Most Important Issue in US Conservation

[WoolOverAll]

Uphill battle that’s probably lost.

I think an over looked public aspect of hunting at least in CO is the debris and trash left behind by hunters and that is readily observed by non hunting recreationists. Recreationists are every where year round in CO. I doubt many of them believe those uncovered piles of shit, cigarette butts, Coors cans, MRE’s, meat poles wired up to living trees, that plastic tarps next to a gut pile, that abandoned cheap tattered Walmart tent, that blue tarp, outfitter stoves and tent timbers, toilet seats, those green long fuel bottles, those Snickers wrappers all left in the middle of nowhere were left by any other user group. That’s our image to the non hunting public and last I heard from DOW, hikers are the largest recreational group in CO. Good luck maintaining their support. Our image is left behind everywhere. None of these photos are near a road and not all of them are outfitters.

As someone who has eaten over their fair share of MREs, why would you willing bring chili with beans over tortellini.

Hunters can do a better job of rehabbing their image. The alcohol part is something we should be in favor of reducing. Leaving any sort of trash is not aligned with 'leave it better than you found it' ethos I was taught. Its hard to tell people we are stewards of wild lands when we leave trash like this behind.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

The main thing to remember is that we aren’t trying to win over anti-hunting zealots. We are trying to avoid alienating non-hunters. That’s where the respectful stewardship, conservation focus, and American tradition aspects matter.

 

[mt terry d]

Uphill battle that’s probably lost.

I think an over looked public aspect of hunting at least in CO is the debris and trash left behind by hunters and that is readily observed by non hunting recreationists. Recreationists are every where year round in CO. I doubt many of them believe those uncovered piles of shit, cigarette butts, Coors cans, MRE’s, meat poles wired up to living trees, that plastic tarps next to a gut pile, that abandoned cheap tattered Walmart tent, that blue tarp, outfitter stoves and tent timbers, toilet seats, those green long fuel bottles, those Snickers wrappers all left in the middle of nowhere were left by any other user group. That’s our image to the non hunting public and last I heard from DOW, hikers are the largest recreational group in CO. Good luck maintaining their support. Our image is left behind everywhere. None of these photos are near a road and not all of them are outfitters.

View attachment 1029285
View attachment 1029286View attachment 1029287View attachment 1029288View attachment 1029289View attachment 1029290View attachment 1029292View attachment 1029293View attachment 1029294

If that was really a factor for the antis or non-hunters then anyone who has driven under an underpass would demand the interstates to be shut down

 

[Q_Sertorius]

If that was really a factor for the antis or non-hunters then anyone who has driven under an underpass would demand the interstates to be shut down

No, you are totally missing the point.

Drivers aren’t a group. I can drive by litter on the side of the road and think, “people are slobs.” But when I find a trashed hunting camp, I can ascribe that to a group.

Additionally, “drivers” don’t claim to play an important role in caring for the interstates. Hunters do claim to play an important role in caring for public lands and wildlife.

The goal is to find allies, not to become “the other.”

 

[mt terry d]

Point taken.

The Allie’s we really need are the F&G agencies

But they’re beholden to the politicians.