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Thank a Hunter

February 27, 2012 by · 2 Comments

Steve Sanetti, the head of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, knows what he is talking about. More that three years ago he wrote an opinion piece in the Washington Post titled Hunter Green.

While some of the data he cites may have changed, his points were spot on then and even more relevant today.

Good for you food.

Sanetti notes “wild game is organic defined.”

Wild game isn’t raised with hormones or processed feed or in pens, fenced enclosures or feed lots. Game meats are low in fat and cholesterol and high in protein. It is not the commercially produced mystery meat of fast food fame. Want to really know where your food comes from? Go get yourself.

Locavores? Around here, we call them hunters.

Hunters have always been locavores. It is what we do. According to the NSSF, 84% of hunters hunt in their home state. Where does food in your supermarket come from? It may have traveled as much as 2,500 miles or more from source to market. And who know what has been used to keep it fresh?

In Sanetti’s words, “we are model locavores.”

Healthy habitat for all to enjoy.

“Today, every state has thriving game populations in habitats that sustain hunted as well as non-hunted species. It’s a richness of life that many Americans enjoy regardless of their environmental persuasion. Yet most also take it for granted, unaware of the mechanisms that sustain this public resource. They see more wildlife every year but are oblivious to why that’s so,” writes Sanetti.

Much of  the healthy fish and wild life habitat and the recreational opportunities it provides exist because of hunters and anglers and the funding they provide by purchasing equipment. That’s right, there is an excise tax on hunting and fishing equipment. The excise tax money has to go to conservation, education and habitat. License revenue also go to conservation and habitat programs. Things that all Americans can enjoy whether they hunt or fish or not!

The voice of experience.

Hunters know the land. They are stewards of the wild things and wild places. The possess a first hand knowledge of the natural world. You don’t have to hunt to learn from them. They share their knowledge freely.

“As civilization struggles to balance modern lifestyles with organic, local, renewable resources, hunters are indeed among the deepest wells of expertise on the planet,” writes Sanetti.

Steve Sanetti does indeed know what he is taking about.

Check out the wealth of information on the NSSF website in the Hunter Green section.

Filed Under: Conservation, Featured, Hunting, Shooting Sports · Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Politicians and Sportsmen

January 6, 2011 by · 2 Comments

Hal Herring posed an interesting question a few days ago on Field and Stream’s The Conservationist blog. Herring asked “Are There Any Politicians That Really Understand Sportsmens’ Concerns?”

Wild Lands

Herring starts off by looking at the reaction to the recent announcement by the Department of Interior regarding the Bureau of Land Management’s new guidance on wilderness. I covered that subject and won’t belabor the point. It will be interesting however to read the comments to Herrings post in context of my post.

So are there any politicians that really understand sportsmens’ concerns?

This is a highly subjective question. Politician is a broad moniker. In this case I am going to refine my search to elected federal officials. I will further refine it to those officials I have had first-hand experience with either directly or with staff.

Here is my list of favorites off the top of my head:

Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) Unquestionably the dean of sportsmen legislators in the US Congress.

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA)

Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA)

Sen. John Tester (D-MT)

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT)

Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID)

Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID)

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)

Sen Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)

Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO)

President Obama (I have not dealt directly with him but he tried fly-fishing and has surrounded himself with some excellent Cabinet members – Salazar and Vilsack being notable – appointed officials and staff.)

These officials are not always on the side of sportsmen but by and large, they have better understanding of and appreciation for sportsmen’s concerns then many of their colleagues.

Understanding our issues but not us

There are certainly many more who understand the issues that sportsmen are concerned about but are not necessarily looking at those concerns from a sportsmen’s perspective. This is a real challenge for the sportsmen’s community. We need to do a better job of establishing our relevancy. For those of you who have read this far and know me, here comes my economics refrain.

Economic talking points

According to the American Sportfishing Association “60 million anglers generate over $45 billion in retail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for over one million people.

In 2008, $720 million of these excise taxes were distributed for fisheries management and recreational boating enhancement. In addition, fishing license sales generated $600 million in revenue for state fish and wildlife agencies.”

According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation “Sportsmen contribute $7.5-plus million every day, adding more than $2.7 billion every year for conservation. Hunters and shooters have paid $5.93 billion in excise taxes since the inception of the Pittman-Robertson Act in 1937. Hunting in America is big business, generating 600,000 jobs in the United States. For more than 80 years, sportsmen have paid more than $12.1 billion for on-the-ground projects in every state, protecting our natural environment and our fish and wildlife. The $4.95 billion in annual federal tax money generated by hunters’ spending could cover the annual paychecks of 150,000 U.S. Army Sergeants.”

Conservation = Opportunity = Economic Activity

The economics message is pretty simple.  Conservation creates recreational opportunity and that leads to economic activity. There are plenty of facts and figures to back the message up and more are on the way.

