Sometimes, the stars align, and you get little nudges from God, the universe, Mother Nature, or whatever you want to claim. Lately, I think those forces have aligned so that we can discuss conservation.
In my opinion, we love the grand idea; we want to push for dramatic and sweeping measures to solve an issue once and for all, yet we are unwilling to actually make the necessary changes in our personal lives to make the world a better place.
What do I mean? It’s simple. Don’t litter is the perfect place to start. I mean, how hard is it to use a trash can? If you look around my home county of Greene, lately, you would swear using a trash can is the equivalent of doing long division in your head. Let’s not trash our home!
Take the trash to the dump; don’t toss it on a dirt road. Clean out the bed of your truck (I’m guilty here), and don’t let stuff blow out on your way to Augusta at 80 mph down I-20. When I was a kid, a great commercial about littering showed a Cherokee standing on a mountain in full headdress, looking out and crying over what he saw.
If he was crying then, he’s near apoplectic now and inconsolable.
One of my heroes is Carter Andrews. You might have seen him on the Outdoor Channel in his show, “The Obsession.” A couple of years ago, Carter started a “one-piece-a-day” movement in Florida, and it’s now gone nationwide.
It’s a great concept.
Pick up one piece of plastic or trash a day wherever you are – but especially on the water.
It’s tragic to be on a remote trout stream in the mountains, admiring the view, only to see a crushed craft beer can next to a boulder. Yes, I have caught fish with plastic in their stomachs and birds with six-pack rings around their necks.
The real tragedy is this, though: it’s not necessary.
Just dispose of your trash properly.
Learn your game species. I got an email last week from a lady talking about people killing bearded hens. As far as I know, this is not illegal (just like Horned does), and I have seen it happen several times.
However, it was always in a snap-shooting situation. The bearded hen, though, is an excellent example of knowing your game.
So, let’s clear something up. Yes, getting caught up and shooting a bearded hen is easy. BUT! A bearded hen will differ from a male bird in the spring by not having a redhead. She also pretty much won’t strut or gobble. In the end, I am saying to pay attention to the bird. Know what you are looking for.
We already know our turkey population is declining, so let’s do our best to leave every hen we can to lay eggs! Shoot a coyote; save a turkey!
Deer numbers. I already know this is where I will get either hate mail or praise – with nothing in between.
I am not a fan of our DNR’s regulation of the deer population. Sorry, guys. I’ve listened and tried to sympathize, but I am just not there.
I believe two issues are at play here, and we can do something to help both.
Hunter's education is a must. I’ve watched it at so many private clubs and on TV shows, and the truth is, many hunters today just can’t hunt.
They ride their side-by-sides to a 20-foot-high box blind, drinking coffee and eating donuts, yet wonder why they don’t see any deer.
Get out and burn some shoe leather.
Just because deer won’t come out to your baited food plot that you drive into every week doesn’t mean their numbers are down.
Next, would be hunters who would actually shoot some deer and other predators.
Guys, we need to destigmatize. Once again, killing does. Shooting a few does is good for the herd. In the middle of March, I saw a hard-horned buck in a field, and just two weeks earlier, I saw fresh scrapes while rabbit hunting. One cause of this is doe numbers as a result of buck mortality.
They just wear themselves out trying to breed. I will also say once again, shoot a coyote or two!
My idea of conservation is simple. We should individually do our best to care for what we have been given. So, clean up when you are done camping, just like most of us would clean up our kitchens.
Don’t throw trash out the window, just like you probably wouldn’t sit on your front porch and toss a soft drink can into your yard.
Remember that all property belongs to someone, so respect it just like you would want your property respected.
Keep the fish you want to eat and have your fish fry! Just don’t keep 10-lb bass anymore. You can get a replica mount that will last longer, and honestly, a 14-inch bass just eats better.
The same goes for big stripers and white bass. Give them a chance! We should throw those fish back so our children and grandchildren can experience what we all love so much.
That’s conservation.