What has being nice really done for us?

[Macintosh]

@bayoublaster7527, in his post just below yours @RockAndSage captured what I was trying to say better than I did.

 

[Dos Perros]

The problem is a lack of self-awareness. Perfectly heathy dudes here shooting crossbows. Others launching 300 Win Mags 800 yards at stuff. And then they wonder why we get a bad name just trying to mind our own business? It's because some of us do reprehensible shit because "well it's legal."

 

[omicron1792]

The problem is a lack of self-awareness. Perfectly heathy dudes here shooting crossbows. Others launching 300 Win Mags 800 yards at stuff. And then they wonder why we get a bad name just trying to mind our own business? It's because some of us do reprehensible shit because "well it's legal."

Nope. It’s people attacking other hunters and not using energy against the antis.

 

[Dos Perros]

Nope. It’s people attacking other hunters and not using energy against the antis.

Well I'm not going to defend anyone's right to be a douchebag.

 

[Coveyleader]

Nope. It’s people attacking other hunters and not using energy against the antis.

I don't see hunters going around screaming to get signatures, nor put stuff on ballots? Hunters on Hunters is white noise, nothing more.

The big issue is ballot box biology and bans.

 

[KurtR]

The problem is a lack of self-awareness. Perfectly heathy dudes here shooting crossbows. Others launching 300 Win Mags 800 yards at stuff. And then they wonder why we get a bad name just trying to mind our own business? It's because some of us do reprehensible shit because "well it's legal."

I know right its like people using spinning gear for trout or losers jump shooting ducks and geese on the roost

 

[omicron1792]

Well I'm not going to defend anyone's right to be a douchebag.

I rest my case

 

[Yoder]

Nice guys are pathetic and useless. You never want to be nice. You want to be capable, competent and kind.

 

[Yoder]

You only need to look at Europe to see where hunting in the USA will eventually end up....give it another 20 years,

You think this country will last 20 more years?

 

[Burnsie]

Right now there is another thread running about what your profession is, how much vacation you have...etc. Almost all the posts are from what appears to be average working guys saving their vacation days to divide between family and hunting. Guys working hard, trying to make a good life for themselves. We get home from a long day of work, rush to see our kids baseball game, or go to church, or work on a house remodel..etc. Who has time to be out protesting or taking part in rallies...etc. even if its for a cause we care about.
The reality is, the people on the opposite side of the issues we care about are just wired differently. They are more emotional, more radical, more committed and apparently unemployed? They have the time and desire to go out and get signatures for ballot initiatives, protest, wage online campaigns, you name it.
It's true that a small very vocal minority can make a lot of progress towards their cause when the are willing to put in the time.
Our type of people love our hunting traditions and care about our 2A rights...etc, but we just don't have the same commitment as the radicals on the other side. We think we can send money to organizations who will do the work for us, or make a call to our representatives in government - then pat ourselves on the back and tell ourselves we've done our part.
Not the same thing.

 

[average]

Right now there is another thread running about what your profession is, how much vacation you have...etc. Almost all the posts are from what appears to be average working guys saving their vacation days to divide between family and hunting. Guys working hard, trying to make a good life for themselves. We get home from a long day of work, rush to see our kids baseball game, or go to church, or work on a house remodel..etc. Who has time to be out protesting or taking part in rallies...etc. even if its for a cause they care about.
The reality is, the people on the opposite side of the issues we care about are just wired differently. They are more emotional, more radical, more committed and apparently unemployed? They have the time and desire to go out and get signatures for ballot initiatives, protest, wage online campaigns, you name it.
It's true that a small very vocal minority can make a lot of progress towards their cause when the are willing to put in the time.
Our type of people love our hunting traditions and care about our 2A rights...etc, but we just don't have the same commitment as the radicals on the other side. We think we can send money to organizations who will do the work for us, or make a call to our representatives in government - then pat ourselves on the back and tell ourselves we've done our part.
Not the same thing.

What's the driving force for painting people as some lazy godless immoral other?

