To many hunters with the heads in the sand

[MugEye]

Podcasts out there like Randy Newburgh that talk about conservation, and how to unite hunters. We need to do more to put hunting in a positive light in the media. Where I’m from there is an outdoorsman club with their only activity is a horn scoring night, to my knowledge. I am disappointed with that they should be doing more. I was once a member but I am no longer amongst many others. This image does nothing to shed a better light of hunting to the non hunters. What can I do? should I re-join the club and help them open their eyes? I just think there is more to a outdoorsmen club then A horn scoring. I would like Perhaps some camping trips fishing trips, educating our young and new members on wildlife and survival. How would you suggest I go about this? I would love to help but I don’t know what to do and how to do it? Tell me what your small town has for an outdoorsman club and what do they do? What do the big clubs in the city do do they have any tricks? We as outdoorsman need to start becoming a community of outdoorsman and doing things together where we start

[Ranch11]

Join the club. Get youngsters involved. Talk to your school about having a wildlife and fishery conservation class. I did one for a grade one class, and another for a grade 5 class. Not only is it educational for them, it's pretty fun to put on. Talk about all the good things that go on, like hatcheries and wildlife rehab/rescue centres. Get involved in trade shows, have local trappers bring furs. Bring taxidermy.

As far back as I can remember, our local F&W club held a turkey shoot for all ages. Man it was fun. I haven't herd of a turkey shoot for yrs. I don't think horn contests are a very good idea. Lots of guys are just going after the horns now to win prizes. And I don't agree with posting/bragging hunts on social media either. Let's be humble.

[MugEye]

As for putting classes . Can anyone do it ? Don’t need to be a CO or a Teacher

[nube]

Kinda hard to pick a group to follow when they all have their own agenda and fighting against eachother....

[Ranch11]

Originally Posted by MugEye

As for putting classes . Can anyone do it ? Don’t need to be a CO or a Teacher

I volunteered my time. Brought in furs, traps, taxidermy, books, magazines all kinds of stuff. These kids eyeballs were open wide throughout the whole time. The older kids really wanted to know more about trophy hunting, so we scored some horns and put up picks for them to guess the score. I spoke with my kid's teacher and they said excellent idea. It was a ton of fun.

[Salavee]

Good on you ! Nothing like getting those young uncluttered minds absorbing the all the good stuff the outdoors has to offer. That's where it starts.

[elk09]

FYI there is a TV show/documentary on trophy hunting on CNN tonight at 7pm

[MugEye]

I know . What do you do nube ? At one time I thought of joining multiple groups. But what’s the point of joining groups that are 2 to 4 hours away?Groups are a hard thing for us outdoorsman we are kind of loaners in are ways . So banding together might be a hard thing when all we wanna do is be left alone.

[nube]

Well what I have done is finally come to the realization that this province is doomed no matter what happens in my lifetime at least. I've just concluded I will enjoy what I can when I can and have looked to the USA for some things I can't do here as often.
Bios in this province are either dumb as nails or have no muscle anyways so they are useless.
Gov't is messed up in their thinking and choices.
One group wants to make parks with no ATV allowed and the others have their own thoughts on what they want.....

You and I will not win to get what we want. Heck, u and I probably don't even think the same lol

This province could be amazing in so many ways but ........

[huntinstuff]

Originally Posted by nube

Well what I have done is finally come to the realization that this province is doomed no matter what happens in my lifetime at least. I've just concluded I will enjoy what I can when I can and have looked to the USA for some things I can't do here as often.
Bios in this province are either dumb as nails or have no muscle anyways so they are useless.
Gov't is messed up in their thinking and choices.
One group wants to make parks with no ATV allowed and the others have their own thoughts on what they want.....

You and I will not win to get what we want. Heck, u and I probably don't even think the same lol

This province could be amazing in so many ways but ........

It’s comments like this that make me wonder...........

How did nube read my mind like that? Because, he nailed it.

What he said is happening. And we will lose this battle.

Good luck getting it back. Ever.

[buckbrush]

yep, it's all over. Walking out to my iceberg now.

Is there really no reason left to fight? Seriously, I don't know much about the power of our group or what kind of numbers we would have since we refuse to unite.

[huntinstuff]

........

[Salavee]

I don't think it's over, not quite. As I have stated many times before, "the Good Old Days are now ". WE have to make the most of what we have left at the moment and the ONLY way to hold what little ground we have left is to get organized asap.. My thoughts are that utilizing an existing credible organization such as the AFGA would be the way to go as there are far too many time constraints to getting a new organization up and running.

All that would take is to get yourself and 10 or so of your like-minded friends involved in your local Chapter and get involved in making things happen. I can assure you most of us tired old guys would love to see something like that take place. Better late than never.

[huntinstuff]

Originally Posted by buckbrush

yep, it's all over. Walking out to my iceberg now.

Is there really no reason left to fight? Seriously, I don't know much about the power of our group or what kind of numbers we would have since we refuse to unite.

Zero chance of hunters banding together, under one simple roof, to defend themselves.

