Posted by
ScottG on Tuesday, September 04, 2007 2:41:34 AM
It seems the number of Americans hunting is in decline, according to the
AP.
The story appears to be a straightforward account of how hunting is
losing its attraction. Of course, as it's the Enemy Press AP, we know
that the apparent evenhanded tone is a false front.
The story
does accidentally give numbers and a warning for the possible havoc
created by the loss of hunting range and the culling of game animals.
Not the least is the loss of funding for state wildlife agencies. "Of
the 50 state wildlife agencies, most rely on hunting and fishing
license fees for the bulk of their revenue, and only a handful receive
significant infusions from their state's general fund. 'They're trying
to take care of all wildlife and all habitats on a shoestring budget,'
said Rachel Brittin of the Washington-based Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies." That, of course, is an unintended consequence that
the envirofreaks don't realize. They can crow about the increased
numbers of wussified bird watchers, but the truth is that no one
contributes more to wildlife conservation than those who hunt and fish.
The effete birders and wildlife voyeurs do nothing for the wild, except
try to keep the benighted masses they abhor out of it.
Oh, and
the AP? Here's evidence of their bias against freedom. "One rift
involves hunters disenchanted with the National Rifle Association,
which runs major hunting programs and lobbies vigorously against gun
control. A Maryland hunter, Ray Schoenke, has formed a new group, the
American Hunters and Shooters Association, primarily as a home for
hunters who would support some restrictions on gun and ammunition
sales." Really? No. It's obvious by the make up of its leadership that
the AHSA is run by implacable anti-gunners. They have ties to
politicians openly hostile to your right to protect yourself from crime
and possible government tyranny. The National Shooting Sports
Foundation has more about this sinister organization
here.
Pretending that a hoax group is defending our constitutional rights
when in fact they are trying to suborn them. Good going AP, but you've
been exposed again.
Many private organizations are trying to
bring hunting back into view as an honorable pursuit. Besides the
financial benefit to states, more hunters translates into more shooters
who take gun safety courses and more people available to protect their
neighbors during disasters. A win-win situation for the country. One
problem is the lack of hunting areas. Leave it to government to make
buffoons of themselves in this regard.
The
Valley Morning Star
out of Harlingen Texas posted an editorial earlier this summer about a
Park Service plan to thin out a population of elk in the Rocky Mountain
National Park. Seems our clever overlords have settled on a peach of an
idea to cull the herd "involving the hiring of specialized
sharpshooters to conduct elk hunts at night, using night-vision
equipment and silencers. That way, the public never has to see — or
know — what’s going on. It’s obviously the most expensive, convoluted
and politically correct way to get the job done — which is why it’s the
option favored by the feds." How incredibly stupid! How foolish and
absurd! Yet, the option of allowing hunts to be opened to the public is
ignored. Can't expect the government to save hunting. Nor should one.
Ah,
Shoot! doesn't hunt and has no desire to, but we do see the danger in
falling numbers of those who do. If the public loses interest in this
avenue of gun use, it will make it easier for those who hate our gun
freedoms to diminish our rights by incrementally taking away our
familiarity of firearms and thus easing their path to gun bans. We need
to hunt to maintain our rights or we will see them slowly disappear.
Tagged As:
HuntingSportsPoliticsSecond Amendment