From my Feb. 3, 2016 News Journal column.
We’ve all heard that a picture is worth a thousand words, but a picture is sometimes interpreted into a thousand words that are misguided, subject to personal biases, or just flat-out wrong.
To illustrate my point, if any of us asks 10 non-hunters what a hunter looks like, eight of them would probably describe a middle-aged, middle-class, blue-collar, bearded, pickup-truck-driving white man who incorporates camouflage clothing into his daily wardrobe (whether hunting season is open or not). While some hunters certainly fit this stereotype, many do not.
In stark contrast to the hunter stereotype, the truth is that hunters are women, men, girls and boys of all ages, races, education levels, and income levels. Some hunters drive pick-up trucks, some drive two-door hybrids, and some are too young to drive. Some hunters wear camouflage clothing regularly, some reserve their camouflage for the field, and some don’t even own camouflage because they exclusively hunt game—like rabbits, pheasants, quail, and woodcock—where camouflage is unnecessary.
Additionally (and contrary to popular opinion), hunting is not dominated by folks who hold blue-collar jobs. As an activity that is old as humankind, hunting is enjoyed by people from all walks of life, regardless of job titles. Quite simply, it is just as common to see a business suit-clad hunter in the boardroom as it is to see a steel-toe-boot-clad hunter in the breakroom or a school-uniform-clad hunter in the classroom.
Still, some non-hunters view hunters as boorish oafs who indiscriminately kill animals and ruin our public lands, but again, those interpretations are misguided. It takes patience, skill, knowledge, and practice to harvest game, and most hunters put in hours, days, and even weeks of practice and research into hunting. Hunters read books and articles, visit websites, watch videos, physically scout habitat, and actually observe animals to make themselves better, more effective, and more ethical hunters. Ethical hunters don’t fire indiscriminately at targets, be they alive or not, and they have no interest in polluting or otherwise harming the natural resources that they love and rely on for contributing food to their tables.
Through the purchase of hunting licenses and the purchase of guns and ammunition that are subject to Pittman-Robertson Act excise taxes, hunters contribute significantly to the management and upkeep of state-owned properties used for hunting. According to recent data presented by the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, Delaware hunters and trappers generate nearly $4.2 million per year for wildlife and wildlife land management, and hunters contribute to Delaware’s economy by spending approximately $61.7 million per year.
Hunters should continue to educate people who don’t hunt by politely explaining some of the points mentioned above. With any luck, the interpretation of the picture of what a hunter looks like will change to more accurately reflect the truth.
Until then, I will include my new and carefully chosen profile picture with this column.
After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.