Hunting

Dave Roll Wyoming Antelope '11
Hunting
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(editor’s note: I asked my good friend Dave Roll of Eau Claire Wisconsin, to write this page as he not only is my definition of an ethical hunter, but my mentor as well)
Why Hunt? Why Not?
I was sitting in a makeshift goose blind during a recent mid-morning on an abnormally warm and breezy early September day. The sky was a perfect shade of blue and the big loud birds had long since made their rush hour commute between the nearby overnight roosting pond and surrounding fields of cut corn. With 3 honkers already in the bag and hopes of filling a 5 bird limit, the down time gave me the chance to contemplate my navel, which in this instance included thinking about why I was out there sitting in the tall grass – short on sleep and long on mindless meanderings. My enjoyment of hunting is still as strong as it was many decades ago when my dad took an overly ambitious gangly teenager out into the woods with a hammer action single shot 20 gauge. But even though the level of enjoyment is still front and center, it’s evolved and morphed in new and interesting ways
Sociologists will tell you that hunters go through fairly predictable stages over the courses of their outdoor careers. These can be somewhat age related but it’s surprising how similar the attitudes of a middle aged new recruit resemble those of a fresh faced 12 year old who just passed hunter’s education.
In the early going a hunter craves something/anything in front of his or herweapon. It’s all about the thrill of the kill and the power that is wielded bythat shotgun, rifle, or bow. Eventually the desire for an impressive body countchanges into choosing quality over quantity. This is the stage when small bucksare passed up in the hopes that Mr. Big might walk under the tree stand at anyminute. With a past history of reliably putting packages of wild game in thefreezer, a seasoned hunter may apply for limited draw tags in trophy areas andpreference points are accumulated in anticipation of the hunt of a lifetime.
Once a few (or many) trophies are hanging on the wall there comes the realizationthat it’s just “being out there” that’s the real star of the show.Enjoying sunrises, sharing the camaraderie of good friends, or maybe appreciatingquality dog work begin to take precedence over numbers, inches, or weight. Youcan’t help yourself from ribbing your buddy about missing that “can’tmiss” shot or congratulating him on making a seemingly impossible one. Thehunter takes a more contemplative stance and bag limits, while still nice, takesa back seat to the esthetics of the total outdoor experience.
Finally, at the apex on one’s hunting journey, comes the need to give something back tothe sport. This may be in the form of mentoring a new hunter, donating money toa hunting cause or organization, or even rolling up those sleeves and becominginvolved in planting trees to enhance habitat or help out with fund raising forhunting related projects. The penultimate gesture might be including either afinancial donation or one of land in a legal document such as a will, a trust,or some other method of estate planning to provide a lasting legacy of huntingand conservation even after death.
Academics and social studies aside, hunting provides a feast for the senses. The smellsalone are enough to make your head spin: spring blossoms during the turkeyseason, the crisp fall air while waiting for a flock of mallards to come intosight, pack horses and oiled leather, even that whiff of gun powder floating onthe wind seconds after making a great shot. Sounds include songbirds keepingyou company, approaching hooves tip-toeing on crunchy leaves, the playfulsplashing of a rocky stream crossed on the way to a favorite stand. Food, nomatter how simple, always tastes better when eaten outdoors. A different typeof banquet that greets your eyes might be a postcard-perfect mountain range, asunrise, or a honey bee landing on a blossom. Try looking straight up from yourlayout blind on the Dakota prairie at a hundred thousand snow geese creatinginterwoven diamonds in the sky and not feel a sense of awe and inspiration. Andlet’s not forget the effect of excitement – that pure rush of adrenaline thatraces through your veins when you’re staring through your peep sight at abugling elk bull or perched in a tree 20 yards from a black bear that weighstwice what you do.
There are tons of other good reasons for hunting that I could tick off: the strongheritage and tradition, a family activity for virtually all ages (even underageyoungsters can appreciate hunting as observers), achieving skill andproficiency in woods craft, putting clean and healthy meat on the table,exercise and fresh air, learning safe and responsible use of weaponry, and manymore. It’s also important to note that the revenues generated from licensesales, habitat fees, and specialized stamps, along with federal excise taxes onsporting goods that are returned to each state based on hunter participation(Pittman-Robertson Funds), make hunting a “pay your own way” sport.Those monies help open up land to hunting access, pay salaries for gamemanagers and wardens, and educate new hunters to be safe and knowledgeablemembers of the conservation community. The game benefits too – by having regulationsand bag limits in place that guarantee a healthy number of critters will beavailable to propagate their respective species for generations to come, alongwith a research and knowledge base that creates sound and scientific management policies.
As I sat there in that goose blind, I was amazed at the long road I’ve travelled as a hunter and outdoorsman, and excited at the prospect of what lies ahead. There’s an old saying that goes, “It’s good to be the king”. Well, I have no illusions that I’ll ever wear a crown of any kind, but I can say with plenty of optimism and enthusiasm that “it’s good to be a hunter!”