Kristine posed a challenge to all of us bloggers, on the OBS blog a few days back, and I figure that it is about time that I got around to answering the call to that challenge. I’m going to address these particular issues over a couple of posts. This post will be part 1, and discuss the What Can We Do? portion of the challenge, and I will write a follow-up post next week that discusses the What Should We Do? portion of the challenge.

I think that all of us outdoor bloggers have a definite responsibility to help positively promote the hunting past-time that all of us love so much. I also think, we as outdoor bloggers, have a responsibility to protect all outdoor activities, including, but not limited to, fishing, hiking, canoeing, etc. If it involves being in the outdoors we have a responsibility, not only to promote it, but to protect it.

I wrote an article awhile back, that is posted on Associated Content, that covered a few of these particular issues. And even though I know I am cheating a little bit, I am going to refer back to them. Some might call it lazy, but since I already addressed these issues, it is much easier to reference what I’ve already wrote, rather than re-write them again. Also, by putting these ideas on this blog, they will reach a different audience, and thus help to promote the outdoors to another set of eyes and minds. That, in and of itself, will help to promote the very idea behind Kristine’s challenge.

I think that the first thing we bloggers need to do, in order to help protect our way of life, is to educate. Knowledge is power and by educating, not only ourselves, but also non-hunters, it will go along way to help promote our outdoor activities, and help to erase the negative spotlight put on these activities by groups such as PETA and the HSUS. By simply displaying our love for hunting, and writing about the things associated with it, in a down-to-earth manner, many people will be able to relate to our cause, and even though they may never hunt, they will be more educated about hunting and fishing, and more likely to support those activities.

The next important step that we bloggers can do is to be active. So many of us sit idly by while the anti-groups, such as PETA and the HSUS, defeat us. I can’t tell you how many hunters I have heard say “It doesn’t effect me, so why do I care?”. Well you should care, no matter if you are in California or northern Maine, because sooner or later the issue raised in the state that you didn’t care about, will be heading to your home state. You can guarantee that. Every hunter and fisherman out there needs to be actively involved in protecting their sport. How can you do this you ask? Here are a few ways that I outlined in my article:

It can be as simple as joining an organization that is on the positive side of hunting, or writing a letter to a newspaper explaining the positive things that come from hunting and conservation.

You might think you’re only one voice, but even if only one person reads your words, and it helps them to open their mind a little, the time it took to you to write the letter would be worth it. I think that even though we bloggers write posts on a regular basis about certain issues, that taking the time to write a letter to a newspaper, is a way for us to reach an entirely different audience. That is always a good thing.

The last thing I think us bloggers need to do, and one that Jeff and I take very seriously, is getting kids in the outdoors. We need to help the next generation get involved in the outdoors, and then feature those kids on our blogs. After all the kids our the hunting future, and the earlier we can get them involved in hunting and fishing, the better. To steal from my article again:

We also need to be actively involved in getting kids in the outdoors. This activity alone will go a long way in providing kids with a positive experience and help them to promote that love for the outdoors to future generations.

My words, and not only do I agree with them, I stand behind them, and actively strive to make them true. Jeff has gotten two of his step-kids involved in the outdoors in the last couple of years, and we also have given the bowhunting bug to our cousin Corrin, that many of you have seen featured on the site. Nothing is more pure for a youngster or a teenager than getting outside and appreciating what mother nature has to offer.

I think all of these things are great ways for us bloggers to help promote and protect our way of life, for us, as well as for future generations. I think these only scratch the surface of what we need to do, but I think they are the 3 main factors that I will be focusing on.

I will be writing the Part 2 of this post next week. Hope everyone will come on over and read that as well. This has been a great challenge posed by Kristine. I’m looking forward to reading everyone else’s ideas as well.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend. Please do not forget what this weekend is all about!

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