Episode 9: the call to action.

[dannyb278]

Was fortunate enough today to get stuck in a traffic jam and listen to almost all of the latest podcast. Finished the last 15 minutes in my parking lot before going into work. this podcast really lit a fire in my belly. What a fantastic episode.

My favorite thus far. Thanks Randy.

 

[nhwaterfowler]

Episode 9 another great one and some parting thoughts

Really enjoyed the podcast today, another excellent and top notch guest who is a great spokesman for hunters and conservation. Jim Pozewitz book is part of the hunter ed program in my state and I'm looking forward to reading it again.

I just need to tell you Randy that you aren't dividing the hunters you are banding us together and keep at it. It's about time to hear someone who is smart and articulate really get to the heart of the matter and urge all of us to get involved. I do think public access and public lands are actually just as critical and even more so in the northeast

Where I live in New England 65% of our land is all private but a fair amount is still open to hunting with a knock on a door, just dont pull up in a mudding truck with a budweiser hat on, but this private land access is changing. The biggest cause of this is development combined with the actions of other hunters. As the land is being built up more of us are forced onto less land, now I have to compete with rich hunters who are now offering farmers thousands of dollars to exclusively lease out there land for them and their buddies. This is pretty scary in a place that has very little public land compared to western states. But one way to stop this and get involved is through land conservation as many of the easements allow public access yet prohibit leasing for recreation. Many state agencies including the one I work for conserve land, but what is conserving just as much or even more land are the land trusts and every state out there has one yet many hunters don't belong or even know about their local land trust yet they should because they are conserving land in your community. I worked at a land trust for 9 years and even though I was the only hunter on staff we were very supportive of hunting and access. But very few hunters were members probably because they thought we were a bunch of tree hugger animal rights people even though I managed a strong forestry and habitat management program. A land trust typically conserves land that is important to the community it serves and if hunters were members, board members or on any of their committees they could make sure their voice is helping to guide the land trusts direction. I encourage a lot of listeners out there to look into who is conserving land in your back yard and get involved.
We need the rest of the country to be vested in the sportsman community to say "we couldn't have done this without the hunters", but this requires that hunters are at the table with good ideas, willingness to collaborate and not only focusing on the history of the past but working to write the history of the future.

 

[Chucknduck]

Just listened to it and your guest Jim was just great to listen to. Looking forward to you having him on another podcast. Every hunter should listen to that show and get involved

 

[wjs]

I am from Utah, I have always wondered why all of a sudden areas are suddenly closed off or sold. I would like to know how to do more, I hate the fact that a small group has done so much damage. What can I do

 

[GAbearclaw]

I know Randy is a busy man, but I would really love to know what I can do here in the land of fruits and nuts. The problem I am having with access and what to do about it is that I have trouble knowing where to start.

Start a rod and gun club? Join another group and start a local chapter, etc. It seems that unless your issues are related to a specific critter, there is a ton of gray area as to what to do and how to do it. We all have full time (or more) jobs and families and want to hunt occasionally as well, but I want to do something. It is an uphill climb for sure, but a hard fight isn't something I am ok backing away from... Those are the ones we need to fight.