OCR Text |
Show Hunt safety up to you It's that time of year again. It happens once every 12 months. Every autumn as the leaves turn red, and orange so do the jackets of the hunters of the area. It's deer hunt time, and we at the Iron County Record It's that time of year again. It happens once every 12 months. Every autumn as the leaves turn red, and orange so do the jackets of the hunters of the area. It's deer hunt time, and we at the Iron County Record view that with mixed emotions. Some of us here at the Record hunt the wily deer, and some of us don't; but, more than that, we have mixed feelings because of the varied consequences the hunt has on the people and the area. The deer hunt can be a great thing. It can be a sport that .teaches much about nature and about life. It can be enjoyable; it can even be exhilerating. As we watch families gather for the hunt, we find it interesting that many times three, and we have even seen four generations of men gather and camp together for a weekend or a week. We have seen fathers carefully train their sons concerning the safe use of firearms, the way to dress warm in the out-of-doors, the methods of preparation for any situation. We see them instill survival skills that can carry over into many facets of life. Indeed, good sportsmen are an asset to the community. And, of course there is the financial aspect of the season. The deer hunt brings many out-of-towners and out-of-staters into the area. Some people would cuss that they should stay home and not crowd the mountains for the rest of us, but we're sure many merchants are glad to see the extra business in an uncertain economy. Unfortunately, we all too often see the other side of the coin. Regrettably, there are also some other types mixed in with the good sportsmen; and with anything, it seems the few bad give the majority a tainted name. Yet, we are sure this fall we will see those who insist on killing more than one deer, sometimes several more. And then we will probably hear them complaining about the thinning deer herd because of mismanagement, out-of-state hunters, coyotes, etc., etc. We will see those who teach their sons to shoot at most anything, killing eagles and other non-game animals. We will undoubtedly see the cattlemen and sheepmen lose a few head of their stock to the unsporting sportsmen. We will see, somewhere in the state, somebody killed by a stray bullet, perhaps caused by a justifiable mistake and perhaps caused by carelessness. We will probably see disasters or near disasters caused by the mixing of alcohol, guns and hig-powered vehicles. Fortunately and com-mendably, com-mendably, these will be few, but this year we caution that you don't lx?come one of the few, ruining a great sport and tradition for yourself, your family and perhaps for others. The hunt can be enjoyable, and it can be sporting.Or it can be tragedy or very unsportsmanlike. It is up to us, the hunters. |