Divided We Fall
We have all heard the old adage of ‘United We Stand, Divided We Fall’. It is interesting how we have all heard these adages, yet it seems we rarely stop and think long enough to really realize how they pertain to our own personal lives and our lifestyles. This one in particular holds many meanings and contains hard truth. When a group of people are divided and even encouraged to be divided, the whole group is destine to fall. That is just an undeniable fact, history is full of examples. But, I’ll only discuss one area that over the years has become very evident to me, hunting.
Hunting is a way of life that is under sever and constant attack from people who feel all to comfortable in forcing their opinion upon you to force you to cease something that is just a part of the fabric of your life. They have no guilt, no conscience or any understanding of hunting for the most part, just an emotional opinion that it is wrong and therefore ‘you’ shouldn't’t be doing it. They have no interest in the fact that hunters are solely responsible for the recovery of many species of wildlife in this nation over the last one hundred years or the reality that hunters have footed the bill in doing so. They just know you need to stop doing it as it is inhumane or cruel. Most have never even been outside of their city limits or have ever experienced wildlife on any level, they just know you need to quit, period. They are short on facts and reality, but, they are united.
I have hunted most species of animals in Idaho over the years and I have partaken in most legal tactics in doing so. And one thing that stands out to me is the reality that hunters are not united. How many rifle hunters detest archery hunters? Archery hunters detest rifle hunters? Elk hunters detest people who hunt bears with hounds or bait? Hunters who hate trapping? It seems that every different type of hunter holds contempt for the other type of hunter. How many times have we not gotten involved in a specific issue concerning wildlife because it doesn’t affect what ‘we’ do? How many times have we not supported a loss of opportunity because it is something we don’t partake in? Are you guilty of such actions or beliefs? If so, please consider the following.
If we don’t unite and start supporting each other, we are all going to eventually lose our right to hunt. Eventually the united opposition will get to ‘your’ type of hunting. And when you look around for support to defend it and it is not there. You’ll have to ask yourself if your lack of support for others is now that karma wheel coming around to you.
You may not participate in one type of hunting or trapping. But does that really mean you should oppose or ignore it? Does that mean that it is no lose if it goes away? How does that make you any different than the person who opposes hunting in general? Not everything is my cup of tea, or yours. But we as a group had better start supporting all legal forms of hunting and supporting those who may do what we don’t, or in the end our hunting heritage will be relegated to the dust bins of history. As will the most successful wildlife management program the world has ever known.
I have asked many question of you, I hope they give you pause to consider and/or reconsider the level of support you give your fellow hunter.
Good Luck this year in whatever game you pursue or whatever tactic you use. And know I’ll be there should the threat to take it away from you arises, and I hope you'll be there for me should the same happen.
Barry Coe
Save Western Wildlife
http://savewesternwildlife.org/devided-we-fall.html
