With this column I'm beginning a series that may go to five weeks. An oft argued topic is whether hunting is socially acceptable, and sometimes in those conversations we hunters are put back on our heels. So it's time to turn the tables. When someone says, "I'm against hunting," reply by saying, "That's interesting. What kind of hunting are you against?" Yes, hunting is not just one thing. Hunting is history!
My February 28 column in the Jamestown Gazette, "You Say You’re Against Hunting? (Part 1)" begins to reveal that most people who make their socially acceptable statements about hunting don't really know what they're talking about. We'll look at the types of hunting history has given us, from ancient subsistence hunting (which humans did for most of our history), to market hunting (which was a serious threat to wildlife and thinking hunters took steps to correct that), to sport hunting (a wildly misunderstood activity that has countless positive benefits). We'll also look at what I'll call "defensive hunting" and also touch on "trophy hunting" and perhaps poaching (which isn't hunting at all, but many people try to equate hunting and poaching).
So, we have a big trip ahead of us, but I'm aiming to give readers a tool to use in conversations about hunting. Why? Because it's time we own the terms of the debate, and let the public know modern hunters are the heroes of wildlife conservation.
To access more of my writing on hunting topics, go to the home page of my blog, Mission: Hunter.