: 'I've joined a gun club and want to shoot at targets'.
If you intedn to hunt with a firearm you need to show that you have a landowners permission to shoot on their land and that the land is sufficiently large that you won't endanger anyone not on the land.
Most small animal hunting: rats, rabbits, pigeons - is done airguns. Which generally don't need to be licensed.
The uk is one of the largest markets for High end air weapons in the world.
You can legally own almost any weapon, with the exception of full auto and non-antique pistols. So called 'antique' weapons are currently fully Unlicensed. Weird but true. A blackpowder gun will kill you just as dead as a modern weapon.
You can also buy weapons in the uk that are illegal in many us states. Moderated or silenced weapons are fully legal.
My dad used to have a fully moderated shotgun, which would have been illegal in much of the us.
So the whole uk versus us gun issue - is purely down to attitude.
We think of them as tools that most people don't need. Most americans seem to think of them as an essential appendage, without which you are not a whole person.
I've used and fired a variety of weapons over the years. I'm good with all projectile weapons, always have been.
But to me It's just another skill - not overly useful and not something I do very often. I do own the best .22 spring air rifle that's ever been made: weirauch 97k. After 20 years it's still factory spec power.
Heavy as crap lol But a great rifle.
I don't personally hunt, just not my thing. Nothing against people who do - as long as it's for meat.
IN a long term, end of the world scenario. A crossbow would be much more use than a firearm. As all it's parts could be replaced and bolts can be bodged up from a huge variety of items.
A catapult or slingshot would be more use for hunting than a sling, as food - over here anyway -would be mostly small animals, and a stored energy weapon that you can aim - is a lot more practical than a sling for any short range hunt