10-18-2023, 12:42 PM
The Evolution of Sportsman's Ethics
By the Cowboy-Pirate
Sounds like a pretty heavy subject - right? And, it is for me. I have been pondering my own personal evolution around sportsman's ethics as of late and specifically about the change over time I have made with consumption vs. catch and release.
Left me ruminate, and pontificate a bit on my journey, where I am now and where I think I am headed and why, that fits this forum for a open, frank conversation.
I will start off with - this is my own journey. Not an opinion or judgment about where any of you are or should be. I respect that opinions will vary considerably and they should - that is okay. I am not trying to start an argument. Just a conversation about where I am and maybe where you are on this subject.
I grew up, like many of you in a large family that raised animals and a garden. Beef, Chicken, pork and vegies were on the plate and mostly home grown. We fished and hunted and mostly ate what we caught or killed. We certainly loved hunting and fishing (the sport - the thrill - the family adventures) but the animals were harvested used as part of our family food budget.
I was also a big time trapper, also (at least in my mind). At one point I ran a trapline in Wyoming for cats that was over 40 miles long.
As I got married and started to raise a family, my job and income improved steadily. I was very fortunate and had a great career in the "workforce". but as my income and lifestyle changed so did my outlook on consumption. I slowly evolved from harvesting animals to catch and release. It was the big thing in the fishing world. Even if was not spoken out loud. How dare you harvest that brown trout. You could almost feel them eyes looking down on you from anglers if you walked out with a stringer fresh off the fly rod. In many minds harvesting fish would wreck the balance and limit opportunities for other fisherman. That mind set was pushed in popular outdoor magazines and books and perhaps even by "trophy" focused fishers. Of course catch and release is a bit harder with a deer tag, but I found myself moving slowly away from hunting and quitting trapping altogether. Never as a open revolt on the harvesting world but as a steady but persistent trend away that I only really realize today as I look back on how drastically different I approach the outdoor sporting world.
Recently I have been reevaluating my approach. I like to eat fish and I believe it is fine to harvest within the state guidelines without impacting the future fishery. I like Venison and miss Elk steaks. I love ruffed grouse and pheasant. And frankly I miss the simple pleasure of harvesting my food with my Dad and brothers. There is something real that the world that orders a steak from the Texas Roadhouse misses and that is that consumption means harvesting an animal - no let get more real - It means fishing/hunting (or raising), killing, butchering, preparing and eating an animal. You have to either be okay with that or not. There really is no middle option if you consume meat.
I feel my personal pendulum is swinging back. I will harvest more of my fish. And eat them. I plan to do more hunting and add it back into our menu. I eat meat. I am a omnivore who likes to harvest, who enjoys the sport and the adventure but wants to more fully complete the cycle of life and death.. I accept that and am not ashamed of where I have been or where I am going.
So my question is simple: have you seen a similar journey in your life or have you always been.......
and ya this is the sort of stuff I ponder early in the morning but dont often write
By the Cowboy-Pirate
Sounds like a pretty heavy subject - right? And, it is for me. I have been pondering my own personal evolution around sportsman's ethics as of late and specifically about the change over time I have made with consumption vs. catch and release.
Left me ruminate, and pontificate a bit on my journey, where I am now and where I think I am headed and why, that fits this forum for a open, frank conversation.
I will start off with - this is my own journey. Not an opinion or judgment about where any of you are or should be. I respect that opinions will vary considerably and they should - that is okay. I am not trying to start an argument. Just a conversation about where I am and maybe where you are on this subject.
I grew up, like many of you in a large family that raised animals and a garden. Beef, Chicken, pork and vegies were on the plate and mostly home grown. We fished and hunted and mostly ate what we caught or killed. We certainly loved hunting and fishing (the sport - the thrill - the family adventures) but the animals were harvested used as part of our family food budget.
I was also a big time trapper, also (at least in my mind). At one point I ran a trapline in Wyoming for cats that was over 40 miles long.
As I got married and started to raise a family, my job and income improved steadily. I was very fortunate and had a great career in the "workforce". but as my income and lifestyle changed so did my outlook on consumption. I slowly evolved from harvesting animals to catch and release. It was the big thing in the fishing world. Even if was not spoken out loud. How dare you harvest that brown trout. You could almost feel them eyes looking down on you from anglers if you walked out with a stringer fresh off the fly rod. In many minds harvesting fish would wreck the balance and limit opportunities for other fisherman. That mind set was pushed in popular outdoor magazines and books and perhaps even by "trophy" focused fishers. Of course catch and release is a bit harder with a deer tag, but I found myself moving slowly away from hunting and quitting trapping altogether. Never as a open revolt on the harvesting world but as a steady but persistent trend away that I only really realize today as I look back on how drastically different I approach the outdoor sporting world.
Recently I have been reevaluating my approach. I like to eat fish and I believe it is fine to harvest within the state guidelines without impacting the future fishery. I like Venison and miss Elk steaks. I love ruffed grouse and pheasant. And frankly I miss the simple pleasure of harvesting my food with my Dad and brothers. There is something real that the world that orders a steak from the Texas Roadhouse misses and that is that consumption means harvesting an animal - no let get more real - It means fishing/hunting (or raising), killing, butchering, preparing and eating an animal. You have to either be okay with that or not. There really is no middle option if you consume meat.
I feel my personal pendulum is swinging back. I will harvest more of my fish. And eat them. I plan to do more hunting and add it back into our menu. I eat meat. I am a omnivore who likes to harvest, who enjoys the sport and the adventure but wants to more fully complete the cycle of life and death.. I accept that and am not ashamed of where I have been or where I am going.
So my question is simple: have you seen a similar journey in your life or have you always been.......
and ya this is the sort of stuff I ponder early in the morning but dont often write
Remember: keep the lid on the worms, share your jerky, and stop by to say hi to Cookie and the Cowboy-Pirate crew