Its far from helpful ostracizing half the middle, besides being mostly BS

 

[bayoublaster7527]

Right now there is another thread running about what your profession is, how much vacation you have...etc. Almost all the posts are from what appears to be average working guys saving their vacation days to divide between family and hunting. Guys working hard, trying to make a good life for themselves. We get home from a long day of work, rush to see our kids baseball game, or go to church, or work on a house remodel..etc. Who has time to be out protesting or taking part in rallies...etc. even if its for a cause they care about.
The reality is, the people on the opposite side of the issues we care about are just wired differently. They are more emotional, more radical, more committed and apparently unemployed? They have the time and desire to go out and get signatures for ballot initiatives, protest, wage online campaigns, you name it.
It's true that a small very vocal minority can make a lot of progress towards their cause when the are willing to put in the time.
Our type of people love our hunting traditions and care about our 2A rights...etc, but we just don't have the same commitment as the radicals on the other side. We think we can send money to organizations who will do the work for us, or make a call to our representatives in government - then pat ourselves on the back and tell ourselves we've done our part.
Not the same thing.

Lots of truth in this, at least regarding our opposition. I see them at every wildlife commission meeting here in Colorado. The same group of 50-70 year old white ladies. They are led by a few well known paid activists from the national anti-hunting groups- Samantha Miller, Julie Marshall, Mark Surls, Delia Malone, and a few others. I often wonder if any of them have jobs, maybe they are retired.

But here is where I start to diverge from the previous post. When I attended the March 4 Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting, those same 30-40 anti-hunting folks were there, just like every other monthly commission meeting. But so were over 400 sportsmen and women. We outnumbered them 10 to 1. And our folks weren’t some monolithic group of angry boomers. We were an extremely diverse group, young and old from all walks of life. Rural and urban. Across the economic scale. Young women and old men. Hunters. Anglers. Trappers. Business owners. Attorneys. Ranchers. Tradesmen. Veterans. And because of this I have hope that we will prevail if we apply ourselves accordingly.

 

[RockAndSage]

They are more emotional, more radical, more committed and apparently unemployed?

100%, all of this.

The point about them being less employed is particularly important in all of this. And, those who work also tend to have jobs within their own tribe, that value "activism", and will let them have an afternoon off to go to a rally. Anything non-profit, NGO, a lot of white-collar, and anything education related.

 

[justin davis]

Being nice has kept me out of prison haha

 

[Burnsie]

What's the driving force for painting people as some lazy godless immoral other?

Its far from helpful ostracizing half the middle, besides being mostly BS

I thought I was portraying our opposition as super committed and willing to put in the time to fight for their causes - not sure how that came across as painting them as lazy.

 

[Coldtrail]

I can understand the frustration with diminishing opportunities for DIY folks. But that doesn’t discount the reality that anti-hunting groups are growing in power and influence in places like Colorado. And the idea that if we just go in the corner and play nice then they will go away is very misplaced. Make no bones about it, they are coming for everything. We must organize and make a logical, science-based argument to maintain our sporting traditions. Are there bad apples in the hunting community? Sure. But no amount of cleaning house is going to make these anti groups go away. I know lots of people don’t like politics, but to survive we have to participate and make our voices heard.

You quoted my comments so I'll respond to this, in my lifetime I have yet to have had to stop hunting or been affected locally by the actions of "the anti's" other than a few minor rule changes to keep them happy. I've listened to them at hundreds of public hearings & they just don't get traction here because they use bad science and come across as overly passionate, protester types. The loudest person in the room isn't always the one necessarily getting the most done.

I agree that a science based argument is what will ultimately sway decisions(or should) but even hunters and hunting organizations themselves are making decisions and voting on issues that are not science based, many for the sole purpose or driving out other DIY and nonresident hunters & provide in many cases a perceived better opportunity for the residents. Some states in the west are regulating game in such a way that is for the priority of isolating themselves with a resident only kingdom, yet want everyone in the country on board to help protect it when the chips are down.... you can't have it both ways.

The idea of anti hunting has been and always will be a battle, but every non science based decision hunters make for their own selfishness simply gives the antis more ammo to make up the science on their issues as well.

 

[Acharenios]

Honestly feels like it’s less about being “nice” and more about being visible in a normal way - talking to non-hunters, showing the why, not just reacting when stuff goes bad.