Show S The 2 IHlwiM o 2002 3 iE tHIwQiDiiiig port hunting has a rich heritage in American culture From the onset of American settlement until the century wildlife was viewed primarily as a means of subsistence and monetary gain However during this same time period an interest in sport hunting began to develop 0) Our European aristocratic hunting heritage influenced this movement but a completely new philosophy emerged o The American idea of wildlife differed 0) from that of our European ancestors — CD O wildlife should not be owned by kings ami wealthy politicians' but rather by all citizens Thus hunting a pursuit once restricted to a privileged few became a right of every citizen As the American frontier was settled subsistence hunting became less important and the demand for recreational hunting grew The importance of sport hunting accelerated after the Civil War as wealth and leisure time grew in response to a developing industrialized society Because of a growing human popu- lation new firearms technology and few harvest restrictions the impact of commercial hunting on game populations also grew during this period The combined impact of unrestricted sport and commercial hunting on wildlife populations were significant im In one case alone atleast 600000 prairie chickens reportedly were sold by Chicago merchants during 1873 In response to declining game populations American sportsmen rallied together and demand a ban on commercial hunting and sought to establish harvest regulations for sport hunters Theodore Roosevelt a prominent hunter and leading advocate for wildlife conservation championed many wildlife conservation measure both before and during his presidency Following Roosevelt’s lead wildlife management began to emerge as a profession in the 1930s The first book dedicated to wildlife 2 'x £ : Aldo Leopold was published in 1933 Between 0 most states had established hunting seasons and set harvest restrictions The Act arguably the greatest conservation legislation ever passed in this country was passed in 1937 to provide federal funding to state wildlife agencies The 1900-193- Pittman-Rbberts- Enas iriidh) folstoi y Dim funding mechanism of the Act was unique for its time and remains so today — hunters voluntarily taxed themselves to support conservation efforts via excise fees on firearms and ammunition Since die passage of the Act in 1937 hunters have contributed more than $2 billion to state wildlife s management programs Despite the growing influence of environmentalism in the US individual hunters and fishers still provide most of the funding needed by state fish and wildlife agencies via the Act In addition to these contributions various spent hunting organizations donate time money and political influence to promote and support wildlife conservation programs Individual hunters volunteer countless hours for wildlife management projects in their local areas As a result of their dedication hunters have led the way for the recovery of many game and non game d species — wild turkey deer told eagle and pronghorn antelope are but a few examples The current rote of sport hunting in American culture is different from that of Roosevelt's time Our society is now more urbanized and hunters make up a smaller percentage of our population than ever before Despite these trends hunting remains one of the most significant forces in wildlife conservation But if this trend is to continue hunters must take the initiative to increase their rote in wildlife conservation through their dollars their time and their political influence As a hunter you can contribute in many ways: join a local conservation group and get involved volunteer to teach hunter education classes report hunting violations inform your legislators about die importance of wildlife and land conservation The future of hunting and wildlife conservation is dependent on your continued commitment and dedication P-- R ’ white-taile- ': ui r 1 1 T I ' Mr- V — s&sf'jgr SUPERSTORE --Ben C West Assistant Extension Professor Department of Wildlife and Fisheries By Mississippi State University graduate Utah State University on k2944 N MAIN NOCTH LOGAN UT 75200S4 vjw |