Snowy day reflections
Phil Taunton
Friday, February 8, 2008
I know what the wife has on her mind, but I have a fear of flying and was at a major airport last Friday for only the second time in my life.
My daughter Stefanie and her family were returning from Orlando where it was ridiculously warm, to say the least. Grandson Peyton, in a guarded situation, got to ride an alligator at Gatorland.
Shut my mouth, if being in a jet airplane wasn’t enough! But in such a litigious world, I am glad the “Gator Boy” is getting to experience Nature.
And Wifeus, please unpack your bags. Flying to a golf resort is out of the question!
If the Lord wanted this outdoors guy to fly he would have given me feathers. It would be nice to soar with eagles once or twice, but as far as airplanes go, I still prefer the highway and to stay on the ground with the turkeys. Emporia should take pride in its many wildlife conservation organizations and their supporters who have made a commitment to provide youth with quality educational outdoor experiences. Hopefully these ventures will help the kids keep their feet on the ground, learn about the wonders of Nature, help preserve and protect our environment and enjoy a lifetime of challenging and pleasurable natural experiences.
Several years ago, a friend of mine passed along a newspaper article by Babe Winkelman concerning our right to hunt and fish. This was in 1999, and many of Babe’s observations have even more meaning today.
I would like to share some of his “thoughts to ponder” with you. You can visit www.winkelman.com for information on Babe, his television programs, series, products, Kris’ outdoor recipes, sweepstakes, books and videos.
Babe states: “Most sportsmen are as nervous about the ‘antis’ (and if they aren’t they should be) as a field mouse watching a great horned owl swooping from the sky with talons extended. Every time we turn around it seems the shadow of one of these organizations is circling patiently, waiting for the opportunity to seize our right to hunt, fish or trap.”
Earlier in 1999, supporters of this movement were found on street corners in Wichita and Salina protesting the right to fish and carrying banners saying fish have feelings, too. We also have seen and felt their presence in Emporia.
“If we lose our rights, we have only ourselves to blame,” Babe said. “Say what you want about People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and other critics of the blood sports, they at least have the courage to stand up for their beliefs. They have succeeded because outdoor sportsmen have been reluctant to stand up for their rights, heritage and traditions.
“The decisions affecting this right to hunt, fish and trap won’t be made by PETA, Fund for Animals or Friends of Animals. Those decisions will be made by the American public: those who don’t hunt, fish or participate in non-consumptive outdoor activities. This decision will be made at the polls. Just ask the sportsmen in Ontario, who sat quietly while a well-funded campaign by the antis resulted in the loss of Ontario’s spring bear hunt.
“A tasteless home video used by an outfitter to sell bear hunts brought all of this about and convinced the mostly urban eastern-Ontario voters to ban spring bear hunting.
“When it comes to portraying hunting and fishing in the worst possible light, some sportsmen don’t really need much help from the antis. We do a very good job all by ourselves.
“If our image is tarnished, it’s because we haven’t polished it. If we’re thought of being whiskey-guzzling slobs who litter the countryside with our refuge and break the game laws while trying to express our manhood by killing the biggest this and catching the most of that, it’s because we’ve fostered that image.
“How can we change this image? A well-informed public would be a good starting point.
“Start by writing letters to your favorite outdoor magazine and insisting that they balance their editorial content with more articles dealing with ethics and conservation and fewer articles about how to be the most efficient killers on their block.” I try to teach in hunter education classes that as hunters grow older most realize it isn’t the numbers they harvest or “limiting out” that matters, but rather planning the trip, being with family and friends or the serenity and solitude of the quest that makes for a truly rewarding outdoor experience.
“We need more stories dealing with the plight of wildlife, their challenges, how to improve habitat and fewer on how to kill animals or catch bass like the tournament pros.” Babe said.
The general public needs to understand that gun-toting hunters aren’t much of a threat to the future of wildlife compared to changing land-use practices that offer both game and non-game animals alike less food, water, shelter, space and arrangement.
Babe asks that we “Stop placing a blind trust in national conservation organizations that are more concerned about raising money than true wildlife appreciation and conservation efforts. Most of us donate a few dollars to our favorite non-profit organization, attach a decal to the windshield of our pickup and relax, secure in the belief that the future of wildlife is in good hands. That’s not always the case. Find out where that organization’s money is being spent and why.
“Be selective about which organizations you support. Tops on its agenda should be putting productive habitat on the landscape, research and education. If those items are secondary to fund-raising and self-promotion, perhaps it’s time to stick a different decal on your pickup window.”
Supporting youth-parent/guardian events that teach ethical behavior and responsibilities as well as outdoor education is an important step in the right direction. Schools also would be a good place to start.
“We must de-emphasize the harvest and start promoting the social values associated with the outdoor experience,” Babe said. “Hunters who pay big dollars for the right to shoot fenced, semi-tame deer, their heavy racks the product of nutritional supplements, only feed the notion that sportsmen care more about collecting trophies than they do about the rewarding experience of the hunt.”
Yes, outdoor sportsmen, it’s time to stand up for what you believe in. Practice responsibility and ethics when in the woods and on the water. Help portray our sport as one of the most positive influences in our natural world.
Send comments and/or suggestions for future columns to ptaunton@cableone.net.
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