Blog Buzz #8

© By Othmar Vohringer

Today’s blog buzz is unusual because rather than posting random outdoor blogs whose recent articles have inspired or awed me. I have decided to post about blogs that have recently posted dedicated articles to encourage outdoorsman and women across North America to stand up and take action in the defense of our outdoor heritage.

As I wrote in Get active in the protection of our rights column. Our heritage faces many challenges and all of them have to do with the elimination of hunting and fishing in the long term. How important it is to stand up shall be highlighted by this blog buzz.

Kristine posted an outstanding article Speak Up and Speak Out. She writes that my column was the inspiration but that is not why I recommend it here. Kristine writes how important it is to overcome the little difference we have and concentrate on the big picture of how we can defend our rights as a united front. Kristine has realized how important it is to “speak up and speak out” with the following quote.

“I guess the lesson here is that there is always something each of us can do to further the pro hunting, fishing and conservation agenda. I know I’m going to make more of an effort to be alert for opportunities. I hope all of you will as well.”

Phillip from the Hog Blog has been a front runner in alerting hunters to the looming led shot ban in California and despite posting about this issue several times (you can read all articles here) he feels at times that he is a lone voice in an ocean. At times Phillip seems a bit frustrated at the fact that hunters seem to take this bureaucratic nonsense with nothing more than shrugging shoulders. This problem will not go away by lamenting about it in the bar or in the hunting camp, action from every hunter is needed or the anti crowd and government bureaucrats will book another victory at our cost.

Yesterday I posted a news item about the Michigan DNR and how they struggle to protect bowhunters rights in the township of Clinton (see post below this one). Unbeknown to me, Arthur from the Simply Outdoors.net posted about the same issue here. What looked like good news at first has now turned ugly. The downship of Clinton is not about to take the DNR ruling sitting down. Since the ruling states that the township can’t outlaw bowhunting on private land the township turned against the DNR and spitefully outlawed bowhunting “as a criminal act” in Clinton township parks. The anti bowhunting stance is fueled by animal rights and anti hunters. It seems that there is not much input from the hunters on this important subject. Small wonder then that the township is in the erroneous believes that the antis are the majority. Perhaps it is time for Michigan hunters to show the Clinton township council that hunters are a huge majority and give the DNR fighting for your right to hunt some much needed support. Here is another interesting post Arthur wrote that you should read. He writes about how he has seen the light about standing up and getting active.

This brings me to Albert Rasch from the superbly written blog The Rash Outdoor Chronicles. He too has realized hoe important it is to stand up in defense of our hunting heritage in the extremely well written article Contacting Those Good-For-Nothing Curs. After stating that he is not very keen on writing about political issues on his blog Albert writes why he makes an exception and concludes with the following statement.

“…everyone else that is formed against us is very well organized. Outdoorsmen aren’t. I would like to think that we are in the mold of Daniel Boone, Capts. Lewis and Clark, General Lee, Teddy Roosevelt, Patton, all the rugged individualists that made this nation great. But this is a situation that requires a concerted and continuous effort; an effort where only the most tireless and dedicated can hope to win, where friends and associates can make the difference. I therefore resolved to do my part to assist.”

It seems that everyday more outdoor bloggers come to the realization that we ALL need to stand up and speak out about what is right and in defense of our right to hunt and fish. Lets hope that the thousands of readers that visit our blogs eventually will also come to the realization that we are a huge majority that for some unexplainable reason has chosen to be trampled on by a dwindling minority. The message is clear. If we do not speak up our adversaries will successfully continue with their blasphemous and lying ways until they have removed our rights and freedoms. Think this is not possible? It happened in England where hunting is only possible on the private grounds of stately homes.

Tags: Blog Buzz, Hunt Smart Think Safety, The Hog Blog, Simply Outddors.net, Hunting Rights, Hunting Heritage Defense