Just a little something I wrote let me know what you think. Would like to write some more stuff like this. Ethical hunters and ethical land use By Clinton Bowers There is a plague sweeping through the hunting community, its hidden, its deadly to our sport and future hunters. This plague is not an infectious disease in the animals we hunt, or the foods they consume. Its in us the hunter, one a lot of hunters do not even realize exists until it rears its head. Its the continual misuse of land that we are given permission to hunt. Ive seen it first hand not only on public land, but on private land. I recently asked a good friend if I would be able to hunt on his property, I figured since we practically lived together while working, and are good friends it would be a sure shot, his answer was not just no but hell no!. I was actually surprised at his reaction. Before I could ask he explained that he let a good friend hunt geese on his property once before and he left it a complete mess. He feeds the animals that he eats on his property, he doesnt want them eating trash. It causes him more grief than its worth, so now he doesnt let anyone hunt his property, which the property is promising for more than just geese. The sad part about this was, this good friend of his said to the owner you wont even know I was there that didnt happen. They left gates open that were suppose to be closed, his cows got out , and they didnt even bat an eye to help him round them up. So now my friend doesnt trust any hunter. This is just one instance and it happens far too often. Im not just concerned about private land access either Im concerned about a loss of use on public land as well. I continue to see access to good public ground closed off due too preventing further damage to the habitat. This happens when people dont pack their trash out, dont stay the trail and just abuse the land because its public. The funny thing is we should have just as much respect for the land that is public as we do private land. Our public lands dont belong to the public they are controlled by multiple agencies and we are allowed, key phrase here, allowed to used them. If we abuse it then we are no longer allowed to use it. I see it a lot around me blatant disregard for the rules and regulations, obnoxious people running around in the woods raising hell not giving a crap about what they are doing. Driving ATVs through a nice wet green beautiful meadow, with water and grass and would be the ideal place to see elk early fall. Just destroy it because its a good place to sling some mud, half the time their fellow hunters too. This blatant disregard, This kind of obnoxious behavior lead me to having an unsuccessful and miserable archery season. because people using the public land I was on scared the elk out of my area. Having a couple weeks off from work I had planned on hunting all year long, put time in scouting and forming an awesome plan A and what I thought was a solid plan B. I failed to plan for the fact my hunting season followed Labor Day weekend. The area I found when I came back to after two weeks was trashed! Cans and wire and plastic, beer bottles and brass casings everywhere. I dont mind target practice but clean up after yourself and when its archery season try to refrain from blowing up the country side. I ran out of time to try and form plan C after plan B was a flop and I just couldnt get something together all my hard work and my perfect spot was all for naught . Ill get em next year. All this behavior reminds me of that one person that is a friend of your spouses, or your crazy cousin on your mothers side, that just irritates the hell outa ya, obnoxious freaking company. You dread to hear theyre visiting. They walk into your house like its theirs too, eat your food, sit in your favorite chair, drink your favorite beer, change the t.v. to their favorite channel and leave their shoes on the whole time. Have no respect for your home or your rules and just do what ever the hell they please. I was always taught that when Im in someone elses home I use more manners and act better than I would in my own. They are a gracious host be a gracious guest. I am well aware that we cant keep all the irresponsible people out of the woods, but we can help reduce their impact and our impact as well. We need to be just as ethical when it comes to land use, as we do when it comes to ethical hunting. First things first; in order to be ethical land users and expect others to do the same we must set the example. We need to be ghosts on the land, truly leave no trace, so much so that no one even knew we were there. Be one with the land, use what it has, and truly appreciate what it has to offer. Take every minute in the outdoors as a gift that we will only receive once, be a gracious guest in Gods country. Pack it out even if you didnt pack it in, once again leave the land as if no one was there before you thats how it should be. Let them see you doing this be stewards of responsibility. Have integrity do whats right when no one is looking. Dont just leave something for the next guy to pick up after you, have manners and respect for the land youre on, pack it in, pack it out. This is part of conservation beyond donation, you dont have to solely donate to conserve the land. This is our responsibility as hunters is to keep the land sacred so future generations can use it. Its a burden worth bearing, it teaches our children and grandchildren the right way to do things and enforces ethical land use. Not to mention self satisfaction that you are doing the right thing, an honorable thing, respecting the land god has blessed you with. If on private land respect it more than if it were yours leave it looking better than when you got there. Offer to help around the property with maintenance as a thank you for the opportunity, do more than pay with some worthless paper, put your heart into the thank you. Help that landowner by keeping obnoxious company off his property, keeping it clean, or cleaning it up more. Let that landowner know you truly care about the opportunity to be there. An adage that I lived by in the Marine Corps that applies here is If you have to ask if its right or wrong youre probably wrong. So if you have to question if what youre doing is acceptable Id ask the landowner. If you know its wrong dont do it, period. You want to earn their trust and respect, and that is one thing never given. Make that land owner trust and respect you. If you see others being obnoxious guests or irresponsible land users have intestinal fortitude to correct that problem, wether on public or private land. Report violations of rules and regulations to proper authorities, or take my approach and confront the individual(s) in a tactful manner. Dont be confrontational just inform them of the consequences and how to correct their actions, or suggest they find an appropriate place to conduct their activities. I you dont know where these places are, you should learn for your own sake. A good place to start is the local USFS office, BLM, county assessor or game and fish office. If this approach doesnt work, and it seems like there is going to be a confrontation, then take it to the land owner or authorities. Dont just look the other way, stand up for yourself and the privileges of other hunters to protect the land you use. Bite the bullet, swallow your pride and just do whats right. These little things that you can do have a huge impact for future generations of outdoorsmen. Not to mention if it comes to losing access to public land and your actions and those around you are beyond reproach, you have ammunition to appeal the closures. Ammunition to petition and fight tooth and nail to protect the ability for use by generations to come. This is of utmost importance to carry on the traditions of ethical hunting, and land use and should be the foundation of the character of all men and women using the outdoors to put food in the freezer, or just enjoy period. At the end of the day you should come out of the woods with satisfaction and gratitude regardless if you harvested an animal, and also knowing you did everything you could to preserve that land for your children and grandchildren.
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 22:35:28 +0000
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