Wonderful discussion
I hunt, but not as often or as well as I'd like to. When you stop and think about it, it takes a pretty rare (these days) combination of desire, temperment, opportunity, and culture to produce a hunter. I consider myself fortunate, but I can understand why many folks prefer not to hunt or are no longer active hunters. I'm a firearms safety instructor, and I see the number of young hunters steadily decreasing, even in the hunting--friendly setting of the upper midwest.
There are many reasons that hunting numbers are down. Urbanization, single parent families, increasing costs and decreasing opportunity are all factors. Thoughtless hunters are part of the problem. If they're bragging about blowing big holes in woodland creatures in a mixed social setting, shooting traffic signs, road hunting with a beer in one hand, or running down antelope with a 4x4, their brand of hunting will give the sport a stigma that may not be survivable. I won't hunt with such characters, and I try to teach my students that ethics aren't optional in our sport.
There is much more to hunting than we commonly see or hear about. I hope that any of you that would like to hunt will have the opportunity to share the occasional outing with a good dog and a good friend or two that, like you, realize that it's not about killing but spending pleasurable time in the great outdoors. About waiting, watching and learning. About appreciating what we have, respecting God's creatures, and connecting with past generations. I love to shoot, but hunting involves many more disciplines and skills than triggernometry. Good thing, too, as I've returned from many an expedition without firing a shot.
