Conservation: a parachute for wildlife

While an occasional participant, I am not a fan of social media. It's not that there isn't good information floating around – and I do enjoy connecting with friends; but there are serious problems. Bullying, users slipping into unwelcome and toxic rants, and misrepresented information passed off as facts. Every now and then a post surfaces of someone with a game animal that they've harvested. It might be an Alaskan grizzly, African elephant, or a local whitetail deer. If the hunt involved a person who owns a business, a group of personally appointed social superiors pile on and demand a boycott. If the picture is of a doctor or some Texas cheerleader, they suffer the modern equivalent of tarring and feathering. Hidden by anonymity, the critics use drummed-up emotion and indignation albeit few facts or any understanding of the basic principles of conservation. It ends up becoming the worst type of manipulation, trapping many who react only to that emotion. We all know that it isn't limited to the portrayal of hunting but across a far too wide of a list of targeted activities – today, even your words and thoughts are under fire. One example I spotted was of a business owner with an elephant he'd killed. Never mind that the photo is nearly a decade old and the hunt was legal. He was called a murderer, his actions equated to child abuse, he was harming the planet and pushing animals to extinction. Some even called for his death. What I didn't see was either civility or facts. So, what are the facts? It's no secret that parts of Africa suffer from periodic droughts and that much of the habitat base is shrinking. There are also problems with regional poaching which authorities work hard to combat. Some populations; including the elephant's, are shrinking. Planned, professional conservation management is being used to help these herds survive. How does hunting help dwindling African wildlife populations? In most cases around the world the problem begins with diminishing habitats. It matters little if we're discussing Ohio's ruffed grouse, the Florida panther, western wolves, the rain forests' harpy eagle or African elephants; vanishing habitat and human expansion are the leading troubles they face. The solutions vary with each species. Many African plains animals move in groups. This serves as protection against the apex predators that roam the lands looking for an unsuspecting meal. Contrary to the belief that meat-eaters only cull the weak, old or young, predators are really just opportunists. A healthy zebra making the wrong turn while fleeing is all it takes to become a meal for a lion's cubs – and that's perfectly natural and should be expected, respected and not demonized. Herding has another effect. It concentrates the animals in an area until food resources are stripped, a situation which takes months – or sometimes years – to recover. The animals move to other areas to find food and the predators follow. Due to habitat loss attributed to human expansion of dwellings, business or farming as well as drought, fire and the animals own voracious appetite, the basics of life suffer. Food, water, shelter and space hit critical mass and starvation becomes rampant. The shrinking available habitat sometimes drives animals into areas inhabited by humans. In Africa and other remote regions, this often causes severe damage to the meager crops being raised for subsistence and direct attacks are not uncommon. When these situations begin developing, an effort has to be made to cull some of the adult members of the herds. This is often done by professionals who are paid by the governments. Whenever possible, permits are handed out to allow hunters the opportunity to take these animals. Their removal helps to relieve the survival stress on the herd, stretches the available food sources and enhances the health and survival of the remaining animals. A few die so many might live. Much of the meat harvested remains with the people who share the land with these roaming herds. The money spent on special licensure bolsters conservation efforts in those money-strapped countries to save animals from the uncontrolled poacher's black-market as well as improving habitat resources. Professional guides bring money into the economy and offer jobs to areas that have few opportunities. In the U.S., we may not have the plains of the Serengeti but we've dealt with the devastation of the Kaibab National Forest by over-populated deer and elk herds. We are currently in emotional-based fights concerning expanding wolf and mountain lion population and there are even those who would like to try and sterilize deer herds at your expense. Hunting and fishing license fees are vital to managing our wildlife resources. They fund research, land purchases, reestablishing habitat, endangered and nongame species programs, reintroduction efforts, enforcement and protection, education…and the list goes on. Hunting isn't for everybody – I get that better than most people. Neither is butchering, but most of us still eat bacon. We need to broaden our understanding of conservation concepts and how