Secretary Salazar made the point in his announcement on BLM’s wild lands guidance.

“The wild backcountry here in Colorado, and across the West, is also a huge economic engine for local communities. Outfitters, guides, hotels, restaurants, and retailers like this one all have a stake in the protection of America’s great outdoors.

Wise stewardship isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s good for business and it’s good for jobs,” said Salazar.

We need to do a much better job of educating our elected officials on the significant impact fishing and hunting have on our economy, not just in habitat protection, but in the ripple effect it has for local economies. Now more than ever this simple economic message needs to be delivered to as often as possible.

Filed Under: Conservation, Fishing, Hunting, Shooting Sports · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Shooting for Hunters for the Hungry

October 2, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

I took the occasion of a lovely fall day this past Sunday to shoot in the Hunters for the Hungry benefit shoot. I am delighted we are getting some rain here in the Valley, but the break in the weather was

The shoot took place at Flying Rabbit Sporting Clays in Mt. Crawford. It was a fun shoot with 113 shooters competing on the 100-target course.

Congratulations go to Glen Tharp, Russ Ringler, T.R. Whetzel, Jeff Smith and Nathan Mongold. Each one had the high score in their class. Tharp was high scorer overall breaking 94 of 100 targets. The winner in the long bird shoot was Waynesboro’s own Watson Lewis.

Hunters for the Hungry is one of those programs that can really make a difference to people in need. In these times of economic hardship for so many people, the generosity of hunters who share the bounty of their time afield is especially important.

Professional meat processors across the state, including a half a dozen here in the Valley, cut, wrap and freeze the meat for distribution. In 2008 food banks, church groups and the Salvation Army distributed more than 380,000 pounds of low-fat, high-protein meat to folks in need.

Those hunters who contribute some, or all, of the game they harvest are carrying on one of the proudest hunting traditions — sharing in the success of the hunt.

Too often these days hunting is seen as an out-dated pastime. Hunters are an important economic contributor to our local economy. Just as importantly, they are helping provide food that is both local and healthy —something we need to be doing more of.

In talking with the organizers of the event, John Alexander and Rick Hill, owners of Flying Rabbit, and Gary Arrington, special projects coordinator for Hunters for the Hungry, they all spoke of their appreciation for the support from the community, both financially and in the numbers of volunteers that made the event a success.

“The support from the community was 125 percent,” said Hill. Not 100 percent, 125 percent.”

The event attracted more than $10,000 in financial contributions as well as donated products and services. The volunteer support for the event was significant as well.

“We had over thirty volunteers from groups like the National Wild Turkey Federation, Quality Deer Management Association, Buckmasters as well as students from JMU,” said Alexander.

By the way, I shot a 68, respectable for me but not good enough to win a trophy.

The Virginia Council of Trout Unlimited elected new officers this past Saturday at the fall council meeting at Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria.

Outgoing president John Ross presided over the election of Bill Pierce as the new president, James “Chubby” Damron as first vice president, Richard Landreth as vice president for education, Bob Rosenthal as vice president for policy and Jason McGarvey, as vice president for communications.

David Jones, Marcia Woolman and Jay Henderson were elected to the three at-large seats and I was elected as the council’s representative to TU’s National Leadership Council.

The council also congratulated Woolman and Ross for receiving awards at Trout Unlimited’s 50th anniversary banquet in August.

TU’s highest national award for volunteer leadership was awarded to Woolman, she is the first woman to earn the award. Ross was one of seven leaders to receive the organization’s Distinguished Service Award.

Whether you hunt or fish or just enjoy the great outdoors for its on sake, when you support a community event or join a group that is working for the future of the resource you are helping keep the hunting and fishing tradition alive for future generations.

You can read more of my columns at the News Virginian.com.

Some of the winners show off da hardware!

Some of the winners show off da hardware!

yours truly 'bout to put the hurt on some clays

yours truly 'bout to put the hurt on some clays

Filed Under: Shooting Sports, TNV columns · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

AFFTA and the Fly Fishing Retailer Show

September 20, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

First, let me offer a quick explanation for my absence. After enjoying a week’s vacation in beautiful Rhode Island, I found myself hurrying back when my mother was stricken with pneumonia. She wound up spending a week in the intensive care unit at Newport Hospital.

I spent three weeks up there, but all’s well that ends well and mom is recovering nicely at my sister’s home in New Hampshire.

My next stop was Denver, Colo. Last month I was elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association. My first board meeting was during the Fly Fishing Retailer show last week.

AFFTA’s mission is to “promote the sustained growth of the fly fishing industry.” To do that, the association focuses on attracting more people to fly-fishing, promoting business excellence and educating elected officials and government agencies on important policy topics such as the economic importance of conserving fly-fishing habitat or thorny tax and trade issues.

