CLOVECHOK: As my Dad would say, ‘By virtue of the fact that we are hunters, we are conservationists’
Columbia River - Revelstoke MLA Doug Clovechok |
My Dad taught my brother and I how to hunt and fish from an early age. He taught the values that come with these activities, he helped us discover the deep-seated love and respect we have to this day for all things wild.
As my Dad would say, 'By virtue of the fact that we are hunters, we are conservationists'.
Fast forward
a couple of decades and now some of the most rewarding moments in my life have
been teaching my children, and my grandchildren, how to hunt and fish. The
rewards come in many ways.
It is where
a mother and father can witness the first time their children hit the target
with their pellet gun. It is where parents can experience the excitement of
watching his son or daughter hyperventilating at the sight of his first buck in
the wild. Then the first time, in the
deer camp, when you hear the excited exclamations
of your kids who have finally managed to take their first buck.
It’s
a youthful reminder of your own reaction to your similar experience decades
ago.
Hunting
teaches children self-reliance, teaches them about the natural food cycle,
inspires the love of the great outdoors, represents a rite of passage, teaches
conservationism, and promotes fitness and life skills to mention but a few.
Why
do we hunt? To pass on traditions so that our kids and their kids will know
why. However, people who don’t hunt always
ask me why I do.
It’s not
always an easy question to answer, because the passion for it is rooted in my
DNA. It is a bond we have with the wild
world – the wilderness -- and a connection to an innate knowledge that we are
part of something far greater than ourselves. The bush always reminds a hunter
of this reverence.
Then there is the unexpected.
Columbia River - Revelstoke MLA Doug Clovechok |
I am always reminded of the time we were calling in a bull Elk. Instead of the bull crashing out of a poplar
grove, a Grizzly sow and her two very large cubs rushed thinking our call was
an Elk. The three bears stopped, rose up onto their hind legs, and then tried to
get a scent of what they thought was an Elk, but instead was our calling.
Fortunately, the wind was in our favour, and they eventually moved off.
To this day I can remember the feelings their charge brought. The hair
on the back of my neck standing up, the sound of my pounding heart that felt
like it was coming out of my chest, and the absolute exhilaration of this
experience for what I still today view as a true gift.
It gave me an understanding that we as humans, placed into the natural
environment we evolved in, are not only connected -- but vulnerable.
At that moment in time, at that very moment in my life, I knew I was
exactly where I was supposed to be and doing what I was meant to do.
Now, if you’ll recall, early on I asked the questions, “Why do we hunt?” Now, I'll end with the most important reason ...
and that is conservation.
The final video below speaks to the conservation aspect of hunting and
why it is always at the forefront of all things we do as hunters. Although the video is presented through the eyes of an American hunter,
it reflects the exact sentiments we as Canadian hunters hold as well.
I want to thank those who have taken the time to read, and watch this
conversation on Why We Hunt.
For those of you who do not hunt it is my sincere hope that you now have
a better understanding as to why so many of us choose to hunt. To those of you
that do hunt, hold the flame high as you wade through the next mountain stream
following the spirit that drives you.
For the women and men who hunt, I am betting the following videos will reaffirm the passion and pride you have for hunting. For those that don’t hunt, it is my sincere hope that you will not only enjoy the videos, but will come away with an understanding and respect for hunting and why we do what we do.
Please note
that if you don't hunt, you may find some of the scenes to be eye-opening, as
these are real videos about hunting.
Why We Hunt (extended)
Hunting ... Who We Are
Thank you for sharing you story, and these videos. So many of us honestly have no idea where our food comes from, and have lost that connection connection to our environment outside of the city.
ReplyDeleteThanks again from you 'conservative's buddy :)