Breaking the Echo Chamber: Combating Misinformation and Toxic Behaviors in the Hunting and Shooting Community

[Yoder]

A lot of this feels generational.

Hope every year it "ages out" but it seems to be a cycle...ignorance particularly.

A deer camp I was part of last year was mostly black guys. We hunted in a more rural area of michigan. Stopped at about the only open bar for a beer and warm dinner one of the nights. Didnt take long for the racist side of things to come out from the locals. Mind you this area is primarily hunting as its only draw during the time, like a lot of cities in non-metro areas of michigan.

Doesn't surprise me that the crowd that cant get past racism or bigotry, similarly cant have logical or factual discussions about any hunting related topics.

Same guys usually who think 6.5 creedmoor isnt "enough gun" for white tails.

Race aside, we've got people still blaming the "out of control wolf population" for deer harvest being down in this state...yet our numbers on deer show population higher than its ever been..

Nothing will stop some and their desire to shoot some wolves here though. Coyotes must get boring.

Hunting groups in my area (or state) seem to be very vocal about the wrong things..

We're not going to ever have logical conversations about the minutia of calibers or other complex items, when we cant get past the core basics and facts.

I didn't realize we were all a bunch of racists. WTF?

 

[AleksanderSuave]

I didn't realize we were all a bunch of racists. WTF?

It was an example, no need to get dramatic.

 

[Yoder]

It was an example, no need to get dramatic.

Sorry, I just don't think the majority of hunters are racists bigots. I personally don't know any.

 

[NMJM]

Sorry, I just don't think the majority of hunters are racists bigots. I personally don't know any.

I totally agree. All groups of people have their assholes, criminals and racists but it is a very small number. From what I have seen it is much smaller in the hunting community.

 

[Drenalin]

…look at Europe after WW1 - it’s well documented that kids grew up being lied to, who grew into entire armies willing to ANYTHING asked of them.

It didn’t happen all at once…that’s important to remember. And I’m not arguing with you. Slippery slopes are real.

 

[2buffalo]

I didn't realize we were all a bunch of racists. WTF?

He has TDS. It's a very upsetting day for him.

 

[fwafwow]

I just asked chat GPT a soft ball question on a subject I am professionally skilled at, the outline of what it gave was ok, but it spit out some explanations that are common, but deeply flawed. Things that lead people to make inappropriate decisions and I frequently have to educate people about. If a peer gave me the same answer, I would not waste my time listening to them on that topic. So, if it fails at what I know, why would I trust it in any way with what I don't know?

It is a language model, the current versions are incompetent. There is certainly potential there, but potential is not capability. One day I do believe there will be capability, but at present it is the Dunning-Kruger effect on steroids with a veneer of legitimacy.

We had an AI speaker at a company-sponsored event last year. As the one responsible for moderating Q&A from the audience, including to come up with some on my own if the audience didn't ask, or they sucked, I did some prep with 4 or 5 of the AI programs. I asked a handful of questions on topics for which I represent being "in the know". (Or for when I've stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.)

I was surprised at the answers. None of the programs were consistent - either with respect to uniform answers across the AI programs, or as one being more right than the others. Some of the answers were completely wrong (and I'm talking on objective questions - not opinions), which didn't surprise me. But I was surprised that when a question could generate a nuanced answer, sometimes I got that nuance. But again, if ChatGPT gave a nuanced response to one question, it didn't on another - yet Gemini may have done the opposite.

 

[AleksanderSuave]

He has TDS. It's a very upsetting day for him.

Lol…yeah you sure got me there.

Imagine inserting politics into something that wasn’t political at all.

I guess the closet racism hit close to home for you..?

 

[AleksanderSuave]

Sorry, I just don't think the majority of hunters are racists bigots. I personally don't know any.

This is the equivalent of anyone else saying “every single hunter I know is a racist” to refute your claim. Anecdotal experiences aren’t evidence.

Breaking barriers: Hunting in the black community

Today we discuss diversity in hunting with Eric Morris, an avid hunter, fisherman, and all-around outdoorsman. Eric’s goal is to close the gap between communities and access through education, writ…

usfwsnortheast.wordpress.com

There’s plenty of reading on this subject. Doesn’t hurt to be informed on it, even if you’ve personally never experienced it first hand.

I’ve never been shot at on public land. I don’t pretend it hasn’t happened to others because my experience doesn’t align with it.

 

[2buffalo]

Lol…yeah you sure got me there.

Imagine inserting politics into something that wasn’t political at all.

I guess the closet racism hit close to home for you..?

 

[Yoder]

This is the equivalent of anyone else saying “every single hunter I know is a racist” to refute your claim. Anecdotal experiences aren’t evidence.

