Hi ho, hi ho… it’s off to work I go!
But this is work I enjoy, helping out with some guiding down at T. Michael Riddle’s Native Hunt ranches. We’ve got another large group coming in on his summer special, so we’ll be chasing boar and sheep. I’m looking forward to getting back out in the boonies. This city life… well, I’ve said enough about that.
In the meantime, and while I’m out, there are some good things going on out there. For one, my daily visit over to Albert’s Rasch Outdoor Chronicles blog brought me back to another blog I hadn’t visited in a while… the Fair Chase blog. Now I know, I know… I’ve gone on about the “Fair Chase” ideal many times, and probably will again, but don’t do like I did and jump the gun on this one (fortunately I decided to read the whole thing before posting my comments).
This particular post is all about a pretty awesome effort to understand the intricacies of hunter recruitment and retention. It’s actually a reprint of an article by Eric Nuse, President of Orion-The Hunter’s Institute. Again, the name of the blog and the credentials of this author both predisposed me against the actual writing, but I’m glad I persevered and read the piece. It’s not at all about hunter ethics or fair chase or protecting our “image”.
This is important stuff here, and it could go a long ways in determining the future of our sport. No matter which way our “battle” with the antis sways, if we can’t recruit and keep hunters, the tradition will die. The bright side is, we are seeing an upsurge in a new kind of hunter, the individual who comes to the sport later in life, without the family tradition or upbringing that many of us take for granted. Holly, the NorCal Cazadora, is a great example of that new hunter.
So what I guess I’m saying is, go check it out if you get a chance.
By the way, for what it matters… I have no axe to grind with Orion or the Fair Chase blog. I totally appreciate what they’re trying to do, and particularly in the case of Fair Chase, I like that they’ve opened the dialogue to discuss the topics that many hunters shy away from. There are some hard questions, and intricate answers, and if we don’t have a real discussion about them, we all lose.
So anyway, I’m packing the binos and my boots. Time to go guiding. Ya’ll have a great weekend, and I hope to be back with stories and pictures on Monday!
Just an FYI,
Mr Nuse has commented during our discussions back at TROC, and the impression I got when corresponding was that they were still unsure what the ethical boundries should be, in other words I feel that they think much as we do that it is the experience that determines if I minimum threshold has been met.
I think I got that right… Anyway, it seems that we are all on the same convergent tracks and as you point out the outcome is still up in the air. I’ve been saying, repeatedly, that until Outdoor Sportsmen demand an acquisition program for wilderness lands, the American model of game management is doomed!
Your Friend and Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
The Outfitters Chronicles: J Scott Croner Part I
Hunting Trophy
July 24th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Phillip, you really don’t expect any of us to believe you are doing any work down there do you?
July 26th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Turned into a pretty good hunt! Hard work and a very long day on Saturday, but we got ‘em done!
Albert, I keep following the Orion site. Lots of promise there, but always a risk of following the dangerous trail too.
July 27th, 2009 at 4:49 am
Phillip,
Hopefully the guiding went well, and that everyone had a great time.
I saw the article you mentioned and it is a great read, regardless of how you feel about “fair chase”.
July 27th, 2009 at 5:01 am