The fact that I am even writing about this troubles me. I think that it needs to be said though. There should be no such thing as hunters vs. hunters, but sadly it is something that has definitely shown its face. Why? I haven’t got the foggiest. Honestly, I don’t remember any of this from when I was a boy. Maybe, with how easy it is nowadays to communicate with other people via the internet and hide behind a computer screen, the issue is becoming more prevalent. It seems like outlets like social media have decapitated any semblance of a filter. Whether it be people criticizing someone for the type of weapon they choose to hunt with or someone hunting for meat vs. someone that is a trophy hunter, this ugly disease has seemed to weed its way into our small and threatened community.
In a day where more and more hunters in the spotlight are receiving death threats for doing the very thing that we all have in common, there is no better time to end these ridiculous bickering matches and stand together. Who gives a hoot if this person prefers this company over another. I have seen threads on social media where people bash each other over these miniscule topics. Another big one that I have mentioned in a previous post is someone getting crap for how far of a shot they made on a deer. Instead of ridiculing him, why not pay him respect for conquering such a tough feat? If we aren’t progressing, what are we doing? If we don’t stand united, it can and will ultimately be our downfall. Remember, hunters only make up 10% of our population so it is that much more vital that we come together, stop hammering someone for using a mechanical broadhead over a fixed blade, and stand as one. Any notable, strong foundation or structure is built by people working as a team, not by a bunch of folks just doing their own thing and criticizing one another for the methods of their craft. All you get with that is a headache and nobody likes those.
So what does this mean for the future? That is a tough question to answer, but in my opinion, it could go a few different ways depending on how we continue to represent our community.
I caught myself the other day getting ready to comment on a post I saw on Facebook. I was about to lay into someone for rudely criticizing a fellow hunter. In the heat of the moment I wrote a paragraph filled with negativity, basically grabbing this person by the neck and putting them up against the wall. Before I hit post, I realized that I was about to do the very thing that I was saying not to do, and by doing so would only make the situation worse and escalate the argument. After thinking about it, I elected to not post my negative comment. It would have kept me angry and made another person even more angry. Not to mention the affect it would have on other readers. What good would have that done? If you ask me, none. At the end of the road, we are all hunters. Remember why we started hunting in the first place. If definitely wasn’t to rudely debate with fellow brethren. If you have anything to add to this, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.
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