The Fly Fishing Retailer is the industry’s trade show. At this show, manufacturers show and promote their new products to dealers like shops, guides and outfitters and also members of the outdoor press. Only members of the fly-fishing industry can attend, it is not open to the public like a consumer show is.

AFFTA Board members, like me, get a guest pass to the show and I spent two days wandering around the floor, looking at new products and visiting with many of my friends in the business.

Over the next few weeks I will share some thoughts and observations about some of the more interesting things I saw at the show, like the latest in the rubber versus felt for the bottom of wading boots, flies without hooks and the latest in bobber technology. No kidding, bobber technology.

Of course I got a chance to try new fly rods from the likes of Sage, Scott, Loomis, St. Croix, Temple Fork Outfitters and Winston. Casting a variety of rods is one of the best parts of going to the show. It is also a great chance to give friends a hard time about casting techniques, which greatly adds to the entertainment value of the show.

There is a pretty robust party circuit each night after the show closes. The most entertaining one is the Annual Drake Flyfishing Video Awards. This was the fourth year for this event showing of ten five-minute film clips about fly-fishing. A panel reviews all clips and the top ones win prizes for being the best in their category. There are awards for best humor, best story, best fishing, and best overall.

You can see clips from the last three years at the Drake Web site. Check out “Running Down the Man” from the 2006 films, it is one of my favorites.

I have now returned to the Valley and am looking forward to some fall fishing and the hunting season. Hopefully you have already had a chance to get out enjoy some time afield.

If you want to have some fun, get some wing shooting practice and support a good cause, come out to Flying Rabbit Sporting Clays on Sept. 27 for their first Hunters for the Hungry benefit shoot. The donation is $50 for this 100-target event. Lunch, soda and water are included, you just need to bring shells and eye and ear protection and of course your shotgun. You can get more information by calling 540-574-2529 or go to their Web site.

Finally, it is not too soon to be marking your calendars for next year’s Virginia Fly Fishing Festival on the banks of the South River. The festival is scheduled for April 17 and 18. This is the ten-year anniversary of the event so it should be a good one.

You can read more of my columns at News Virginian.com.

Filed Under: Fishing, Shooting Sports, TNV columns · Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Sporting Clays in the Valley

February 20, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

If you enjoy shooting a shotgun and want to get out and have some fun, here is some good news for you.

The Valley has a couple of great sporting clay courses where you can really enjoy yourself.

Sporting clays started in England, but really took off in the United States in the 1980s.

The targets are thrown by machines, called traps, and replicate the flight of game birds like pheasants, grouse and ducks. Good courses present these targets in natural surroundings. Each course is laid out in a series of shooting stations.

Each station offers the shooter a challenge similar to one you might find while out hunting and can test the limits of shooting ability. You might see targets crossing in front of you, going through openings in the trees, going over your head, coming toward you or running and bouncing along the ground.

This past weekend I had the chance to visit two operations, the Flying Rabbit in Mount Crawford and Quail Ridge in Lexington.

My good friend John Alexander and his partner Rick Hill took over the operation at the Flying Rabbit last year. The course is located on Route 11 about one-and-a-half miles north of Route 257.

Alexander and Hill started working on the improvements to the Flying Rabbit in November. They changed the layout, added new stations and modernized the course by adding all electronically controlled traps.

Unlike many courses using mechanical traps that require an operator to accompany the group, at Flying Rabbit each group of shooters is given an electronic device that allows them to throw the targets.

“We are most proud of our control box,” said Alexander. “You can throw your own targets and shoot at your own pace.”

They will be expanding the operation with plans for both a five-stand course and wobble trap setup. Alexander told me the five-stand should be ready by March.

Flying Rabbit is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. until dark. They are open by appointment, Wednesdays through Fridays, call 574-2529. A round of 50 targets costs $20, a round of 100 targets costs $35. You can buy ammunition on site or bring your own.

There is a shooting league in the works and they have plans for fun shoots and tournaments as well.

Quail Ridge, open for sixteen years, is located at 336 Murat Road in Lexington. The sixteen-station course winds along a half-mile path along a wooded hillside.

All shooting is by appointment only so you need to call 463-1800 before you go. They are open from 9 a.m. until dusk Thursdays through Saturdays and noon until dusk on Sunday.

A round of 50 targets costs $20 a round of 100 targets is $30. You can buy ammunition on site and they have some basic accessories like glasses and hearing protection as well.

Quail Ridge is open to shooters of all ages.

“I started shooting trap competitively when I was 10 years old,” said Chris Salb, the owner of Quail Ridge. “There is no reason to stop youngsters from shooting.”

Quail Ridge hosts corporate events, charity shoots and tournaments.

Both operations offer instruction. If you are a bird or small game hunter and haven’t tried sporting clays, give it a try. If you just shoot trap or skeet, you may find sporting clays a welcome change of pace.

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