Did you ever wonder how and why hunting evolved etc.? When hunting started it was for food and furs. They needed to eat and keep warm in the winters. Then the hunters were feeding the railroaders while the skins were shipped overseas to Europe. When you got a reputation as a good hunter people thought you were MACHO.

Thus the rich folks wanted to brag about hunting and started mounting Racks and Antlers, to prove they were real men. Consequently today we have all the trophy hunters setting the scope of hunting that the DNR bows to for money. When the DNR was regulating fishing and hunting to protect the species it was better. Then the Dollar signs came up. Now we are fishing and hunting Trophies not meat for food.

The hunters used to go camping when they were hunting, setting up camps in the woods, using their vacation time to enjoy camaraderie, swapping stories and roughing it. This was hunting. Today hunting is an hour or two, then go back home to whatever. This takes out the thrill of being in the woods. Where is the enjoyment of everyone putting together a meal after a long day of hunting then going to another camp to visit and see what their day was like? In the 50’s and 60’s in state forests there would be 30 to 40 camps. Now after all the clear cutting you can shoot a cannon out there without hitting any. If there are some they go home the second day, no trophy. “You call this Hunting?”

When Turkey hunting started you could hunt from 7:00 to 11:00. Then hunters would take a vacation to go hunting if they drew a permit. Back then we had areas to hunt that were limited to the number of hunters. When I applied for and Area and drew it this was an exciting feeling to get out in the woods, without being overrun with others taking vacation time to enjoy nature at its best, with friend or family. Sadly then came the cry babies pressuring the DNR. The hunt isn’t long enough or I can’t get a permit for my cabin up north, merge them together and larger. Extend the time so here goes 7:00 to 2:00 then 7:00 to 4:00, now sunrise to 1/2 hour before sunset. Extending the area’s for more permits, now the complaint “I didn’t get the 1st hunt”. Not fair so sell Licenses ACROSS the counter because I forgot to apply. Therefor the last hunt is wide open for all to get a license if they were negligent and didn’t apply. They don’t want to hunt turkeys, they just want to go out a couple of hours and shoot one. All of the above has ruined turkey hunting, The same with deer hunting. If I can’t get one the 1st day its bad hunting, “Bull it’s the person.”

Now Ole Sarge is going to sign off writing articles, with the fall issue. Good luck and try to enjoy Hunting.

Pere Marquette Chapter Spring 2015 Update
A Nation of Sheep Revisited