This is a topic that has been really bothering me lately… Maybe because there aren’t enough articles or blogs or post from hunters themselves therefore uneducated anti-hunters can then basically walk all over us when it comes to media posts (keep in mind, we’re all probably outside enjoying nature as it is the middle of duck season and deer season… why hide behind a computer screen?).
One things that bugs me the most is the fact that most anti-hunters are not educated in what us hunters do… mind you, I am still pretty new into the sport (yes, it’s a sport) myself. However, I’ve grown up with my family hunting and I’ve been educated on what hunting does for the environment.
Most anti-hunters feel all we do is kill animals in a none humane way and I must say, this is not the case. Hunters in fact kill our food in a more humane way then the animals you purchase in the grocery store. Our food is not born and raised for the sole purpose of fattening up and slaughtering. Our food is the true meaning of free roaming. They eat naturally, and they’re not pumped full of steroids and antibiotics (even “organic” meat, isn’t truly organic).
Outside us hunting to provide for our families, us hunters also help with wildlife preservation. *Gasp* YOU DO? How is this possible when you’re murdering poor defenseless animals?! Yup, it’s true, lefou! We purchase these things called hunting licenses for each animal we chose to hunt (ie: deer, bear, small game, moose, waterfowl) and these licenses are not cheap either, which is okay by us. Because we know what our fees are going towards (unlike you with your taxes). If a certain population is low*, the money from our licenses goes towards re-population purposes. We help preserve the wetlands also. (*Also, please note that we hunters actually fill out various survey’s to help with determining whether or not a certain’s species has lowered in numbers in certain areas… as we are always out there and we notice change!). This is also true when it comes to fishermen as well. We also buy licenses every year at the strike of midnight. Where does the money for those licenses go? Re-stocking programs for the waterways, cleaning the waterways and other places as well.
Another thing to stop and think about: Us mean ol’ hunters (who truly are only doing what has been passed down from our ancestors) will probably be one of the only ones who will pull over on the side of the road in a rainstorm because there’s a turtle on the side of the road… not just any turtle at that, but a mean old snapping turtle… just to make sure the little fella doesn’t get run over by you and your fancy sports car where you’re going to be more concerned about the damages done to it then the fact that you just killed (or wounded) a poor defenseless animal yourself without the intent of making sure the animal is out of its misery. You’re too busy cussing up a storm because you’re fancy new $100 shirt is getting ruined by the rain and your precious car is damaged.
Honestly it’s not always about the kill. We don’t shoot the first animal we see. We honestly get to experience so many cool things being out in a bush, in a stand, or out in a boat. We also learn things too. I grew up fishing with my dad and Rob grew up hunting and fishing. We can both say that we have learned patience, we have learned compassion, we have also gotten to see things that you could only imagine. Anything from getting inches from a deer, or seeing an osprey up close and personal diving into the water to catch his supper, the sunsets you get to see, and most importantly… the time you’re spending with your loved ones that’s outside enjoying nature and not inside in front of a screen.
xo,
bobbie-jo
Bobbie-Jo Stewart's blog 