Hunting Archery Duck Deer

Ideas to get hunting off endangered list There’s a trend afoot that, without correction, could accelerate public disapproval of hunting as an American tradition. The simple fact is that in just about every state the number of new hunters entering the field is lower than the number who hang up their camo and retire from it.
Clearly, an aging American population isn’t helping matters. As the especially large group of baby boomers starts to gray over the next 10-20 years, this trend accelerates dramatically.
The U.S. Sportsman’s Alliance (ussportsmen.org) reports that the urbanization of America means that nearly 80 percent of our population resides in urban areas. That means that the average family is three or four generations removed from rural life.
There are things we can do to communicate and reach out to those who might not participate in outdoor activities on the scale that rural life offers.
First, sportsmen’s federations and hunting clubs at large can do much more to create public outreach opportunities. Opening your doors to the general public on a scale that is meaningful – not just one or two small events per year – would go a long way to getting a positive message out about outdoor field and stream sports.
Imagine if every club in the Hudson Valley committed to conducting three to four public events that were fun and educational at the same time? Clubs are more than happy to spend money on a bus trip to lobby lawmakers or march on the capital about this issue or that.
The battle against those who seek to over-regulate outdoor field sports will not be won in the hallways of state capitals alone. It will be won or lost in the public venue.
It’s the voting power of those who are not predisposed to the outdoor sports that you need to spend time on. Spending time with local politicians will only get you as far as their vote calculators will take them.
Local clubs can organize events under the trailblazer adventure program that was developed by the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation. In 2005, more than 60 trailblazer adventure programs will take place impacting more than 75,000 people who will attend.
At your next club meeting, ask your officers: what are we doing to make a meaningful impact on introducing the outdoor sports to the public? If you’re already conducting a few events, you should be asking what else could be done.
Second, the individual hunter could make a great difference by keeping your radar on and looking for opportunities to invite people you meet to outdoor sports events or one-on-one opportunities. Have a niece or nephew who lives in the city? When was the last time you took them on a hunt, hike or fishing expedition?
The longer we sit on our laurels, focusing on only our own selfish needs, the shorter the time it takes to make hunting a thing of the past.

Upcoming events

Gander Mountain will be hosting two outdoor seminars open to the general public.
A seminar on archery will be held from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Friday. Shooters at all levels of competence can take something from this program.
“Cooking with ‘Dutch Oven Dave’ Horton” will be presented from 1-4 p.m. Saturday.
Both seminars are free to the public. For more information, call 845-692-5600.

David Dirks’ outdoors column appears Tuesday in the Times Herald-Record. Write to him at P.O. Box 87, Westtown 10998, or dirksoutdoors@hotmail.com