Hunting and Wildlife Conservation

© By Othmar Vohringer

Looking at hunters as wildlife conservationist we can be very proud of what we, as a relatively small group, have achieved for the greater good of all.

To the average non-hunting person hunting and wildlife conservation may not seem to fit together. I would not be surprised given that the mainstream media generally portrays hunters as trigger-happy Bambi killers. Since I know that this blog is also read by non-hunters I would first like to shine some light on the contributions hunters make to both wildlife and habitat conservation.

When looking at the facts, hunters really have nothing to be ashamed of - quite the opposite in fact. In British Columbia hunters annually generate about $100 million – yes, you read that right: One Hundred Million Buck-aroos. Through license sales and hunting related goods and services, immense sums of money are garnered by the provincial government’s “Fish And Wildlife Recreation and Allocation Branch” (The somewhat longwinded name of the British Columbia wildlife agency.)

Similar sums are generated in the other Canadian provinces and U.S. states as well. This is the money which is used by the wildlife agencies for the upkeep of provincial and state parks, wildlife research and habitat conservation.

But that is not all. These government agencies can count on the reliable support of hunter organized wildlife conservation organizations, most of which contribute many additional millions of dollars annually. There are literally hundreds of such organizations in Canada and the USA. Some of these organizations operate at the national level but many are also international, such as the Safari Club International and Ducks Unlimited.

Nationally orientated organizations such as the Wild Turkey Federation and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, among many others to numerous to list here, mostly concentrate on one species of animal. And finally, at the local and state/provincial level, wildlife organizations are mostly concerned with wildlife and habitat in their particularly defined areas. The membership of such organizations is in the majority made up of hunters who not only spend dollars, but also time and personal effort to improve animal populations and diverse habitats.

As a showcase of hunter dedicated wildlife conservation let me showcase three scenarios as example for many. The North American wild turkey has rebounded from near extinction to numbers never known before. Thanks to millions of dollars from hunters and their personal dedication and hard work we can admire turkeys even in places where they have not been seen in more than hundred years.

The elk had a similar fate as the turkey: about hundred years ago this majestic animal was near extinction. Today, thanks to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, working closely with federal and local wildlife agencies, the elk bugle can be heard all over North America again- even in states such as Tennessee where elk haven’t been seen in more than two generations.

Waterfowl numbers have dramatically increased in the last two decades; alone in the last two years the duck population has increased a staggering 42%. This would not have been possible without the dedication and commitment of Ducks Unlimited and their waterfowl hunting members.

So the next time you camp or hike in a state park or provincial park and admire the variety of wildlife, remember that hunters – a minority group – have paid the lion’s share for it and that it is hunters who take out their personal time to actively participate in enhancement programs, wildlife counting, wildlife enhancement programs, tree planting among many other time consuming activities to help wildlife and habitat. And yet, the benefits of these efforts can be enjoyed by all- even the non-hunters and the animal rights activists.

Governments have known all along that if hunting would cease to exist tomorrow then so would wildlife and habitat conservation. There simply would not be enough money available for it without huge tax increases, which is why governments rely on hunter’s dollars to finance conservation. You see, hunters are not all just a bunch of gun toting rednecks heading out to the woods every year to kill a deer for the sheer thrill of it. Hunting is not a sport, like football or tennis; it is a lifestyle that can be acquired or one is born into it. Hunters spend all year in the woods, fields and on the water observing wildlife. Often it is hunters that alert the wildlife agencies of changes in wildlife populations, habitat degradation and other issues that negatively affect wildlife and habitats. In other words, hunters are the eyes and ears of the wildlife agencies.

Looking at hunters as wildlife conservationist we can be very proud of what we have achieved as a relatively small group for the greater good of all.


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If you wish to have me write outdoor columns for your publication please email me.

The Science of Hunting and The Good Old Days

© By Othmar Vohringer

I learned a lot about the woods, plants and animals from my father and the old men of the hunting camp. Today I sometimes have to force myself to recall the wisdom of those men. Each time I do so my hunting success improves dramatically.

The recent controversy surrounding the Scent-Lok company and their supposed promise that their carbon lined apparel is 100% capable of eliminating human odor got me thinking about how hunting is today compared to the time of our fathers and grandfathers.

Today hunting is all about science and modern technology. Hunting has moved from a simple outdoor activity to a space age, technology driven race to sell hunting-success promising products. From the technologically advanced compound bow that can shoot carbon arrows at lightening speeds to the image stabilizing, high precision rifle scope; it’s all here to help us kill that elusive monster buck and the moment we purchase one of the high tech products it is outdated by even better high tech products.

