Hunting: Bloodsport or Heritage?

In the May, 1999 issue of SussexCounty.Com I posed questions regarding the paradox that we experience living in Sussex County. Simply put, we live sixty miles from one of the largest cities in the world but are constantly confronting challenges associated with co-existencing with the ever-increasing numbers of wild animals.that also call Sussex County home. My questions dealt not just with sharing habitat but also perhaps determining what our civilized role should be within the food chain.

Since then, I have received a number of perspectives from various sources, each believing strongly in their convictions. One issue that certainly illuminates the topic is hunting, believed by some to be a bloodsport and others to be a heritage allowing man to carry out his role as top dog in nature's food chain. I can certainly see both points of view, and believe that within this dichotomy there is also room for many different latitudes.

46816.jpg (21730 bytes) Over the summer I had the opportunity to attend the Branchville Businessmen Club's Annual Shoot held at the hunter education center in Walpack. I had never before seen so many hunting enthusiasts together in one spot, including obvious generations of hunters that had grown up with hunting enjoyed as a family tradition. During the day many of these sportsmen reflected on their enjoyment of hunting, sharing stories of successful pheasant or deer hunts where the hunter assumed his role in nature and also enjoyed the company of family and friends. These folks also expressed their fears of the ever-present anti-hunting and anti-firearm pressures certain to be topics of national and local interest in the coming years.

doves.jpg (3665 bytes) I ended up telling a naturalist acquaintance of mine of my attendance at this event and received a less than positive but immediate reaction. Instantly this person assumed that the "bird shoot" that I had attended entailed the killing of helpless doves for sport. These controversial events are held elsewhere in the country and receive quite a bit of attention from advocates on both sides of the issue. The Walpack event was not one of these as the birds were fluorescent orange clay pigeons,.and the only impact on nature was a noisy day full of gunshots. The deer didn't seem to mind the noise much, as several calmly made their way through the field at the foot of the shooting area while the shoot was occurring.

The phrase that seemingly brings about the controversy is "for sport". Their seems to be different definitions regarding what "sport" is, even within the ranks on either side. There are many hunters who follow every hunting law, using their stealth and experience to stalk and kill their quarry. These hunters respect bag limits and make sure that any animal or bird that they kill ends up on a dinner plate somewhere. They appreciate the experience of being out in nature, participating in the ageless relationships of predator and prey. They also see their role within the practices of modern wildlife management, keeping the headcounts of animals in line with the habitat's ability to sustain them.

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From my perspective these individuals are true sportsmen who respect the heritage of hunting. I know that there are other individuals, certainly less in number, that call themselves hunters but are certainly not sportsmen. These are the persons who poach deer at night with spotlights, bait animals, kill whatever they see, and never think twice about any of it. As with anything else it is these bad apples that give the general hunting population a bad name.

pheasant.jpg (3215 bytes) There are others who feel that there cannot possibly be a sport element to hunting, especially in New Jersey and regardless of the character of the individual. The reasons for this include the "put and take" philosophy being practiced by state wildlife management authorities. Raising defenseless animals and birds, such as pheasants, so that they may be stocked in a given area and killed shortly thereafter does not seem like sport to these persons. They even question the existence and funding of government departments that carry out these "wildlife management programs". I have seen the New Jersey Division of Fish, Game, and Wildlife accused of being singularly responsible for the deaths of a million animals a year, and not having to answer to anyone about their authority to exist and prosper.

This is certainly a multi-faceted issue involving ethics, politics, economics, and freedom in general. If you are inspired by this article to get involved one way or the other check the NJ Division of Fish, Game, and Wildlife link for current information on related legislation that is being discussed or acted on. Then let your legislators know how you feel on the given subject. If you are a sportsmen, check the New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs for a large collection of information, links, and ways to get involved.

And always remember to think globally and act locally!