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For the Ages
Rocky Mountains 1854…Elk move through the dense fog at timberline, the hunter sees them briefly as they ghost toward his concealed position. Near the back of the herd, a cow staggers along slowly and painfully. The broken shaft of an arrow sticking out from her shoulder tells the hunter he has finally found her. Nearly four days ago he shot this cow elk near the great river. The shot went high and failed to penetrate the body cavity, resulting in a painful wound. For days, he has trailed the herd and tried in vain to get close enough to make a killing shot. The creator blessed the hunter with thick fog this morning allowing for a careful stalk which has put him in position along the herds travel route. Several elk pass by before the wounded cow finally presents a good quartering shot; the hunter draws his strong bow and releases the feathered shaft in one fluid movement. Like lightning across the summer sky, the arrow strikes swiftly. The already weakened cow falls to the earth almost immediately and lies still as the fog begins to recede. What should have been an easy task of harvesting meat for his people became a four-day test of his skills as a hunter, his dedication to his prey and his unwavering decision to always stay the course no matter where the trail may lead. Arms raised toward the sky he prays to the creator and gives thanks for his good fortune. He also asks the one above to see the elk’s spirit safely to the place where elk go, and lays down some tobacco and sage to honor the life he has taken which will in return sustain life for him and his family… The sun suddenly peaks through the rapidly dying fog, illuminating the crystalline world of white in bright splendor. He smiles with the realization that his prayers have been heard, as an eagle cries from somewhere in the bright morning sky…
Today in our modern world of gadgetry, and better, stronger, more diverse gear and equipment. It becomes hard to imagine that hunter’s still hunt the wild places with this kind of honor, integrity and perseverance as the hunter in my story. However, the truth of the matter is without hunters in our modern world there would in all likelihood be little or no game left for anyone to enjoy. Modern encroachment on what was once wildlife habitat and the constant threat to the remaining habitats, dictates that we as stewards of the wild places must keep the numbers in check. There is simply not enough land left out there for most wildlife to prosper in huge numbers as they once did. Left unmanaged most species soon overpopulate their home range and begin outward expansion. Once this happens, human conflict becomes eminent, and usually the wildlife suffers greatly from disease and starvation. However, through constant and well-regulated management, hunters will, and have, allowed species to remain in strong numbers without being subjected to overpopulation and disease inside of their designated ranges. Conservation is nothing new to the hunter. Since the early days of conservation with men like Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir; hunters have been at the forefront of nearly every wildlife conservation effort. From the national parks to wildlife refuges and wetlands, hunters have put their money where their mouth is. Their blood, sweat and hard work have enhanced thousands of acres, bettering the habitats for future generations of hunters and their prey. Too often hunters are portrayed as vicious killers with no care for wildlife or their future. This kind of ignorance is why we as hunters must take a stand; we must let the world know that we are the first line of defense for the wild places and all the creatures who share these places with us. Groups like Pheasants Forever, Trout Unlimited, The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and The Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, just to name a few, make it possible for future generations to enjoy the wild creatures and their habitat is ensured by our sportsmen’s dollars. Without sportsmen and women supporting wildlife conservation most all species would be in peril. I call upon my fellow outdoorsmen to ensure a future for our sport and for the heritage passed down through the ages. We are under attack at every front by those who preach salvation for our wild places and the creatures with which we share this great planet. Somehow, the true saviors and stewards of the forest have become targeted as the evil doers because we harvest animals instead of allowing the natural selection of disease starvation and overpopulation to decimate the herds. Brothers and sisters, we must be vigilant of our position as predators, and stay the course as wilderness warriors in order to achieve our ultimate goal. Protection of our wildlife, their habitats and our heritage. Most importantly, we must not allow the so-called defenders of wildlife and environmental activists the opportunity to destroy all we have worked to build. If they cannot work in tandem with we sportsmen in our efforts, then we must work that much harder to ensure that the circle of life remains, instead of drawing lines in the sand. ~Hawk
(B&B)- Mike “Hawk” Huston is contributing editor for Bulls & Beavers LLC
www.journeywithredhawk.blogspot.com/
http://highcountryarcher.blogspot.com/
(A Collection of Mike’s stories)
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[...] Deer population efforts and how hunting and hunters help: http://www.groundreport.com/Business/How-Deer-Hunting-Preserves-The-Deer-Herds/2908324 and http://bullsandbeavers.com/2009/07/03/for-the-ages/ [...]
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Again.. loving your gift with words.. thank you for your wonderful and insightful writing.
Thank you for the reminder of what hunting is realy all about,Im saying it is the act of the hunt not the kill,Its all about the Journey and not the destination AMEN thanks Hawk
Wonderful and all so true . I live in Alabama where deer and turkey are plentiful , but this wasn’t always so. Thanks to the Outdoorsmen (hunters )this was possible . We are not killers but hunters , we come home more times without than we do with and no always because we didn’t see game to take . YES Hunters are Conservationist . Thanks again.
Beautiful writing! I would have to say that many, but not all hunters are conservationists. It would be hard to find a group of people that all fit under one umbrella. I would say that there are many hunters that are most respectful of the gifts the Creator has given us.
Do hunters kill mainly the sick and wounded, or the aged animals? I wonder whether making more room for natural predators to hunt the way nature intended them to won’t be more beneficial for the survival of these species.