Technology and science does not stop with products that guarantee 100% hunting success. One of the newer fashions in the world of QDM (Quality Deer Management) is ‘growing’ better and bigger deer with the purpose, obviously, of growing larger antlers. Scientifically designed and mixed seeds will make sure that the deer in your area will all grow into record book trophies. No bull, it has been scientifically proven to work! And then there is, of course, the plethora of products that promise to take care of human odor, the age-old problem hunters face when dealing with the fine nosed whitetail deer.

Clothing lined with carbon, soaps, shampoos or laundry detergent all have one thing in common. They promise instant success that has been scientifically proven. Or how about the all-synthetic, better than nature, deer attractant lures? Doe and buck urine that never saw the inside of a bladder but which science will have you know is a chemical mix that is 100% better than the real stuff. If we are to believe the advertising dominating every hunting magazine and TV screen, we hunters have nothing to do but sit and wait for all the gadgets and gizmos to bring a trophy buck our way.

Let’s stop right here for a minute and make a leap back in time.

I fondly remember my childhood, sharing hunting camps with my father and his hunting friends in the days where we didn’t have all that science available and the gadgets derived from that science. We wore lots of wool clothing, not camouflaged, which was washed with any old laundry detergent available. Game calls were not invented yet. There were a few old men that could produce a perfectly pitched buck grunt with the mouth and a blade of grass. I admired these men. The only deer scent we had available was the urine of harvested deer.

What I remember really well was that the game pole on any given trip was quickly filled to capacity with deer and other critters- often to the breaking point.
I honestly cannot remember a time where any hunter in our camp went home empty handed. What I do remember is that besides deer a lot of small game and birds were brought to the camp as a welcome addition to the otherwise boring camp meals.

How did they do it? Nobody had high-powered magnum rifles with synthetic stocks and stainless steel barrels firing composite ammunition. Most game was shot with the trusted old .30-06 and open iron sights. The next popular deer hunting gun was a shotgun loaded with buckshot and the odd lever action rifle. Game was taken at very short ranges compared with the ranges we take game today. Back then we rarely saw a rifle topped with a scope; that was something only wealthy hunters could afford to buy.

And yet miraculously, despite the lack of technology, back then hunters were successful in shooting game. They probably killed more game than the average hunter does today. Another puzzling aspect to this hunter success rate was the fact that the deer population then was nowhere close to what it is today. Today’s deer numbers are several millions stronger than they were forty years ago, yet we harvest less deer today than when I was a child. How come?

Sure these days bag limits are not as generous as they were forty years ago or even longer ago. There was little true wildlife management and most certainly not of Quality Deer Management and planting food plots with scientifically mixed seeds. In those days most hunters went to the woods each fall to provide nutritious sustenance for the families.

So how did they do it?

Here is what I think has happened. Today we have come to rely too much on modern products. I lost count of how many times I heard something like: “Since I started shooting with bow ‘x’ I kill more deer.” or “The deer saw me because I didn’t wear the right camouflage.” And even this one: “I missed the buck because the scent lure I was using was no good- it spooked the buck.” Rarely if ever do I hear somebody say. “I messed it up because I didn’t know better”.

The hunters of yore had no high tech products to blame for mess-ups. They only had to blame themselves. These hunters knew that their hunting success was in direct relation to how much they knew about the animals they pursued, the lay of the land and the weather conditions. A good hunter was also a good woodsman and animal biologist. I remember listening to my father and the older hunters with an intense thirst for wisdom. Their knowledge of animals and habitat was simply stunning to me. Some of the hunters could tell by looking at broken grass, leaves, or twigs what direction the deer was headed.

I have learned a lot about the woods, plants and animals from my father and the old men of the hunting camp. Today I sometimes have to force myself to recall the wisdom of those men. Each time I do so my hunting success improves dramatically. We have come to rely so much on gadgets, gizmos and expert advice that we have forgotten how to think, how to observe, and how to register it all and then put that information together in our noggins to formulate a hunting strategy. It seems we can’t function anymore without the aid of modern technology and if success fails us we’re quickly ready to blame it on the technology and not where the blame should really go - ourselves. In no way do I attempt to diminish modern science and technology but these things should be viewed as useful aids and not as do-all and be-all necessities. Once all is said and done hunting success boils down to one thing: us! We make it or break it- not our guns and not our camouflage or any other product.

The most modern rifle or bow will not shoot a deer for you if you don’t have the time or inclination to practice and become proficient with it. Reading hunting magazines explaining the latest tactics will not make you a better hunter. Spending time in the field observing and studying will make you a better hunter. The best scent control product will not work if you do not hunt with the wind in your face. The best scientifically written book on scouting will not reveal where you have to hang the stand if you do not go out and scout the area thoroughly and figure out how the deer travel and what time of the season they use an area and why. It’s all about YOU!

Visit Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
If you wish to have me write outdoor columns for your publication please email me.