Say Anything Blog

That probably does seem like an odd headline, but hunting does play a big role in conservation.

Here in North Dakota, outfits like Pheasants Forever and Ducks Unlimited promote responsible hunting practices and donate millions to the preservation of habitats and wetlands.

It’s an odd juxtaposition I know.  Hunters-as-saviors-of-animals might be hard to understand, but it’s true.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

Absolutely, Rob.  I’m afraid I was being snarky with my “Who knew?” retort.

I’m well aware of the importance of hunting, even though I don’t hunt myself.  WIthout hunters, we’d be entirely overrun with an infestation of large, herbivorous, ungulated rats (in the vernacular “deer").

Elements Britain has had a jihad against hunters for a number of years now, so this headline probably was news for them!

Carrick, I figured you probably understood and were just pointing out what is, on the face of it, an odd headline.

I’m an avid hunter myself.  Or...was in a less-busy time of my life.  I’ve always enjoyed it.  A lot of non-hunters get the idea that hunting is just some easy, fish-in-a-barrel slaughtering done by low-brow, poorly-educated ingrates.  That’s not true.  Hunting actually requires a lot of skill, discipline and patience.

I’ll never forget the years I got to spend out with my dad and my uncles hunting moose, bear and caribou in rural Alaska.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

That does sound pretty awesome, Rob.

I road the Alaska railroad on the way to a conference in Fairbanks (don’t worry, I took a personal day for the train ride even though it was on a Saturday & the combined fair of air & train was still cheaper than direct flights to Fairbanks), and I was struck by how this railroad services areas not accessible by car.  It is a whistle stop, so people could get on and off the train at any point along the ride.

I was told that they wouldn’t let people off in the wilderness unless they were armed.  You know you’re in “wilderness” when you aren’t the dominant animal anymore.

Carrick, after retiring from the Alaska State Troopers my dad worked for the ARR for a while.  It wasn’t for him, but the rail road system in Alaska is something to behold.

It’s a wonderful place.  There are times when I wish I still lived there.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

Here in North Dakota, outfits like Pheasants Forever and Ducks Unlimited promote responsible hunting practices and donate millions to the preservation of habitats and wetlands.

Organizations like DU get their money from hunters, obviously.  Nobody is trying to hide that.

I an assure you that there is a lot of wetlands habitat in North Dakota, Minnesota, etc. that wouldn’t still be in existence were it not for groups like DU.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

Just like tobacco companies donate millions of dollars to anti-smoking campaigns. Some people just might be stupid enough to ignore how they got their money in the first place.

Hunters are the first to understand the importance of properly managing wildlife resources.  For instance, Texas has one of the largets deer populations in America.  Only 10% of that population is killed every year by hunters.  While that may seem like a lot, I can assure you that it is not.  I have seen deer populations that are so large that the does are skin and bones.  Deer not only graze; they also browse foor food.  Browsing is eating the leaves off the lower branches of trees.  Larger bucks can reach higher into the trees to eat.  The smaller does are then only left with what is on the ground.  If you have a large population in a given area, you have a problem.  It isn’t the larger male deer who die, it is the smaller female (and child-bearing) deer who die.

The same is true of other types of wildlife.  Hunters and their organizatios understand this and take steps to protect it that are far more effective than those of some of the more radical groups.

"Although I can accept talking scarecrows, lions and great wizards in emerald cities, I find it hard to believe there is no paperwork involved when your house lands on a witch.”
- Dave James

Obviously the populations of some species must be managed while the population of others must be protected.

When hunters create reserves that benefits many more animals that are not hunted.

I’m not a hunter, but I know that hunting is a good thing.

What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.

Dave: <blockqutoe>Just like tobacco companies donate millions of dollars to anti-smoking campaigns. Some people just might be stupid enough to ignore how they got their money in the first place.</blockquote>
There is a big difference here of course.

Tobacco causes cancer.  Predation on the other hand is essential for the health of the ecosystem, and thus, in the absence of natural predators, hunting is essential to maintaining the health of wild fowl populations.

Can you name a single species that, under modern conservation practices, is in danger because of hunting rather than because of destruction of their natural habitat?  As Steve L pointed out, there is no danger to the large, herbivorous, ungulated rat population...except perhaps through over population.