By Doug Hoag
Well, once again, October has arrived, and with it, another hunting season. Small game opened on the 1st, and on the 17th, my personal favorite, archery season opened.
I have wanted to write a piece about the outdoor sport since last year when I read a column written by another local fella, titled "We should not teach our children to kill."
Now, my thoughts on the subject.
I grew up in the '70s, raised by parents who definitely taught good values, old-school ways. My father was an avid sportsman; hunting and fishing were a given. I was never forced to participate in these activities. Just always wanted to.
Opening day of deer season was like a national holiday growing up. Kids who hunted would miss that Monday of school to be in the woods, that's just the way it was. Main Street in town would be lined with vehicles of hunters showing off their trophies. Local businesses boomed! My, my, how times have changed.
Nowadays, it seems our youth have been fed a strict diet of misconceptions about hunting as well as firearms. A lot of this, from people who have no education or experience in the subject. This, my fellow hunters, has more to do with the falling number of hunters, than any video game.
I hardly believe any youngsters were forced to go hunting because the local townsmen coaxed their fathers to take them. That sounds like a bad after-school special.
What it amounts to is that kids should be educated on the sport of hunting, and left to decide for themselves. It should not be taught that it is wrong, just because an adult feels that way. No more than I would try to teach my kids that they have to hunt.
My 14-year-old daughter made the decision over a year ago that she wanted no part of hunting, and she was going to be a vegetarian. I support her in this decision, and if it were the other way around, I would still support her. Yeah, I pick on her sometimes, but I'm just having a little fun.
My oldest daughter has never shown any interest in hunting. I've never tried to change her mind on that, either. When my stepdaughter comes of age and my son, too, it will be up to them.
What bad has ever come from teaching kids the sport of hunting? We teach them some responsibility; get them off the couch, Xbox or computer. No ethical hunters are out there in the woods killing animals for the sake of killing.
Animals are not carelessly wounded and left to suffer. Responsible hunters teach their kids to harvest an animal humanly with a one-shot kill. And if an animal is wounded and ultimately lost, another one of our resident predators will surely feast on the meat.
Can you even start to imagine, what would happen to the wildlife population if hunting is not picked up and carried on by our younger generation? Disease and starvation would run wild! Deer and car collisions would most likely skyrocket. What do you suppose would happen to your insurance premiums?
It has been said that, ironically, sportsmen have contributed more to the management of wildlife than any other means. Our children should be educated and able to decide for themselves if hunting is something they'd like to do, as my children have, and will.
In closing, I would like to share some interesting numbers from an article found in the November 2007 issue of National Geographic. Whitetails Unlimited, 75,000 members, contributed $5.1 million to wildlife conservation, The National Wild Turkey Federation, 583,000 members, $41.8 million, and Ducks Unlimited, 774,000 members, $182.1 million.
Pretty impressive, to say the least. Anyone have contribution figures from the anti-hunting groups?
I have to repeat, it's time to educate our children about hunting and wildlife conservation, NOT persuade them, but let them decide. They are our future, as well as the future of our wildlife.
Lastly, I would like to thank my father for taking me hunting and teaching me. And to all those along the way who have contributed to my knowledge and love of the sport, thank you.
To all those young and old heading into the woods this season, be safe and good luck. Take a kid hunting, and if he or she is lucky enough to harvest an animal, the memory will last a lifetime, and they will most likely, like myself, be hooked for life.
To write for "My turn," contact Daily Star Publisher Tanya Shalor at tshalor@thedailystar.com or 432-1000, ext. 214.
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