finding
common
ground
To influence public perception
and effectively fight anti-hunters,
sportsmen must first learn to play
nice among themselves
c a m pa u l i
D
ifferences between sportsmen have created a fragmented outdoor community that spends more time bickering than preparing
defenses from external threats. The Sportsmen’s Alliance asked four prominent hunters how we can overcome internal
differences and collectively work to educate non-hunters in order to better protect hunting, fishing and trapping.
Mich a e l Hun s uck e r –
He a r tl a nd Bo w hun t e r
With almost 11 million participants,
deer hunting is by far the most popular
and widely accepted form of hunting here in the
United States. How do we encourage deer hunters
to care about legislation affecting smaller groups
of sportsmen, such as trappers, predator hunters or
hound and bait hunters, and why should they care?
“As sportsmen, we should do anything and
everything within our power to protect the sport. One
of the best things about being a hunter is the ability
to hunt so many different animals utilizing a variety of
methods. Whether you partake in every
legal method or choose to focus on
one, it is essential that we support each other’s choices.
Personally, I only hunt with a bow, but that doesn’t
mean I don’t support rifle hunting. In fact, I didn’t start
out hunting with a bow. I was brought up in a family
that only rifle hunted and took my first deer with a rifle.
As hunters, anglers and trappers, we need to
stick together and focus our efforts on growing
the sport, rather than wasting time name-calling
and pointing fingers.”
Me l is s a Ba chm a n –
W inche s t e r De a dly Pa s sion
Different hunting styles and methods, as well as
target species, have created rifts between hunters.
Why is it important to overcome these differences
and how can it be done?
“Over the years, I ha ٔ