by Mike Covey

I take a great deal of offense to the characterization of Vermont’s outdoor community as having simple “bloodlust” and “killing for pleasure,” yet members of our communities are attacked with this false hyperbole at every turn by agenda-driven activists.

Bear and beaver are both excellent table fare, otter and coyote are beautiful furs, and all the species we pursue by lawful, regulated means have ubiquitous populations that are well managed and healthy. Hunting and trapping are not negative population drivers, and therefore the VT F&W Department has a legal obligation to both steward these species and provide access to them for the public.

The idea that hunting and trapping somehow adversely impact the ability of the non-hunting public to enjoy wildlife is a simple lie. Despite the wild accusations of belligerent anti-hunting activists, the fact remains that our wildlife are healthy, widespread, and available to all citizens to interact with in the manner that suits them… including hunters and trappers.

This assertion that we don’t need to hunt and trap to manage wildlife is arguably false. More important, it is irrelevant.

In the absence of an ecological or biological imperative to reduce hunting, fishing, or trapping, we have a constitutionally protected right to enjoy our lifestyles whether or not it offends the sensibilities of a few extremists. These anti-hunting activists have decided their fellow citizens merit no regard, including even the simple courtesy of a civil debate as is evidenced by elitist, segregationist statements such as, “Less than 14% of Vermonters hunt and less than 1% of Vermonters trap.”, that are perennially used as justification for attempts to eliminate our lifestyles and identities.

Rather than discuss the merits and metrics of the activities they have decided should be banned, they have embarked on a campaign of mudslinging, rhetoric, and sensationalism that should be treated as the appalling attack on our fellow citizens that it is.

I place some faith in the general public to see through these tactics and be mindful enough to really look at the issue; to understand that the few examples of bad apples or bad outcomes do not represent the 2,000,000 trap-hours annually in Vermont, or the incalculable hours Vermonters spend hunting by firearm and bow or with their canine companions. The fact of the matter is that in any activity, there are occasionally poor outcomes, and these are NEVER the rule. Why then do anti-hunting activists continually propagandize the small number of poor outcomes that do occur by repeatedly recycling the same few pictures and video clips? The answer is simple- their position holds no legitimacy or merit, so the only way they can achieve their ends is by driving people’s emotional response beyond the desire to know the truth and straight to blind action.

If all you saw of deer hunting were the photos or videos of the occasional deer that is hit poorly and loses a limb, dies a lingering death, or is caught and literally eaten alive by coyotes because of a wound that slowed them down, would you decide to campaign for an end to deer hunting, or understand that these are rare and unfortunate outcomes that hunters seek to avoid? If you watched fish floundering upon release because they had been played too long on lightweight tackle or dragged from the depths too quickly to adjust, would you determine that fishing is all evil and sadistic, or would you understand that occasionally dynamics in the field simply become unfavorable despite the best of intentions?

The hunting community is not as well funded as these activists. They cannot spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on media buys, FPF campaigns, and social media advertisements. The hunting, trapping, and fishing community is, however, a fundamental root of life in rural Vermont. It binds families, communities, and our state in camaraderie, heritage, and even a degree of spirituality. Outdoor enthusiasts spend an incredible amount of time and money working with the Fish and Wildlife Department to steward wildlife, protect and enhance wildlife habitat, and ensure that we are all able to enjoy the intrinsic value these resources provide our neighbors with long into the future.

Have you ever seen an anti-hunting organization donate money or manpower to protect habitat or partner with a Fish and Wildlife Department, USDA, Forest Service, or a university to identify or research potential problems within a wild population? Do anti-hunting activists collectively pour millions into the state’s rural economy and general fund each year as they go about their pursuit of happiness?

The outdoor community values wildlife and a healthy landscape, and that is where we expend our resources. Anti-hunting activists value propaganda and their agenda and their expenditures show it.

Their approach does nothing to actually benefit wildlife, while the hunting, trapping, and fishing community prioritizes the health and welfare of our wildlife over even defending their own lifestyle. I know which group I see adding value to Vermont for everyone. This is your opportunity to think critically about the question being posed and answer it for yourself.

The author is Executive Director of the Vermont Traditions Coalition.