Don't expect SCI, DSC, Wild Sheep Foundation, etc. etc. etc. to educate those that are far removed from hunting. These Organizations certainly do good work but generally when it comes to education they are speaking to the choir. That choir is us and we already know how hunting equals conservation.

I'm presently back in Pennsylvania for a funeral of a Nephew that died far too young at 43.

Here's a thumbnail of my extended family as far as hunting is concerned. Two cousins are casual Whitetail hunters. One Nephew is now a hardcore bow hunter that just took his first Elk on a public land hunt in Montana. He got interested in hunting by reading my hunt reports. The rest of my family, and it is a large number of folks, accept what I do but think I was abducted by aliens and a victim of mind control.

After all, Joyce and I moved to Alaska permanently 23 years ago. With the popularity of Alaskan reality TV shows and their sensationalized message of wilderness survival my relatives think we are bush rats.

Now add in the mystery of our choosing to go to a place like Africa and actually step outside a vehicle that is not in a Park with multiple "protectors". Then you have the "why not take pictures instead of killing" sentiment.

Luckily I'm popular in my family inspite of this.

At the reception following the funeral and at relative's homes during visits I fielded endless questions about past trips but more importantly about our upcoming trip. "What are you hunting this time?"

With that question I pause, smile, take a deep breath and say, "Elephant". Not one example of a positive response or show of body language that did not reflect shock and horror.

"Can you legally do that" was the majority response. Perfect question!! My response was, "Good question. I understand why you would ask that and I'll be happy to answer."

To a person 15 -20 minutes later they were still engaged, fascinated and I can honestly say now educated about the reality of "If it pays it stays" in Africa.

Do your part!! Don't hide in the closet. Keep your cool and be knowledgable in your information and you might be amazed at the good you can do for our cause.

Cheers
Jim

Excellent more of us need to do this

The anti v hunter arguments tend to become heated all too quickly and as a defence mechanism we back off.

Instead of mumbling under our breath we ought to allow the anti his few minutes before quietly and confidently laying the facts on the table, without it degenerating into a heated debate.

Easier said than done though !!

quote:

Originally posted by Neil-PH:
The anti v hunter arguments tend to become heated all too quickly and as a defence mechanism we back off.

Instead of mumbling under our breath we ought to allow the anti his few minutes before quietly and confidently laying the facts on the table, without it degenerating into a heated debate.

Easier said than done though !!

Luckily I was not dealing with any "antis" in the family. But most were truly ignorant of the benefits of hunting and definitely presumed Elephants were endangered and about to go extinct.

I probably shouldn't, but It gives me a big smile every time I mention elephant hunting. The look on most peoples faces I just plain horror.
So far I have been completely successful in educating everyone on the subject. Not that ive converted them but they understand its not a simple problem.

Cannot agree more Jim !

Not trying to steal your thread but did the same to two persons a few weeks back that asked the same question; can you legally hunt elephant. When I was finished they looked at me and answered - Jesus we did not know that !

Yup ...


Morten

Jim:
I've been doing this for 30 years in the classroom. Alaska is one story but when I substituted in Massachusetts two winters when outside, the shock and horror of both students and the teachers in the faculty lounge was amazing.

You are correct in SCI, et.al. speak to like minded individuals. There is too much emotion with the antis to change most of them. In the long run, I think we are fighting a losing battle. For every gain we make in the hunting or second amendment world, there are more steps backward. We get excited about hunting but look at Africa and the elephant issue, Botswana closing, Mugabe's current rant, etc. A generation from now it may be no more.
I hope I'm wrong.
Cal

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Jim:
I've been doing this for 30 years in the classroom. Alaska is one story but when I substituted in Massachusetts two winters when outside, the shock and horror of both students and the teachers in the faculty lounge was amazing.

You are correct in SCI, et.al. speak to like minded individuals. There is too much emotion with the antis to change most of them. In the long run, I think we are fighting a losing battle. For every gain we make in the hunting or second amendment world, there are more steps backward. We get excited about hunting but look at Africa and the elephant issue, Botswana closing, Mugabe's current rant, etc. A generation from now it may be no more.
I hope I'm wrong.
Cal

Cal,

I can't disagree with you one bit. I feel fortunate to have had the few trips I've already experienced and the two separate hunts about to occur.

I had a vested interest in educating family members first hand and as I said none are true anti's, just uninformed.

I hope that if we continue to educate the uninformed then the very least we may do is prevent them from buying the anti rhetoric. In the most perhaps we will gain some non-hunting allies that will also educate others.

