Hunting is a Dying Tradition, and We Need to Save It

When America was still wild and unsettled (though some may not so wrongfully claim it still is), hunting was a natural, necessary way of life. It was how the pioneer fed his family, how the fur trader acquired his wares, and how they all protected themselves. True, some of those practices were abused and caused some animal populations to become dangerously low, but we are aware of that now and working to remedy those issues.

Now, hunting is viewed as a "just" a sport. Many hunters in the Midwest, like Ohio, hunt big bucks for the thrill of the kill and also their knowledge of how it keeps the deer population in check. We know hunting as a time of gathering together, usually with your family, sometimes your friends, to spend time laughing, talking, remaining silent, and just reconnecting with each other and with nature.

According to the National Survey of Fishing Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation in 2016, there were around 90.1 million Americans that enjoys hunting, fishing, and wildlife recreation. This figure amounts to the 38% of the total population of the United States. Specifically, the number accounts for 16-year old individuals and older. About 12 million of those specifically were hunters, a drop of about 2 million from the year before.

Former Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke said, “Hunters and anglers are at the backbone of American conservation, so the more sportsmen and women we have, the better off our wildlife will be. Some of our wildlife refuges have great mentored hunting programs. I'd like to see these programs replicated and expanded across the country, and reach into areas where kids don't traditionally get the opportunity to hunt, fish, and connect with wildlife. Some of my best family time growing up and raising my own kids was hunting an elk, enjoying a pheasant, or reeling in a rainbow. These are the memories and traditions I want to share with future generations."

We need to keep this tradition alive. Many seasoned hunters are aging and not being replaced by younger generations. This is troubling because without those buying licenses and such, less money is going toward real conservation of wildlife. Hunters are probably some of the most environmentally-conscious people out there because we know what goes on out there and how places for wildlife to roam free are being taken over by man.

Hidden Hollow Whitetail Ranch wants to help you take home a big whitetail deer and great hunting experience to look back on for years to come.