Also, in cases of overpopulation, I wonder if maybe some of these animals can be captured and relocated to an area where there is habitat but not enough local wildlife. As a last resort, if numbers need to be limited, I would prefer to see the hunting done humanely by properly trained gamekeepers and rangers – people who put the benefit of the animals and of conserving the species first, and not meat supply, trophies or fun.
I guess what I’m trying to say, I am not sure hunting is the best solution for the eco-system. I can think of quite a few other solutions which could benefit the animals and nature better than hunting them down… No offense, but seems to me that some people obviously enjoy the stalking and killing of animals – why the need to wrap it up with greenwash?
Just to add… Followed an ad in your website and did some reading…
http://bit.ly/mx6Xg
Obviously, there are fewer and fewer coyotes to be encountered where this guy hunts, so how does hunting them down even further help the environment? We have packs of coyotes near our home and nobody would dream of hunting them down. They’re a protected species for one thing, so it would be illegal, but people just don’t seem to have the urge to hunt down beautiful wild animals. We prefer to listen to the howls and if we get really lucky, to catch a glimpse of nature as we walk the trails around my town.
I was deeply touch by your story. I’m a 61yr old , woman hunter & the pleasure & joy I get from hunting is in your story, For the Ages. You have told the true meaning to conservation & the Hunt. Thanks Hawk
Israelimom, I’m not sure I understand what your issue is. It sounds like you’re OK with “professional” hunting of animals, so you’re not anti-killing, but for some reason you don’t see hunting as part of a healthy ecosystem.
I can tell you that Hawk is right: The fact that North American game animals exist in the numbers they do today is largely due to the fact that they are hunted. The wood duck was near extinction 100 years ago, largely due to habitat destruction and commercial hunting, but it was the efforts of modern hunters that helped its population rebound. Hunters spend inordinate amounts of time and money supporting habitat. We hunt animals in the numbers allowed by our regulatory agencies, based on regular scientific surveys that show what level of hunting can be supported. If an animal population is stressed, limits can be reduced, or seasons can be closed entirely – as happened last year in California when the state closed canvasback duck hunting because the population had dipped too low.
The price of this support for game animals is that humans join other predators in the animal kingdom and kill a very limited number of these animals – as must happen every year in order to maintain the maximum population that any habitat can support. A limited number of individual animals are killed and eaten so that entire species may benefit and thrive.
If you take away hunting, you take away the incredible human support network for wildlife. Organizations like the Humane Society of the U.S. devote most of their efforts to lobbying and spend precious little to afford direct assistance or support to wildlife.
And if you take away hunting, you force hunters to participate more in the environmentally disgusting (not to mention inhumane and unhealthy) system of factory farming that puts meat on most American tables. This sounds like a huge lose-lose for the environment.
And finally, I must say, I get a little irked when I hear people complain that hunters “greenwash” what we do. There should be no shame in stepping up to take rightful credit for helping wildlife and preserving habitat from becoming shopping malls and nice big suburban houses where people can have a nice view of the few remaining critters that used to live in places now covered by their brilliant green lawns. I guarantee you I spend more money and time supporting wildlife than do any of my non-hunting environmentalist friends. I’m not going to apologize for that; nor will I be denied credit for this work.
Thanks everyone for your comments, Norcal.. wow! thanks for stepping up to the plate for your fellow hunters..israelimom.. The fact of the matter is that hunting is the proven method for ensuring selective harvests of truly WILD animals. By relocating and messing with so called wild ecosystems they become nothing more than government sponsored game ranches with politicaly driven motives. Like Yellowstone and Glacier where animals are still shot but are simply discarded into trash piles instead of utilizing their hides, meat and useful parts.. Keep the comments coming.. Hawk
DU’s “Ducks Unlimited”Habitat projects not only produce ducks but also provide important public-hunting opportunities,DU has restored or enhanced more than 200,000 acres on more than 200 national wildlife refuges nationwide. Many of these areas are open to hunting.One of the most important ingredients to a duck hunt is “A Place to Hunt”. Public land here in the good O’LL USA provided more than 5 million hunters a place to hunt,Im a proud member of DU and many other conservation groups ,and when I hear and see the Anti’s, It just turns my stomach,I would like to thank DU magazine for these important facts. No im not that smart. But I do believe in what im up to. I feel sorry for people that dont hunt,and I feel if the antis were smart and really wanted to be Conservationest they would read up on us hunters and go buy a gun ,hunting lisence,decoys,shells,camo clotheing,and all the other hunting paraphenelia thats out there earning tax dollars for fish&game and other groups to help support CONSERVATION. Here I go DONT GET ME STARTED!! I can go on&on&on&on&on rickybuck “AKA” Rick Ruzzamenti
Amen NorCal and Amen Hawk! We also use the meat as a healthy alternative to the meat that is “grown and ijected with chemicals”.
Thanks fellow sportsmen and women for all the comments .. please keep them coming.. your voice means more than you know….. Hawk a/ho
Personally I have never hunted myself, but have friends who are huntsmen and women. I read your article with great interest. I look forward to sharing your article with your permission. Understanding begins with dialogue and I appreciate the forum you’ve opened by allowing comments.
NorCal, thank you for your insight. I have moved from coast to coast and places in between and have witnessed urban sprawl first hand and the effect it has on the local animals. Thank you for the work you are all doing and helping preserve the environment for my children to appreciate and enjoy.