Unfortunately, many firearms marketing campaigns exacerbate this misconception that hunting is war on wildlife when they depict hunters in military-style camouflage (The first hunting camo was simply the jungle pattern that emerged during the Viet Nam war.) In many advertisements hunters, faces grease smeared, pose in painful, belabored contortions with their boots, packs, and guns (heck, even their bows) muddied and bloodied and looking as if they’ve just gone six rounds with a horde of terrorists. They crawl through the mud, wade neck-deep through icy rivers in the relentless drive to reach their objective and complete the mission. Even duck hunters appear to be waging a fight for democracy against incoming formations of mallards. It’s a grim business.
Our real warriors — Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines — deserve thanks and accolades for enduring and risking what they do to protect us and fight tyranny. Their business often is grim. But to equate what they do with hunting is an insult to the military as well as to our hunting heritage. The two cannot and should not be conflated.
Hunting is not about weapons and war. And neither is Ron Spomer Outdoors. We investigate and celebrate humankind’s ancient heritage as hunter/gatherers. Sure, we emphasize the tools and tactics, modern and old, used in the pursuit of organic protein. But we also highlight every hunter’s personal and perpetual search for our true connection to Nature. We seek not just the guns and gear, but the beauty, the mystery, the joy that comes from discovering and participating in our natural roles in the great panoply of life.
Source
Hunting is not war on wildlife — Ron Spomer Outdoors is written by Ron Spomer for www.ronspomeroutdoors.com
