Frank: I don't normally weigh in here on debates like this, but since I
disagree so much with what you wrote, I feel I have to respond - politely, but
passionately.
First off, I am an avid birder and nature-lover, and have never hunted or
owned a gun in my life. That said:
1) Birding and hunting have gone hand in hand since the days of Audubon
and before; the two have always been linked historically and in other ways.
2) The "Duck Stamp," which hunters have to purchase, has saved about 5
million acres of habitat since its inception in 1934. The refuges we love most -
like Bombay Hook and Blackwater - were purchased almost ENTIRELY with
duck stamp funds. Lisa and I wouldn't dream of going birding without our duck
stamp along. I hope everyone on this list has purchased theirs. (Although I do
wish they would issue a version that had neotropical migrants on it for us non-
hunters).
3) Ducks Unlimited and other such groups (like those for Pheasants and
Ruffed Grouse) do play an important role in habitat and species conservation.
Do they over-hype their achievements and role? Probably, but what group
doesn't?
4) Responsible - repeat responsible - hunting of non-endangered species
actually helps save and manage species. In a perfect world, yes, man's
fingerprints would be completely off nature. But that world doesn't exist
anymore. "Going Wild" by Jan Dizard is a great book about this tension.
5) I think the decision not to include hunters and reach out to them was
one of the main reasons the environmental movement that began in the
stalled out. We should actually be lamenting the decline of hunters (there was
an article about this in the November National Geo), which is happening along
with other losses of rural America.
When I got out birding (or hiking the Appalachian Trail), I feel I have a lot
more in common with a hunter who knows the land, the weather and the
species he's after than I do with someone whose entire world consists of
asphalt, Starbucks, Wal-mart, the office, video games and the local gym.
Thanks for listening.
Warren Strobel
Annapolis, MD
www.birdcouple.com
On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 03:33:06 -0500, Frank Boyle
<> wrote:
>As I was doing one 3-mile section of two that I cover for the annual C&O
>Canal Count, I encountered a few hunters on the river, also. Call me crazy
>(ok... no snickering from the peanut gallery!), but there is something
>inherently depressing about counting birds and then realizing they may be
>blasted out of existence for "sport" the next instant.
>
>I have heard the age-old propaganda about how much valuable habitat is
>preserved by groups like Ducks Unlimited, and it's ringing rather hollow
>now. There are better ways to conserve wildlife & their habitats than these
>unholy alliances and I think it's time to stop sport hunting of waterfowl.
>
>Yep, I just don't like killing animals for sport, and yep, I am very
>opinionated.
>
>***********************
>Frank Boyle
>Rohrersville, MD
>
>***********************
> |