Ripples in the Pond my friend.

Cheers
Jim

Jim:

As they say, ignorance is bliss. So many are ignorant that it is shocking.

Mary Lynn was anti-hunting when I first met her. Not foaming at the mouth anti-hunting but anti-hunting nevertheless. I decided to show her a portion of a video. It was an intense encounter with elephants. She was shocked. I vividly remember her eyes getting wide and saying," Those were...were trying ... were trying to kill you." I said that yes, it happens often. She actually thought we rode around in trucks and shot elephants from the back of the truck.

Over time, she has seen all of my dvd's. She has seen the intense preparation I go through for things like sheep hunts. She has seen what I go through deer hunting ( many hours in a tree). She has seen the standards I impose upon myself. Perhaps most importantly, she has seen all the conservation stuff at SCI & DSC.

Now it is funny as hell to hear her talk to others about hunting. She has done a total 180.

There is hope but sitting around will not accomplish it. We have to work at it.

Well said Jim. Thankfully I have an oportunity to educate my customers on a daily basis.

Jim:
If your in the state, the Palmer show is this weekend. Stop by my table I will have your excellent and very reasonably priced vintage English big game double rifle on my table. (A slight hint for any viewers).
I will have an 8-bore, .577, .500, .348 Winchester and a .44 M-29-2.
You, the little lady, the young lad (did I see him on Leave it to Beaver?), and his bride stop by. It will be nice to see you again.
Cal

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Jim:
If your in the state, the Palmer show is this weekend. Stop by my table I will have your excellent and very reasonably priced vintage English big game double rifle on my table. (A slight hint for any viewers).
I will have an 8-bore, .577, .500, .348 Winchester and a .44 M-29-2.
You, the little lady, the young lad (did I see him on Leave it to Beaver?), and his bride stop by. It will be nice to see you again.
Cal

I will be back in town on Tuesday so I will certainly attempt to make it.

Jim

And how many local hunters here in Mt are completely bewildered when I say I hunt elephants. Several even said , that's wrong and they are hunters from hunting families so I always give people example: Zim is size of MT , Montana has 150,000.00 elk
Zim has 100,00.00 elephants which on average are 7x bigger then elk so picture MT with over million elk, farmers and ranchers would go out of business.
Anyway, the reaction I get after that is " Oh, wow, I guess, they need to be hunted"
Even non hunters get it after my subtle explanation

Excellent post Frostbit, I go through this quite often. I have a lot of friends and relatives who don't hunt. They aren't antis just non hunters. When I explain it like you did they get a much better perspective than they can get anywhere else.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Jim:

As they say, ignorance is bliss. So many are ignorant that it is shocking.

Mary Lynn was anti-hunting when I first met her. Not foaming at the mouth anti-hunting but anti-hunting nevertheless. I decided to show her a portion of a video. It was an intense encounter with elephants. She was shocked. I vividly remember her eyes getting wide and saying," Those were...were trying ... were trying to kill you." I said that yes, it happens often. She actually thought we rode around in trucks and shot elephants from the back of the truck.

Over time, she has seen all of my dvd's. She has seen the intense preparation I go through for things like sheep hunts. She has seen what I go through deer hunting ( many hours in a tree). She has seen the standards I impose upon myself. Perhaps most importantly, she has seen all the conservation stuff at SCI & DSC.

Now it is funny as hell to hear her talk to others about hunting. She has done a total 180.

There is hope but sitting around will not accomplish it. We have to work at it.

Larry,

Mary Lynn and Joyce really hit it off. I suspect if she spent a little more time with Joyce, Mary Lynn would be hunting with you in no time.

Cheers
Jim

She does go bird hunting with me now.

I recently engaged in discussion with several antis regarding the hunting of elephant. I did not expect to make hunters of them, but a couple slowed down on their hate speech towards hunters after explaining the role we play in conservation of both game and non-game species.

One woman I just had to block as she was not going to be confused by the facts and refused to hold a civil discussion of the matter.

quote:

Originally posted by MS Hitman:
I recently engaged in discussion with several antis regarding the hunting of elephant. I did not expect to make hunters of them, but a couple slowed down on their hate speech towards hunters after explaining the role we play in conservation of both game and non-game species.

One woman I just had to block as she was not going to be confused by the facts and refused to hold a civil discussion of the matter.

There are a lot of these who refuse to accept facts.

Good post Jim.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
She does go bird hunting with me now.

.

Leopard is probably only four trips away then.