| It's not easy being the "environment." It receives | | | | behind it all - especially to those on the fence |
| more attention than Paris Hilton in a prison cell. | | | | about the issue. Why do we hunt? Why do we |
| Everyone is all about "saving" the environment, | | | | fish? The answer rests in another kind of |
| and we're all aware of the powerful cultural | | | | conservation - the conservation of meaning and |
| movement focused on living "green" and being | | | | humanity. |
| "environmentally - friendly." | | | | Many think that by changing driving habits and |
| Cultural elites and politicians tell us that if we ride | | | | using renewable energy that we're being "natural" |
| our bikes more, take the bus, use different light | | | | or somehow experiencing the natural world. But |
| bulbs, only then will we become truly "green" and | | | | hunters and fishermen possess a deep and |
| a friend of the earth. | | | | intense connection with our world that goes |
| Yet changing our driving habits or riding our bikes | | | | beyond any "green" campaign. Why? Because |
| simply isn't practical or convenient. We care about | | | | hunters and fishermen actually come into physical |
| our world but we feel left out in the cold, | | | | contact with the world; they don't experience it |
| wondering, "What can I do to help? None of that | | | | through a screen in their living room. When was |
| other stuff is for me." | | | | the last time you saw a politician or celebrity out |
| Chances are, if you're reading this you're into | | | | in the wilderness hunting or fishing? |
| archery, fishing and/or hunting. And if you're a | | | | To quote Mahoney, "Hunting is a love affair." It is |
| lover of archery, fishing or hunting - or all three - | | | | the passionate interaction between two forces of |
| and if you have a desire to keep the | | | | the natural world - man and wild. The two come |
| "environment" in good working condition, just keep | | | | together to create the essence of being, the |
| doing what you're doing. | | | | essence of life and meaning. |
| But if you're on the fence about archery, fishing | | | | Continues Mahoney, "Hunting is an immersion; a |
| and hunting, keep an open mind and read on to | | | | drowning in connectedness that squanders pride |
| find out why we do what we do. | | | | and privilege; the true hunter is the humble man, |
| Naturally (no pun intended), we in the archery, | | | | the enthralled child and the knowing prince... |
| fishing and hunting world have a vested interest in | | | | Hunting is a cataclysm of inward progress. We |
| keeping our planet's resources and wildlife in top | | | | hunt for spiritual reasons; we hunt to find inner |
| condition. As Canadian biologist and philosopher | | | | peace; we hunt to understand the world...The true |
| Shane Mahoney said, "Hunters and fishermen are | | | | hunter is both the alert and meditative man. |
| the piston that drives the conservation engine. If | | | | Thought and action combined in purpose; a hymn |
| you take hunting and fishing out of the equation, | | | | for the unity of world and self." |
| the whole (wildlife management) effort collapses." | | | | This may be a bit romantic for some of you, but |
| So it's no surprise that sportsmen - those | | | | hunting and fishing are much more than pastimes |
| involved in archery, fishing and hunting - provide | | | | and even a conservation method. Hunting and |
| over $1 billion annually towards conservation | | | | fishing embody an intrinsic understanding of life. |
| efforts. It's no surprise that sportsmen have paid | | | | We conserve ourselves, as well as our world, |
| several billion dollars over the last 70-80 years on | | | | through hunting, fishing and archery. |
| self-imposed excise taxes on firearms, | | | | In a world where "reality" exists in an XBOX, |
| ammunition and certain archery and fishing | | | | archery, fishing and hunting reconnect us to what |
| equipment. | | | | makes us human; to what makes life, in part, |
| It's no surprise that through hunting and fishing | | | | meaningful and purposeful. In the field, we |
| conservation efforts, wildlife populations and | | | | experience sacrifice, life and passion. As Dr. Randall |
| habitats flourish. There are now over 18 million | | | | L. Eaton writes, "that is why hunters have been |
| white-tailed deer in the U.S. when there used to | | | | and still are, by far, the foremost conservationists |
| be less than half-a-million around 1900. Today's elk | | | | of wildlife and wild places, to the benefit of |
| population is around 800,000 when in 1917 it was | | | | everyone." |
| a mere 41,000. | | | | Over the last ten years, the number of adult |
| And is it surprising that a handful of African | | | | hunters has dropped by nearly two million and the |
| nations are now using conservation-hunting | | | | number of adult anglers has dropped more than |
| methods to increase the populations of | | | | five million. These declining numbers mean less |
| endangered animals like elephants and black and | | | | money for the conservation of wildlife and wild |
| white rhinos? And is it surprising that the polar | | | | places, but it also signifies the continuing distance |
| bear population in northern Canada has increased | | | | we put between ourselves and the natural world. |
| because of 30-some years of | | | | So as you sit at your computer, ask yourself, |
| conservation-hunting? | | | | "Why do I love archery, fishing and hunting?" And |
| For those of us actively engaged in archery,fishing | | | | if you're not into archery, fishing and hunting, ask |
| and hunting, no, we are not surprised. But listing | | | | yourself, "Why am I not a lover of archery, |
| the many and wonderful benefits of archery, | | | | fishing and hunting? |
| fishing and hunting doesn't explain the "why" | | | | |