A few episodes back of the MeatEater Podcast # 125 “Live from
Tempe”, Dr. Karl Malcolm posed a question to the listeners. I have taken a few
moments to outline my thoughts on his question below. For those of you who did not hear the
questions, I will paraphrase. Dr. Malcolm asked that as the hunting population
numbers shrink and our powers politically and socially shrink for the efforts of
conservation and preservation of our outdoor lifestyle, should hunters reach
out to other outdoor groups or be confined to hunters and anglers only.
My feelings are that as a shrinking group it is better to
make the effort to build bridges with other groups that enjoy the same or
similar natural environment rather than try to shoot for goals and ideas
strictly for the benefit of those in the hunting community.
It is true that a majority of the wildlife conservation funding
originates as hunting and fishing dollars through licensing and specified
product taxes however if reliable data shows the people numbers are decreasing
and therefore deceasing funding for federal and state science-based
conservation then we must begin to look outside to preserve our intrinsic
natural resources. By looking inward our
ideas for self-preservation will further separate us from other groups looking
to enjoy those same natural places. If
we are looking inward and not outside our group, the group will not grow but
shrink. If we shrink, we are heard less,
provide less funding for the things we love and when we are heard less and pay
less we are likely to lose the ability to enjoy the things we love much
faster.
By reaching out to outside groups who enjoy the natural
world we may be forced to compromise on ideas and may even be forced to lose
some abilities but by doing so we increase the chances of reaching compromised
goals and solutions for problems that impose dangers to public natural
resources and how we enjoy them. I would
look at this as losing a little for a longer lasting group effort rather than a
short-lived fight that ends with fewer privileges.
By working with other groups, we do need to make efforts to
conform to a more publicly pleasing display of what hunting is about. Glorify animals and nature not as a hunter
but as a conservationist. Limit the grip
and grins for those you know want to see them and steer away from a blood
thirsty outward appearance. Learn about
your prey, their habitat and the natural world around them and how the
millennia has shaped a delicate balance that our human existence and expansion
continues to threaten. Broadcast your
knowledge and not your brawn. Explain benefits of cleaner natural nose to tail harvesting
and proper field to table meat preservation.
Change the notion that we charge in the woods kill anything that moves
and surprise people that we cherish the natural world and acknowledge that
others do to. We may even win some of
them over to our side.
On the flip side, the groups we extend an olive branch to,
need to have a similar attitude of give and take for the greater good of
conservation of our natural world and resources while preserving their own
abilities for enjoyment. If one side
gives up something to compromise but the other doesn’t, this group effort will
not be a lasting one.
This 2018 hunting season make efforts to bridge the gap with other outdoor enthusiasts by attempting a few of these suggestions.
- Don't parade a kill to the general public
- Share a quality meal with a non-hunter (share self harvested/home made jerky with a hiker)
- Share proper steps you take to preserve as much meat for the table
- Attempt positive engagements with others you meet in the field
- Learn some detailed information about the area you hunt in (geography, history, biology, etc)
- Be a positive respectful symbol to younger people you meet at on the trail or at trail heads
- Respectful remove yourself from toxic conversations that can't be won.
There are many more things you can to do start bridging the gap to make efforts for future group consolidation easier. The better image we have and the more knowledgeable we appear will help save hunting and fishing privileges, lands and conservation efforts in the future.
Add your comments below on how to help bridge the gap.
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