Throughout the state of Wisconsin people of all generations look at hunting as one of the state’s great traditions. Growing up there was nothing more exciting than walking down to my basement with my Dad to lace up the old hunting boots and head out into the field. The memories made with every step through yellow grass fields in northern Iowa or in a tree in central Wisconsin have lead me to a great passion for our natural resources, helping me to realize the importance of protecting those natural resources. Much to my dismay I have found myself and my passion for the outdoors to be in the minority amongst most people. Are they to be blamed for their lack of interest in the natural world? I don’t believe they should be. The opportunity to experience all that nature has to offer through recreational activities like fishing and hunting are simply not an option for the vast majority of people. Barriers like these are keeping people from connecting with nature and letting natural resource issues slide to the backburner of public interest.
Ask anyone who hunts and they will tell you it’s not exactly cheap; requiring land, licenses, and essential gear. Now ask that same hunter if it’s worth all the money and effort and you will receive a resounding YES! Ask them to explain why it’s worth it and the only answer is that you have to be out there, experiencing everything beyond just the trophy you hope to take home. It’s the bird landing on your leg as you sit perfectly still in your tree stand or the mouse ducking into his hole as you tromp through the woods hoping to kick up a roughed grouse. It doesn’t take much to find a connection with something as beautiful and mysterious as the natural world.
I have asked several of my friends for reasons why they have never been hunting and it boils down to not having a hunter’s safety license and not having a place to go. Thankfully the state already provides thousands of acres of public hunting land littered all over the state, leaving us with one final barrier, the hunter’s safety license. This seems simple, just take the class, however it’s not as simple as it sounds. It’s not easy to convince people that they should spend their hard earned time and money to take a class on hunter’s safety when they have never even been hunting before.
I believe a mentor program would allow hunters, like myself, to bring friends and family out in the field without the currently required licenses. Obviously a license of some sort will be required but a person without hunters safety should be able to purchase a special license requiring them to be with an experienced hunter as a mentor. The Wisconsin DNR is currently running a mentor program of this nature but on a very small scale. Expanding this program to allow anyone with the experience, gear, and land to become a mentor would allow for more people to take that first step. Experiencing the great outdoors and starting a relationship with our natural resources. Creating that relationship or connection with nature is vital to ensuring a future of nature enthusiast who will fight to protect our natural resources.
3 comments:
The hunting mentor program, I feel, is a good idea too. It would benefit the hunting community, and it is a good way to start people on a path toward environmental concern. Being out in nature is about the only way for people to find a connection to the outdoors. Without this connection to nature, people seem apathetic to environmental issues, which currently are going overlooked by many.
I have found that many of my friend simply do not understand why I love to hunt as well. Most see it as killing Bambi and how dare I do that. once I go over what hunting is really about a new attitude comes forth from them to a greater or lesser degree. I feel that the mentor program would help many people like my friends understand what the sport of hunting is about, connecting
I have brought this subject up to many of my non- hunting friends, and they do see it as killing for the fun of it. While most people are interested in hunting when you bring it up, it is hard to get them to actually act on it. Hunting education and mentorship hunting programs are a good idea, but how do you get them to start the programs. I think that most people want to try it, but it’s like many things we want to try in life that we slowly put off and never get around to it. Because hunting can be expensive, it is hard to get beginner to join. Hunting is also a sport that requires skill and patience. Now days with the social world so busy, that people don’t think they have the time to take a step back and remove themselves from society. In order for these great programs to work I think there has to be a big benefit that will inspire people to join and start hunting.
Post a Comment