Hunters have become the hunted.

[ditch donkey]

Originally Posted by nube

Well what I have done is finally come to the realization that this province is doomed no matter what happens in my lifetime at least. I've just concluded I will enjoy what I can when I can and have looked to the USA for some things I can't do here as often.
Bios in this province are either dumb as nails or have no muscle anyways so they are useless.
Gov't is messed up in their thinking and choices.
One group wants to make parks with no ATV allowed and the others have their own thoughts on what they want.....

You and I will not win to get what we want. Heck, u and I probably don't even think the same lol

This province could be amazing in so many ways but ........

You’re right Nube. Sadly.

We have too many groups looking after their own specific interests. I was in Texas this spring, we had a very long layover, so we went golfing. I met a older fellow and when I questioned him on some of texas’s Hunting laws and opportunities he scoffed at me and said, “this is Texas, you can do wherever the hell you want!”

If the tables were turned the answer would likely be something like, “this is Alberta, you can do whatever the hell l want!”

We don’t have a culture of hunting in Canada. We have a history of it. There are modern progressive countries in this world, New Zealand, US, European countries with a strong modern hunting culture. We in Canada are constantly defending our selves. And hoping the immigrants don’t take an interest in hunting as that would add to our draw wait times!

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by ditch donkey

“this is Texas, you can do wherever the hell you want!”

Except go hunting unless you pay someone big dollars to let you hunt on their land or you happen to own some very expensive hunting land. No thanks I'll stay in Canada.

[Joe Black]

For now,,,,

[ditch donkey]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

Except go hunting unless you pay someone big dollars to let you hunt on their land or you happen to own some very expensive hunting land. No thanks I'll stay in Canada.

You don’t see that coming to Alberta?

Closure of access, reduced access, we’re taking the long way there, but we’re going there. Hopefully hunting remains socially acceptable when some of us have invested large amounts of money in land for the purpose of hunting.

[nube]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

Except go hunting unless you pay someone big dollars to let you hunt on their land or you happen to own some very expensive hunting land. No thanks I'll stay in Canada.

Big Dollars eh?
Have you spent the time to talk to outfitters in the USA and other places?
It is probably not as costly as you think.
I know a guy who went antelope hunting last year in Wyoming. He paid $250 for his access and had unlimited amount of antelope to look over...... Is that too much?
The place is full of elk as well with 300" plus bulls and can be hunted for the same price. What do you think it costs you to run around Alberta and shoot a 300" plus bull?

[Pekan]

Originally Posted by nube

Well what I have done is finally come to the realization that this province is doomed no matter what happens in my lifetime at least. I've just concluded I will enjoy what I can when I can and have looked to the USA for some things I can't do here as often.
Bios in this province are either dumb as nails or have no muscle anyways so they are useless.
Gov't is messed up in their thinking and choices.
One group wants to make parks with no ATV allowed and the others have their own thoughts on what they want.....

You and I will not win to get what we want. Heck, u and I probably don't even think the same lol

This province could be amazing in so many ways but ........

I've seen posts you recently put up, I'm kinda surprised that you're so doom and gloom about the state of things here in Alberta. How many rams have you harvested in Alberta? and your daughter drew a bison tag this year too?

So just how good do you want it? Because the way I see it, you've had some pretty tremendous hunting opportunities over the years.

And you don't want to join any conservation groups because they might not have exactly the same views as you.
Reminds me of the people who don't vote but still complain steady about the government......

[SLH]

Originally Posted by Pekan

I've seen posts you recently put up, I'm kinda surprised that you're so doom and gloom about the state of things here in Alberta. How many rams have you harvested in Alberta? and your daughter drew a bison tag this year too?

So just how good do you want it? Because the way I see it, you've had some pretty tremendous hunting opportunities over the years.

And you don't want to join any conservation groups because they might not have exactly the same views as you.
Reminds me of the people who don't vote but still complain steady about the government......

Agreed. Id add that it never fails to amaze me how many experts there are that know more than our bios.

[nube]

Originally Posted by SLH

Agreed. Id add that it never fails to amaze me how many experts there are that know more than our bios.

And it doesn't surprise me that some think what our Bio's are doing is just hunky dory as well! Lots of people with their heads up their arse

[JD848]

Originally Posted by Pekan

I've seen posts you recently put up, I'm kinda surprised that you're so doom and gloom about the state of things here in Alberta. How many rams have you harvested in Alberta? and your daughter drew a bison tag this year too?

So just how good do you want it? Because the way I see it, you've had some pretty tremendous hunting opportunities over the years.

And you don't want to join any conservation groups because they might not have exactly the same views as you.
Reminds me of the people who don't vote but still complain steady about the government......

Guys like this take and take and it's never enough ,but are the first to say things are finished and it will never be the same,boo whooo.

[KegRiver]

When my dad moved to Alberta in the early 1930s there were few conservation laws few game guardians (game wardens), few hunters and tons of game.

He saw that change to the system I grew up with, minimal conservation laws, one or two game wardens in every town and plenty of game.