Breaking barriers: Hunting in the black community

Today we discuss diversity in hunting with Eric Morris, an avid hunter, fisherman, and all-around outdoorsman. Eric’s goal is to close the gap between communities and access through education, writ…

usfwsnortheast.wordpress.com

There’s plenty of reading on this subject. Doesn’t hurt to be informed on it, even if you’ve personally never experienced it first hand.

I’ve never been shot at on public land. I don’t pretend it hasn’t happened to others because my experience doesn’t align with it.

You grouped all hunters as racist bigots based on an experience at some hick bar. What happened to "Anecdotal experiences aren't evidence?' I don't need to read an article about how some people in the world that happen to be hunters are racist.

 

[AleksanderSuave]

You grouped all hunters as racist bigots based on an experience at some hick bar. What happened to "Anecdotal experiences aren't evidence?' I don't need to read an article about how some people in the world that happen to be hunters are racist.

“I don’t need to read anything that doesn’t agree with my bias”

You’re making quite the case here.

Also, make sure to point out where I said “all hunters”. I’ll wait.

 

[Yoder]

“I don’t need to read anything that doesn’t agree with my bias”

You’re making quite the case here.

Also, make sure to point out where I said “all hunters”. I’ll wait.

"We're the crowd that can't get past racism and bigotry."

Sounds like a blanket statement.

I don't GAF about "diversity". It's nonsense. It's always race or gender holding everyone back. No. Maybe it's environment, culture, interest and economics.
"There aren't enough black hunters". It must be racism. Maybe it's economics, interest and culture. It's not a big part of urban culture whatever race you are. The majority of the black population live in urban areas. That's not racist, just a fact. It's incredibly difficult to start hunting when you live in the city and don't know anyone that hunts. It's not always about evil white guys with banjos scaring away all the black folks.
I think it's awesome getting people from the city involved in the outdoors, regardless of race. Usually money is the barrier not melanin.

 

[AleksanderSuave]

"We're the crowd that can't get past racism and bigotry."

Sounds like a blanket statement.

I don't GAF about "diversity". It's nonsense. It's always race or gender holding everyone back. No. Maybe it's environment, culture, interest and economics.
"There aren't enough black hunters". It must be racism. Maybe it's economics, interest and culture. It's not a big part of urban culture whatever race you are. The majority of the black population live in urban areas. That's not racist, just a fact. It's incredibly difficult to start hunting when you live in the city and don't know anyone that hunts. It's not always about evil white guys with banjos scaring away all the black folks.
I think it's awesome getting people from the city involved in the outdoors, regardless of race. Usually money is the barrier not melanin.

You can not "GAF" about a lot of things, that doesnt change the fact that they happen in real life, and have existed historically. Real easy to bury your head in the sand if something doesnt directly affect you either.

My buddy's grandpa was almost beaten to death, when he was out deer hunting in Virginia, after he ran into two guys who decided they deserved the deer he shot more than he did.

Lets pretend thats about being from the city, or interests and culture.

 

[Yoder]

You can not "GAF" about a lot of things, that doesnt change the fact that they happen in real life, and have existed historically. Real easy to bury your head in the sand if something doesnt directly affect you either.

My buddy's grandpa was almost beaten to death, when he was out deer hunting in Virginia, after he ran into two guys who decided they deserved the deer he shot more than he did.

Lets pretend thats about being from the city, or interests and culture.

News flash, some people who happen to hunt are racist. White people get beat up or shot all the time just walking into the wrong part of town. I don't think all of that "crowd" are racist.

 

[RMM]

My buddy's grandpa was almost beaten to death, when he was out deer hunting in Virginia, after he ran into two guys who decided they deserved the deer he shot more than he did.

What does this have to do with race? You think this only occurred because he was a different race? Not because the guys were just assholes?

 

[AleksanderSuave]

What does this have to do with race? You think this only occurred because he was a different race? Not because the guys were just assholes?

Sorry I didn’t share the dialogue that made by “assumption” painfully obvious. The fact that you jump to it NOT being based on race is funny though. Like the country never had a history with racial issues, and we’re all just fine now.

 

[AleksanderSuave]

News flash, some people who happen to hunt are racist. White people get beat up or shot all the time just walking into the wrong part of town. I don't think all of that "crowd" are racist.

For someone who keeps saying they don’t care, you sure are awfully invested in showing how much you care so far.

 

[steep-siding]

Well said. It’s all about promoting real experience, encouraging critical thinking, and pushing back on misinformation. Our community’s strength lies in honest, thoughtful discussions—let’s keep it that way.

 

[magtech]

Anytime i see the word toxic referred to i automatically put them in the liberal bucket.

Let me guess.. im a rascist chauvenistic anti-semite who loves masculinity and hates people...

To that i say:

Thank you for the compliment. Tell your therapist I said hi.