...I think my reluctance to write has been a response to the sheer idiocy that has been exhibited by so many of the outdoor media’s celebrities, and outdoor professionals (guides and outfitters). Let’s be honest, a significant number of these people have behaved in ways that are appalling at the very least. If you go online and begin counting up the game violations by these people you quickly realize we’ve got a problem and it is best expressed in the immortalized words of Strather Martin and Paul Newman: “what we’ve got here is a failure to communicate.” The failure is that too many outdoor celebs and professionals are starting to believe their own press releases and from that they are expecting a “bye” when their actions violate the law.
... Case in point is Ted Nugent. Numerous editors and even the National Rifle Association have all remained silent about Nugent’s behavior and when asked why, we discover it is because Nugent’s fans are ready to rip into anyone who speaks out or writes against Nugent and they are afraid that condemning Nugent’s actions will “rock the boat.” They are unwilling to risk losing readers or members. In short, membership fees and subscribers are more important than the future of the outdoors and Second Amendment!
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Fair chase hunting: Moral? Ethical? Hunter preference?
We also look at core issues related to the future of hunting such as hunting ethics, hunter
education, the public trust of wildlife, and the North American Model of Wildlife Management.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Time to Stand Against Wildlife Violators
From The Thinking Hunter:
Eric, you guys make some good points, but I think the crticism of Nugent is unfair. The guy can turn off hunters and anti-hunters alike with his somtimes rabid-like rants, but there is no real justification to criticize him for his hunting practices in AK. They were brought to light by his own public testimony, so he probably fealt that his actions were legal. Picture the possible situation: you take a shot at a bear, and it runs away. Did you wound it or did you miss clean? You try to track it with no luck - you assume that it got away. You keep hunting, and kill a bear. You talk about it, and get charged with a crime. You plead guilty to get out of media as quickly as possible. You didn't do anyhting wrong.
ReplyDeleteAnon, I hear you and in most states that is exactly what most of us would do. AK has a different law and although I know it cam be difficult it is the hunters responsibility to know the law and follow it. Unfortunately for Nugent he either didn't know or didn't follow it. He did do the right thing by admitting what he did and paying the price. Everyone makes mistakes and as my neighboring warden liked to say, "it's what you do afterward that is the measure of a man."
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