I saw that change to the system we have now. Hundreds of thousands of hunters, hundreds of thousands of conservation laws, no more game wardens then before and less game then there has ever been in the recorded history of this province.

Change is inevitable. The speed and extent of that change is up to us.

Will hunting as we know it end? It has to. Will it end altogether? It doesn't have to.

Will anti hunting sentiment bring about an end to hunting? I doubt it.
Will bull headed selfish hunters bring about the end of hunting, maybe.

The enemy is not out there gentlemen. The enemy is here, it is us.

So long as we hunt because we can, so long as our primary goal is to put a trophy on the wall, so long as our interests are more important to us then the health of the planet and the rights of others, then hunting will end.

So long as we can not express our true thoughts, without resorting to insults and personal attacks, we can never face the issues that will bring about an end to hunting for ever, for everyone.

But it doesn't have to be that way. We can have trophy hunting, we can have bow hunting, we can have opportunity for all, if we give a little for the sake of the other guy.

See it's not over hunting, it's not trophy hunting, it's not special hunting rights, it's not even too many hunters or poor conservation laws or the lack of conservation law enforcement enforcement that will end hunting.

It is our inflexibility. Our refusal to even consider the other guys position.

It is this infighting that we do that is our greatest enemy.

Hunting will change with or without our approval. If it continues there will come a time when fenced hunting may be all that will be available for many hunters. The human population is rapidly expanding and our resources are diminishing. If we can not discuss that possibility rationally and civilly we will fail.

At some point we will have no other choice other then to adapt or see hunting come to an end.

The ball is in our court gentlemen.

[albertadave]

Originally Posted by Pekan

I've seen posts you recently put up, I'm kinda surprised that you're so doom and gloom about the state of things here in Alberta. How many rams have you harvested in Alberta? and your daughter drew a bison tag this year too?

So just how good do you want it? Because the way I see it, you've had some pretty tremendous hunting opportunities over the years.

And you don't want to join any conservation groups because they might not have exactly the same views as you.
Reminds me of the people who don't vote but still complain steady about the government......

So much truth in this post. Far too many "experts" that are so willing to take, take, take...but when it comes to putting something back, whether it's money or their time, forget it.

[nube]

Originally Posted by albertadave

So much truth in this post. Far too many "experts" that are so willing to take, take, take...but when it comes to putting something back, whether it's money or their time, forget it.

Well i hope you boys aren't just pointing a finger at me. You have no idea what I have contributed and guess what you don't have to belong to a group to do that either.

[play.soccer]

Originally Posted by Pekan

I've seen posts you recently put up, I'm kinda surprised that you're so doom and gloom about the state of things here in Alberta. How many rams have you harvested in Alberta? and your daughter drew a bison tag this year too?

So just how good do you want it? Because the way I see it, you've had some pretty tremendous hunting opportunities over the years.

And you don't want to join any conservation groups because they might not have exactly the same views as you.
Reminds me of the people who don't vote but still complain steady about the government......

A++ would read again.

Basically he's crapping on AB hunting without mentioning the trophies he's taken, also I remember a post of his in the elk island park elk cull thread "open it up for the tags to be auctioned, and take a $10000 line of credit for the tag" yup gonna get right on that!

[Salavee]

Originally Posted by MugEye

Podcasts out there like Randy Newburgh that talk about conservation, and how to unite hunters. We need to do more to put hunting in a positive light in the media. Where I’m from there is an outdoorsman club with their only activity is a horn scoring night, to my knowledge. I am disappointed with that they should be doing more. I was once a member but I am no longer amongst many others. This image does nothing to shed a better light of hunting to the non hunters. What can I do? should I re-join the club and help them open their eyes? I just think there is more to a outdoorsmen club then A horn scoring. I would like Perhaps some camping trips fishing trips, educating our young and new members on wildlife and survival. How would you suggest I go about this? I would love to help but I don’t know what to do and how to do it? Tell me what your small town has for an outdoorsman club and what do they do? What do the big clubs in the city do do they have any tricks? We as outdoorsman need to start becoming a community of outdoorsman and doing things together where we start

The only Outdoor Hunting/Fishing /Conservation organization that has any current traction with the powers that be is the Alberta F&G Assn. As you know, they are an Outdoorsperson's organization, representing all interested and concerned Albertans and they have been doing so effectively for decades. The basic structure and well earned credibility for a more effective organization is already in place. Yes, there is room for improvement in the organization as a whole and that improvement will come from the addition of new, younger members such as yourself. If an AF&G Assn group is not present in your area, start one. You appear to be a perfect candidate. All we need are a few thousand more members just like yourself. It can be done.

[MugEye]

Just looked over the site for afga. I’m a member of the ATA , they look very similar. Are they ? ATA doesn’t really do anything. Salavee are you a member ? What are your highlights ?

[play.soccer]

Well a half page ad was put in the Edmonton journal wanting to ban trophy hunting in Alberta. We better start standing up and getting vocal or we aren't gonna be hunting much longer