In your Feb. 6 editorial, you provide a great example
of one common misunderstanding: “These days, hunters seem to rarely
assert their political power toward conservation ends” (HCN,
2/6/06: Time for a little outrage). I would be the first to agree
that some hunting groups let their reluctance to criticize
Republicans get in the way of using their political power, just as
some environmentalists do with Democrats.
But for the
last 75 years, excise taxes on hunting and fishing gear, now at
about $1 billion per year, have supported wildlife and habitat
protection — for both game and nongame species. Somehow, for
some environmentalists, this conservation act by sportsmen does not
count?
Imagine what a similar $1 billion excise tax on
backpacks and other outdoor gear used by environmentalists would do
for endangered, threatened and declining species. Yet, many
environmentalists have opposed establishment of a fund to do this.
In 2005, hunters were fundamental to stopping a stupid
proposal to do away with tax deductions for conservation easements.
Hunters continue to be key to wetland protection and farm
conservation, and they were pivotal to stopping the proposed sale
of mining lands. They figured out these issues on their own, only
to have some environmentalists take credit for “getting them
involved.”
Both sides would benefit from really investing
some time to understand each other. Both suffer from their more
radical members polarizing issues unnecessarily. A little outrage
may feel good, but I am not sure it would be as effective for
conservation as a little outreach.
Paul W.
Hansen
Executive Director, Izaak Walton League
of America
Gaithersburg, Maryland
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Time for a little outreach.
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