Call of the wild

Born and raised in South Texas, the opening day of south zone dove season represents the start of my favorite time of year. The hint of cooler weather early in the morning, the blaze orange and camo on the retail racks, and pickups loaded with blinds and four-wheelers are all reminders that the hunt is imminent.

Whether the hunt is still eminent however, has become a nagging concern. I cannot discern whether the overall decline in the number of hunters in America is generational, geographical, or graphical (i.e. those darn video games).

As a boy growing up in a city, every spare minute was spent in the vacant field across the street chunking and dodging dirt clods from concealed positions, improving BB gun accuracy, or just practicing hiding and stalking skills. All of this in anticipation of a weekend spent in Karnes County, whether to work or hunt. My father knew that when his truck turned onto our street on Friday afternoon, I’d be sitting at the curb waiting for him with the tools, guns, ammo, and other gear stacked on the front walk.

Three decades later, my desk is littered with maps and hunting books, my computer bogged down with saved websites on weather, upland forecasts, and hunting regulations, and my closet jammed with jackets, boots, and hats. Obviously, the passion for hunting has not waned in me.

But I can only think of a very few youngsters with the same passion I had at their age. Whatever the cause, this declining interest is sad, and on the verge of becoming tragic, even catastrophic for the hunting heritage. The significant changes in our society and culture since my early days afield are obvious in hindsight, but their gradual nature makes them seem benign.

My dad never made me go hunting with him. I simply went because that’s what he was doing and there were no play dates, sports leagues, or video games offered as alternatives. Fortunately for me, I loved hunting and it became an important part of my life. But I also went to build fence, work cattle, fix the truck, or grub brush because that’s what he was doing, and while none of those activities has become a particular passion for me, I’m at least a decent hand at them thanks to his "guidance."

When I attended KCHS, nearly every truck in the parking lot had a shotgun or rifle hanging in the back window, ready for the hunt that afternoon. We never dreamed of pointing them at anyone, maybe because we knew and appreciated what those guns could do.

Hunting has always been an integral part of human life in North America, from sheer survival and the right of passage for Native American tribes, to sustenance for pioneers spreading west across the continent, to the creation of the national park system by one of history’s most famous hunters, to the current conservation efforts of numerous hunting organizations today.

I can attest personally and from watching numerous kids during their first hunt that taking the life of an animal is a significant step in the maturation process. The most common response is a sober celebration mixed with a child’s fascination. For some, their first is their last, but to their credit, at least they participated before they made their choice. They may become anti-hunters, but my experience has been that they simply decide non-begrudgingly that the activity is not for them.

For many others, that first kill begins a lifelong pursuit. In my experience, that novice hunter may either become a hunter or a killer. And oh yes, there’s a huge difference.

The hunter has great respect for the resource and works to preserve it for future hunts and generations. Hunters spend millions preserving or improving habitat, funding public and private wildlife agencies, and supporting rural economies. The hunter revels in the pursuit and interaction with nature, concerned more with the experience and camaraderie than his take.

The killer is none of these things, despite the frequent media attention directed at them.

I firmly believe there’s a little wild in every child as evidenced every time we have ‘city’ visitors with small children. The kids inevitably spend their time and energy outside, whether climbing trees, chasing butterflies, catching toads, or just running around.

Many have never seen tall grass or been stung by an ant or had a grass bur in their socks, but these are all important lessons they pick up fairly quickly. Their inhibitions are usually overcome as soon as their parents stop clucking around them like hens.

These are experiences they can’t get from a magazine, website, classroom, or video game. It’s our responsibility as parents to take them out and show them.

Maybe we offer our kids too many alternatives these days. Not necessarily better alternatives, or less expensive, as much perhaps, as they are convenient. It’s a hassle to carry along all the extra ‘gear’ we now think essential for a child. And who wants to listen to the whining about the heat, cold, bugs, or lack of fun? I know – been there, done that.

Lacks of time, money or access are poor excuses for not getting the kids outdoors. I’m willing to bet you can afford to DVR a football game on Sunday, complete with snacks and beverages. For the same investment of time and money, you can find a state park or one of Texas’ public hunting locations and spend the day outside with the kids.

If you are one of the ‘tried it, didn’t like it’ hunters, don’t you at least owe your child the chance to make that decision for themselves? Especially if you currently might be guilty of pressuring them to compensate for your athletic failings when you were their age…

There are significant pressures building against our hunting heritage, from habitat encroachment from clean farming and urban sprawl to anti-hunting and anti-gun groups that think the semi-auto 12-gauge in your closet is an assault weapon. The greatest danger however may be apathy from voters that no longer hunt or never did.

Reduced participation and interest might make the killer think, "Cool, more for me!" A hunter knows that means fewer voices rising in defense of the hunting heritage and the associated land and animals. It won’t happen overnight, but look at the changes in the past thirty years!

Without more voices in the future, even from the most casual hunters, hunting may be legislated away, or perhaps just restricted to an exclusive activity for those with the means, as in most of Europe.

Get your kids outside. Take them hunting or fishing. Let them answer their call of the wild.

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