Hunting: Bringing Back the Positive Image

Hunting, and all the traditions associated with it, has been around for hundreds of years. It provided meat for the table, while at the same time connected man to Mother Earth, and gave him a great appreciation of nature and the circle of life. Hunting has also evolved with the times, while still holding on to its pure and natural roots. Why is it then that hunting in this modern time has such a negative stigma associated with it?

Part of the blame for the negative feeling that surrounds hunting is directly related to the media. The only stories about hunting that make the news are the negative ones. You never hear about the hunters who donated their extra venison to the local food shelter. All you are going to hear is the story about the guy down the street who accidentally shot himself while hunting. The negative story is always what makes the news, not the positive.

Another direct factor of the negative image that surrounds hunters and hunting is the public's increased exposure to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States), and other extreme animal rights groups. These groups tend to sell their ideas with scare tactics, and ambush the average person before they have time to educate themselves about the group's message and underlying agenda. These groups tend to not paint the correct picture of what a hunter really is, and thereby shelter the public from all of the positive things that hunting itself has done for animal habitat and species preservation.

The biggest factor contributing to the negative hunter image in society today is hunters themselves. I know that doesn't seem to make sense, but I feel that even though I am a hunter myself, that many hunters portray a certain image without even realizing what they are doing. I think many hunters don't take into account what kind of image they are portraying to a person who does not hunt. There was a certain time period when hunting was readily accepted and this wasn't an issue, but I think that hunters today have to make sure that they are conveying the correct hunter image in order to preserve our love for the outdoors.

Hunters also tend to be non-vocal when it comes to conveying a positive message about hunting to the non-hunting public. Rather than making their voice heard, and taking every opportunity to talk to a non-hunter and get their message across, they take the easier road to avoid the confrontation and do not take the time to explain their position on hunting, thus missing an opportunity to tell that particular person or persons why they hunt, the traditions that are associated with it, and the overall good it does for a person's well being as well as for species survival and preservation.

Now with all of these negative factors directly affecting how we hunters are viewed by the public, what can we possibly do to change that image, and make the general public see what we hunters have done to protect animals, and also make them understand the reasons why we hunt? I have come up with a few different ideas.

Be Safe: One major thing that hunters can do to protect our image, and keep it in a positive light, is to be safe. It may sound strange, but the majority of hunting stories that make the news are directly related to safety; Hunters falling from tree stands, accidental firing of weapons, etc. These are the things that make the news and Vice President Cheney was a perfect example of that. Hunters need to make sure they are using whatever tools they have available to be safe. They also need to make sure they are not cutting any corners when it comes to safety. This will help to keep these kinds of stories out of the public eye while also keeping everyone who hunts safer.

Education: We hunters not only need to educate ourselves about hunting, but also need to help to educate the general public about hunters, and hunting, and what they both do to help the well being of kids, and also what they do to help protect this countries beloved animals. By continuing to educate ourselves we will be better able to educate other people about the tradition that we love. Education will also counter the negative impact that PETA and the HSUS have had on the hunting image. We hunters need to join all the outdoor organizations we can. This will help to get the message out to the public about the good we do, and help to minimize the impact that PETA and HSUS have on hunting.

Help our Image: We hunters definitely have to be aware of the image we are portraying to non-hunters, who happen to be watching what we do, and thus forming their image of what hunters are by the example that we show. I am not saying that we need to apologize for hunting; I am just saying that we need to be aware of the image that we are projecting to other people. We need to be a little articulating and think about the message that we, by how we carry ourselves, are sending to the non-hunters. We also need to make sure that we take the time to talk to people who may be misinformed about what hunting is all about. There are plenty of people out there who are willing to listen to what we hunters have to say. All we have to do is take the time to explain to them why we hunt, and what hunting is all about. Taking a little time to explain our position will go along way and possibly bring a person who is on the fence about hunting over to our side. They may never hunt, but will still view hunters and hunting in a positive light.

Be Active: This particular item has honestly been covered in all the previous ideas, but I feel that it is important enough to be mentioned on its own. I think this is the single most important thing that all of us hunters need to do to help change our image around to the positive side. We need to be involved in the positive aspects of hunting as much as we can. We need to join the organizations that help to promote the positive side of hunting and we also need to help promote hunting ourselves. It can be as simple as joining an organization that is on the positive side of hunting, or writing a letter to a newspaper explaining the positive things that come from hunting and conservation. We also need to be actively involved in getting kids in the outdoors. This activity alone will go a long way in providing kids with a positive experience and help them to promote that love for the outdoors to future generations.

Hunting is definitely at a crossroads, but I think with a little perseverance, and using the ideas I previously outlined, that hunting can make a comeback and be viewed as a positive influence on society.

We hunters owe it to our kids, and to future generations, to be proactive and help to promote the pastime that we love and cherish. Our kids need to be instilled with the love of nature that all of us have, which will help to keep hunters and hunting viewed in a positive way for years to come.