Missouri Conservationist Insults Hunters And Trappers

[vonreed]

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Your latest Missouri Conservationist Magazine printed the following letter-to-the-editor with no response:

"Your February issue has a large helping of ways and means of killing wild animals. The front and back covers give us a glimpse of songbird appreciation, but between the covers it is quite bloody. Even when you write about nurturing quail or other birds or animals, it is with a view to eventually killing them for your own enjoyment or consumption. I can understand that many of your readers relish articles on killing or trapping, but you may be underestimating how many there are of us who disagree quite strongly. Please try for better balance in the future." - MaryAnn Salo, Stockton

Does anyone remember a published letter-to-the-editor about how there was never anything in the Conservationist for hunters and trappers?

Does anyone think the Conservationist has been or ever was heavy on hunting and trapping (I mean KILLING) articles in the last 10 years?

Do you think it was an oversight that the editor of the Missouri Conservationist allowed a letter from a lunatic, that refers to hunting and trapping as KILLING to be published without correction?

You have just been insulted by the MDC. Why don't you tell them. Here's the email address:

Magazine@mdc.mo.gov

[taxidermist]

I get the book, I have thought about dropping it because I see less interest on hunting and fishing than I think it should have. Some issues are almost void of hunting and fishing articles.

I really like the Arkansas book, lots of hunting and fishing info, but even our last governer hunted ducks.

JOhn

[creek wader]

After reading her comments, I wouldn't classifier her as a "lunatic", there are plenty of more extreme lunatics out there, believe me I've met them. However, I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion. But, I'm not taking her side either. I'm sure she's a hypocrite. Maybe she doesn't wear fur now or is a veagan now. But, I would ask her if she has ever had any leather coats, purses, or shoes, especially tennis shoes, in the past. Also, I'd ask her if she ever ate a hamburger, chicken, lobster, shrimp, a taco, or any other kind of meat. Just because a whitetail or rabbit is cuter than a cow, chicken, or pig doesn't make it ok for her to judge others. Even though, I love to eat fish, I catch and release. I no longer hunt, but I've taken my share of deer and other animals over the years. So, I would never be a hypocrite and lash out at others. Just my opinion.

[Trav]

Ditto CreekWader

[gonefishin]

It has been becoming an anti-hunting publication for a while. They have been fairly successful at converting fishermen to 'catch and release' so why not get hunters on the band wagon too. Get em building habitat for the MDC and hunting with a camera.

[KATroutman13]

You all do understand the term in the title of the publication, right? It can't all be just about hunting and trapping, which in most cases unless I am shooting, leads to killing of the animal. There has to be an overwhelming need for conservation as well, without conservation you would be walking with a gun, or setting a trap in a stream, not hunting.

I have not really seen this publication become "Anti-Hunting" by any means. Granted, it has a lot more non-hunting stories, but that doesn't mean it is "anti-hunting." If it was anti-hunting, they wouldn't have articles about youth hunts in nearly every issue. They wouldn't focus on bringing quail in Missouri back to "huntable" populations in more than a mere few areas.

Also, the "lunatic" is either a tax payer in Missouri who is gets The Conservationist for the mere cost of being a tax payer or she is a paid subscriber. Either way, she has a right to her opinion as do you and I.

Finally, on the conversion of fisherman to "Catch & Release", you do realize that this is probably one of the most essential portions of keeping our lakes and streams at fishable population levels, aside from stocking which is another can of worms. Catch and release fishing has saved wild trout across the nation and has allowed many other sportfish to flourish where others can enjoy them later. It's called conservation and from my experience is, in a lot of cases, poorly practiced by outdoorsman in this state. For instance, I've watched baitfisherman on the Norfork, the White, and Taneycomo gut hook fish because they were too busy dicking around to realize they had a hit, cut the line, and send the fish "swimming" away only to die shortly afterward. Why, because they didn't want that fish to be their limit. Or watching a guy move a covey of about 14 birds on public land and take his 8 bird limit out of that covey. Most biologists will tell you that the covey will not exist next seaon because of natural predation.

I think the conservationist in its anti-hunting articles are trying to show people that hunting, fishing, and trapping not only affects those animals, but other animals. And that there is more to do at MDC lands than hunt and fish. And that conservation goes a long way to maintaining and rebuilding populations. And that we as hunters and fisherman and citizens of Missouri have a duty to protect the precious amount of land that is left in this state. Take the Prairie Chickens article this month. What an awesome bird. I hunt Greaters in KS several times a year, they are incredibly sporting. It is hard to believe that Missouri's population was once very big and is now almost gone. It is awesome that MDC has land set up to see one of the coolest dances in nature. That is another part of MDC's job, to show us some of the cool parts of nature. To let us know that what we are doing, as people, is destroying these bird's habitat and decimating their populations.

But hey, I am the guy who'll yell at someone for kicking at Taneycomo -- which I will now pronounce TAAAANEYcomo.

[Trav]

You sure your calling wasnt as a defense attorney? Haha

Just joshing, I may need friends in the DAs office one day.

Will you be my "get-out-of-jail-free" card? Haha

Too funny

[KATroutman13]

You sure your calling wasnt as a defense attorney? Haha

Just joshing, I may need friends in the DAs office one day.

Will you be my "get-out-of-jail-free" card? Haha

Too funny

Trav,

Right now I am just hoping upon all hopes that someone thinks I will make a good [insert any type] attorney. I have a colleague interviewing for that position in a few days. Hopefully I will hear back as well.

[Trav]

Technically, Once you pass the State Bar, you are any Attorney you choose to call yourself bro.

[KATroutman13]

Technically, Once you pass the State Bar, you are any Attorney you choose to call yourself bro.

It's the "good", in all its meanings, I am worried most about.