I think what concerns me the most about this change is the loss of opportunity. I think we MM guys and gals sometimes get caught up in thinking that how we hunt (I say that because it seems that most of are chasing the bigger bucks and bulls) is how most folks hunt. I have gone back and forth over the last few weeks with some of you on here and I'll be the first to admit I have learned a lot.
I guess I am worried that we may start losing more hunters as we reduce the amount of time they have to hunt. The hunter who can only take 2-3 days off a year to hunt is going to reap the consequences of these changes. Those of us who are blessed to be able to take more time (hunting and scouting) may not be affected as much. I stand as one of two hunters left in a group of 30+ guys that I started hunting with with I turned 14. That was only 15 years ago. They have all quit for one reason or another-but they quit. Some of you are probably thinking, "that's great, fewer hunters the better." Be careful what you ask for.
The problem lies in when we lose too many of our fellow hunters...then what do we do? No matter how you look at it, we are a dying breed. Our numbers shrink every year while those who are against us and those who are on the fence in regards to hunting increase in number. Like others have mentioned before, there used to be 250,000 rifle deer hunters in Utah alone. There are now only 97,000 plus the bow hunters. I know that doesn't make up for the other 153,000 hunters.
Some have mentioned that if rifle hunters want more opportunity then they should pick up a bow. Some have, but who are you to tell someone how they should hunt. Maybe they physically can't shoot a bow.Maybe they cannot afford to outfit themselves for bow hunting. There are so many unknowns.Who are we to take their only way of hunting away?
Now this will probably ruffle some feathers with the bow hunters, but know that I am one myself. In the end we are going to have changes. I only wish to offer a word of caution. Bowhunters (and no this does not mean all of you), be careful in how you treat the rifle hunters. They represent the majority of us and with that majority comes great strength. In the end, without the support of rifle hunters-we cannot win the battle.
In closing I don't have all of the answers, although somedays I think I do. I hope that we can all work together and focus on what really matters. To me, that is preserving our hunting heritage and conserving the wildlife that we purse. At the end of the day, if you are the last hunter standing, with thousands and thousands of acres to hunt by yourself......then we have lost. Where do we draw the line in helping the deer.....or helping ourselves? Why do we let the "loud" hunters make decisions for all of us. When are we "all" going to get involved? If all we do is complain to each other-where does that leave us?
Just some questions to ponder. I know I ponder them all of the time.
