Okay, so far some great answers. I said in the first post that I'd come back with my own ideas. Many of yours echo my own thoughts in one way or another.
In it's simplest form, it can all be boiled down to a single word which has already been mentioned many times: RESPECT. A secondary heading would be RESPONSIBILITY.
But this word "RESPECT" has many, many sides to it and these sides are supported by and dependent upon responsibility.
There is of course respect for the animal that prompts us to do our best to make a clean kill. This respect is tied to the responsibility that we practice with our equipment, limit our shots to those within our actual ability and don't sacrifice good judgment to greed.
There is the respect for those who help us with all aspects of the hunt from land owners to shop owners, guides, fellow hunters and our wives. All the things mentioned by others about helping land owners, sending Christmas cards, or just being there to help in a time of need even for things that are not hunting related do not go unnoticed or more importantly, unappreciated. To the farmer, we have the responsibility to treat his property at least as well as he does himself and close his gates, report trespassers, and simply not do anything stupid. To our wife and family, we have a responsibility to not neglect our responsibilities as husband or father. At least not so much that it becomes an issue... :rolleyes:
There is respect for the opinions of those who do not hunt. On this one however, I feel there is a level of unreasonable behavior that does not have to be tolerated. An anti group purposely disrupting a hunt is a good example and has been ruled unlawful in most states. A fanatic with no real experience or facts who simply repeats himself only louder is often a lost cause. Think of the old saying about arguing with an idiot... There is a time to just walk away, there is a time to stand your ground. To stand up for your beliefs while respecting the average persons opinion and presenting our own well thought out argument can not only get your point across but will exhibit a level of responsibility that, even if you still disagree in the end, might place a seed of tolerance in their mind for the future. With this group of folks we also have the responsibility of basic courtesy. I'm talking about things like bloody deer on the hitch hauler paraded around town and such. Years ago, I remember seeing guys with tailgates down and a buck in the back going up and down the main drag in a small town to show their deer. They were proud of it and most folks not only didn't mind but enjoyed seeing it and hearing the story. Nowadays that's not the case in most towns. I even have been turned off myself a few times. One was when a guy came through town with a home made box trailer and had a deer hanging off every side of it by the feet and the heads swinging around and almost dragging the ground. Tongues out, blood dripping. Wasn't pretty. I figure it's kinda like beef. We all like it, we all eat it. It's legal for consumption and sold in stores even, but I wouldn't want to see a flatbed truck with dead cows on it driving down main street on the way to the grocery store butcher shop. Just basic common sense.
Tied to respect for others is an even more important respect for yourself. It's sad to see hunters cowed down and meek or trying to hide what we do. Where is our self respect? I understand that some parts of the country are far different than others and here in the midwest things are less radical but we are doing nothing illegal. On the thread about what makes hunters look bad, I mentioned going into stores in my camo. Often with my kids also in camo. I smile and nod to people I pass and most smile back. They think it's cute that Daddy has his kids dressed up to go hunting. If I'm at the door or in an aisle and people are kinda jammed up, a polite "excuse me" or stepping aside to let someone else pass is appreciated. I'm proud that I hunt but I don't think of it as either a pro or a con of my personality so much as just a part of who I am. But strangers who I meet while dressed to hunt only see me as "a hunter". I have a responsibility to set a good example. Being positive and respectful are very important. I've stopped to help stranded motorists many times when returning home after a hunt and all were glad I did. If you are uncomfortable about what the general public might think of yourself and hunting, how can you project a positive image? With self respect though comes the responsibility not to take it to egotistical levels. I mean anything from I hunt with "X" equipment so I'm better than you to general bragging about kill numbers, animal size, hits, misses or whatever. We all like to tell stories of our hunts and I can get as crude as the next guy when I'm yucking it up with my buddies but never around strangers. Nobody likes to hear somebody who is full of themselves and talks down at them.
There is respect for the institution of, or "way of life" of hunting itself. Here is a gray area for many people. Not because we don't love hunting, but because we have trouble getting our point across to others. I can sit here with time to think as I type and make a bit of sense but I can't usually do it spur of the moment in conversation. I'm SO glad that the Wensel's and Mitten's made the movie Primal Dreams. If I meet someone who is undecided about but open minded to hunting, I whip out the DVD and say, take this home and watch it. There is something that comes across in it that makes sense even to people who don't hunt. I think it's simply the beauty of the out doors and animals in nature but the scenery coupled with the undeniable respect (there's that word again...) for the hunt have helped me turn many people favorably towards hunting.
There is still so much more but I'm getting "wordy" and still feel I can't get my point across like I want.
Bottom line is this, be a good person first, last and always. Then let people know that you hunt. For most logical people, two plus two still makes four.... some of them will figure out on their own that we're not all bad.
Topic: What gives hunters a GOOD name? (Read 592 times)
