I am writing in response to David Switzer’s letter of opinion Funding parks, preserves best way to maintain Mich. (SN 12/4). I just want to start off by saying I am an avid outdoorsman ranging from fishing, hunting, camping and snowmobiling. I am outside as much as possible and always looking to improve the environment. I have never had an accident in the field. Hunting is far safer than most would like to think. Most accidents and death related to hunting happens when people fell out of trees or accidents that involved no guns being shot.
David talks about hunters as “steadfast guardians” that go around and chase and shoot animals. This is the first major thing that jumps out as a lack of education of today’s population. This is not their fault but more of ours as hunters and outdoorsmen, and this shows that we need to educate the people who have no clue as to what our hunting heritage is really about.
So let’s take a quick look at what our sportsman’s money goes to.
Michigan ranks third in the nation in licensed hunters (more than 750,000) who contribute $1 billion annually to our economy.
Michigan ranks fifth in the nation in numbers of licensed resident and nonresident anglers who contribute $2 billion annually to our economy.
The Department of Natural Resources is funded by state general fund revenues, federal funds and a variety of restricted funds.
Switzer also states our federal government should fund the parks, instead of hunting. This is already taking place. Federal funding consists mainly of special purpose categorical grants from various federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Federal funds support programs for wildlife and fisheries habitat and development.
If you take another quick look at other hunter-based organizations, you will see how much they have impacted the habitat and animals that roam it.
The National Wild Turkey Foundation says, “Since 1973, the NWTF, along with its volunteers, partners and sponsors, has worked for the conservation of the wild turkey and preservation of the hunting tradition. At the time NWTF was established, there were only 1.3 million wild turkeys. Today that number stands at more than 7 million birds throughout North America.”
The Pheasants Forever also has done a lot with the Habitat Organization — “Since its inception in 1982, Pheasants Forever’s wildlife habitat projects have benefited more than 4 million acres across the continent. In that time, PF has participated in nearly 1,000 different land acquisitions totaling well over 100,000 acres. Those land acquisition projects have been completed in conjunction with local, state and federal natural resource agencies, and all of those projects are today open to public hunting and public use.”
So in closing I would just like challenge Switzer or any other anti-person to come and talk to me or another hunter, listen for once and see what our ideas and thoughts are. We are not “killing innocent animals” or “barbaric” as some claim. We are just normal people providing food to our families in a means that has been passed on for many generations, and one that I will continue to pass on.
Dan Mittlestat
agriculture industries sophomore
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “Hunting organizations work to preserve environment” on social media.