they are used to preserve and fund wildlife habitat. Apex predators; including man, are nature's natural tools used to cull animal herds so the species can survive. Then again, so are the much crueler thirst and starvation. Conservation is the parachute which can save our wildlife. This is the real circle of life. "After our ages-long journey from savagery to civility, let's hope we haven't bought a round-trip ticket." – Cullen Hightower Step Outside • Hunting Seasons Openers: Squirrel: Opened Sept. 1, ends Jan. 31. Mourning and Eurasian Collared Dove: Opened Sept. 1, ends Nov. 9. Reopens Dec. 13, ends Jan. 31. Rail and Gallinule: Opened Sept. 1, ends Nov. 9. Wilson's Snipe: Opened Sept. 1, ends Nov. 19. Reopens Dec. 6, ends Jan. 1. Deer Archery: Opens Sept. 27, ends Feb. 1. DSA Deer Archery: Opens Sept. 13, ends Feb. 1 (DSA=Disease Surveillance Area). Early Waterfowl-Canada Goose and Teal: Opens Sept. 6, ends Sept. 14. • Tomorrow: Primitive Blackpowder Muzzle Loader Shoot, round ball only, 1 p.m. Black Swamp Muzzle Loaders Club, 8831 Township Rd. 19, McComb, OH 45858. Email: roadkill4u@hotmail.com • Tomorrow: Trap Shoot, 1 p.m. Mount Blanchard Gun Club, 21655 Delaware Township 186. • Tuesday: The UCOA Sportsman's Club, 6943 Marion Township 243, Findlay, will be hosting a 6-week Tuesday night trap shooting league. For more information, contact Karl Charron, 419-701-8698 or karl.charron@poet.com • Thursday: Trap Shooting, open to the public. 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. UCOA, 6943 Marion Township 243, Findlay. Contact: Karl Charron, 419-701-8698 or karl.charron@poet.com • Sept. 12: Exploring Fly Fishing – Learning the Basics. 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Castalia State Fish Hatchery, 7018 Homegardner Road, Castalia. Fishing will be done on Cold Creek. Each person must register individually. All anglers age 16 and older are required to have an Ohio fishing license. Fly rods, reels, and flies will be provided. Gear to bring: drinks, snacks, bug spray, sunscreen, rain gear, outdoor boots (you will not be wading in the water), hat with a bill, camera, stringer, a long-handled net, and a cooler (at least a medium size, 40 quart is ideal) with ice for your fish. Contact Jaron Beck at 419-348-0851. To register: https://apps.ohiodnr.gov/wildlife/educationregistration/ • Sept. 12: Exploring Fly Fishing – Learning the Basics. 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Castalia State Fish Hatchery, 7018 Homegardner Road, Castalia. Contact Jaron Beck at 419-348-0851. To register: https://apps.ohiodnr.gov/wildlife/educationregistration/ • Saturday, Sept. 13: Black Swamp Bucks' famous Fall Classic. Your attendance helps to support hunting and conservation in our area. There will be over $25,000 in prizes, live entertainment, giveaways, food, drinks, games and raffles. Hanock County Fair Grounds, 4-8 p.m. More information: www.blackswampbucks.com/fall-classic • Sept. 19: Expanding on Fly Fishing – Intermediate Techniques. You must first complete the "Exploring Fly Fishing – Learning the Basics" prior to being eligible for this class. 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Castalia State Fish Hatchery, 7018 Homegardner Road, Castalia. For questions or information: Jaron Beck at 419-348-0851. To register: https://apps.ohiodnr.gov/wildlife/educationregistration/ • Sept. 19-21: Rendezvous on the Reserve, a unique living history encampment depicting the fur trade-era in the Indiana wilderness spanning the years of 1760-1840. This gathering will be held on the Blackford County Reservation of Myaamia Chief Francois Godfroy (4400 N. 800 E. - Montpelier, Indiana 47359) who chose this site in accordance with the terms of the 1818 Treaty of St. Marys. Enter the authentic encampment in the midst of life as it was more than 200 years ago. Demonstrations on muzzle-loader shooting, archery, and tomahawk & knife throwing. Visit: rendezvousonthereserve.weebly.com. • Sept. 20: 3-D Archery Match, Whitetail Warm Up with Field and Stream Bowhunters. This is the last regular archery match of the year, preparing you for the upcoming deer seasons. Along with it comes a favorite of the archery crowd – The Iron Buck Shoot. Made of steel with a 6-inch hole cut out, that deer target will manage to eat a few arrows that miss their mark. There will also be a fund-raising raffle to keep the club moving forward. Field and Stream Bowhunters; 11400 Allen Township 109, Findlay. Registration opens at 8 a.m. Contact: John Fenimore at 419-957-8764. • Sept. 26: Expanding on Fly Fishing – Intermediate Techniques. You must first complete the "Exploring Fly Fishing – Learning the Basics" prior to being eligible for this class. 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Castalia State Fish Hatchery, 7018 Homegardner Road, Castalia. For questions or information: Jaron Beck at 419-348-0851. To register: https://apps.ohiodnr.gov/wildlife/educationregistration. Abrams is a retired wildlife officer supervisor for the state Division of Wildlife in Findlay. He can be reached at P.O. Box 413, Mount Blanchard, OH 45867-0413 or via e-mail at jimsfieldnotes@aol.com.