WESTERN CONSERVATION

CONSERVATION: HUNTING SAVES ANIMALS

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS KORLEY SEARS

It’s not what you don’t know that kills you, it’s what you know for sure that ain’t true.” (Mark Twain)

During a recent lunch date with an acquaintance that quote came to mind. My lunch date is a successful business professional, obviously intelligent and well-articulated, so I was caught a bit off guard when she said, “I see on Facebook that you are a hunter”. My immediate thought was, “oh boy here we go,” as just then she said, “I just don’t get how you can kill those beautiful animals.” The statement in and of itself was not shocking. What was shocking is that as it was being said while she was eating chicken sandwich! At this point I probably could have just let it go but something spontaneous compelled me to say, “ya know, someone not only had to kill that chicken you’re eating right now, but some farmer also spent quite a bit of time, toil and financial input to put that on the table for you.” This is where the conversation got even more interesting. I could literally tell by her reaction that she had never thought a chicken sandwich in that context before. After chewing on “things” a bit longer she replied with, “well that’s different”.

But is it? Ok, maybe it is different -- to her at least. But to me, having grown up in farming and ranching, it is no different whatsoever.

Only just recently in human history has this type of thinking risen to the top. Or a better way to put it might be, “settled to the bottom.” I say this because farmers and ranchers know where their food comes from and what it takes to put it there. They live it every day, the way all hunter/gatherer humans have done for hundreds of thousands of years. The fact of the matter is, we would not be here today without utilizing animals for food. Our brains could not have evolved into the super organ that is without an adequate amount of protein and fat in the diet.

It is not about enjoying the kill, far from and nearly opposite of that actually. It is about enjoying the natural world. A world that sadly, most people today have poor to little understanding of. I am carrying the legacy of all those that have gone before and have got us to where we are today. A legacy where a successful outing was celebrated because it meant survival for another day.

Which leads me into the main topic of this article, hunting in Arizona. But before we tackle that topic in more specific detail, let’s start off by discussing the science of wildlife conservation used by state game agencies around this great country of ours. It is called the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. This model developed some 100 years ago, has become far and away the most successful system of wildlife conservation the world has ever seen. No other continent retains the balance and diversity of species that North America does.

The foundation of this model is user pay. In other words, it is paid for by sportsmen and women, not by general tax funds as many of the uniformed believe. So, and this is the key point, the wildlife exists not despite hunters (as many anti-hunting groups would like to have you believe), but because of hunters. In other countries where some other approach has been used and hunting outlawed, the animals simply disappear. It may sound counterintuitive, but it is not. The science-based system allows for sound decision-making, rule of law and enforcement of that law. The foundational elements of this model are science-based decision making, public participation, active management of the habitat, strict regulation, and enforcement of game laws. This system not only protects animals from being overharvested but also ensures that this renewable resource is sustainable for generations to come.

In a follow-up article to this one I will go into greater detail about hunting specifics in Arizona but for now I’ll touch on a few of the basics. Typically, small game such as dove, quail, and rabbits in Arizona require only a general hunting license. This can be purchased online at azgfd. com. However, if you want to hunt big game such as deer, elk, pronghorn, bear, or javelina, then you must also apply to draw a tag.

In each of the many units throughout the state, big game species are allocated by wildlife managers a seasonal or yearly quota of “tags” for that species. This is based upon survey counts and historical data where the harvest is limited to only the surplus of a given species.

For example, if you want to hunt elk, then you will need to apply not only where elk live, but also take into consideration how available the odds of drawing that particular tag are. In some areas, the tags are more readily available and in others not so much. In fact, some units can take 20 or more years to draw, but if luck is on your side, you can also draw that same tag the first time you apply.

So yeah, I am proud to be a hunter and I am not afraid of saying it. Not only do I know where that food comes from, I also know how to harvest, field dress, process and prepare it for the dinner table. There is an ancient satisfaction in that process that you cannot get by ordering a sandwich off the menu.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Korley Sears is a real estate broker with National Land Realty (nationalland.com). He grew up a fourth-generation cattle rancher, cattle feeder and farmer. He also has worked as a consultant for Cabela’s TAGS & Cabela’s Outdoor Adventures, Safari Club International and The Mule Deer Foundation.