As a group of individuals who are hunters and people who fish, we have a responsibility to sport and the protection of the lifestyle we so deeply cherish.
We have all heard the simple statement about giving back or opening a door so that someone who chooses to do so may walk through it and enjoy what we as sportsmen and women have known all along — a deeper connection to nature and the nature-based lifestyle.
In my opinion, hunters and anglers have the best, front-row seat to the natural world simply because we become so immersed in nature. Whether fly fisherman or avid bow hunter, we simply become more tuned in to nature and its glorious bounties.
By simply becoming an active participant and by paying attention, you learn. And like most things in life, hands-on learning can be the best way of honing your skills, whether it be becoming more woods-wise or understanding the life cycle of baitfish at your local fishing grounds.
I have been lucky enough to share my time in the woods and on the waters with many over my career. The simple truth is I always learn something from the most senior sportsman to the young person being introduced to the sport. Turkey hunting and fishing are a great way to learn from more experienced people and in both sports, being a lifelong learner is always welcomed because, to be honest, there is always something new to learn in each sport no matter how many years have passed since your birth date.
I was reminded of our responsibility this past week when a dear friend of mine and his family were passing through our town on a visit.
His young son took an interest in my dogs, as many children do, and their job as working, hunting dogs. It didn’t take long for the son to ask if he could hunt with them someday and how much he would like to watch them run in the woods. Since squirrel season was open and I happened to know a farm that had a few squirrels, a date was set for a hunt the following day.
After hunting licenses were purchased, blaze orange secured from the spare closet and the dogs loaded, we headed to the farm for an hour or so of hunting.
We turned the dogs loose to let them get out their nervous energy while I described how their job was to find the squirrel and then bark to notify us that they had. I explained that there was no need to be quiet or stealthy, that we were simply taking a nice little walk in hopes the dogs were good at their job on this particular day.
It didn’t take long for the dogs to bark at the base of a hickory tree notifying the world that there was a squirrel among the leaves.
The young hunter, who had some knowledge and experience of deer and turkey hunting, was thrilled with the dog’s performance, and even managed to reward their efforts with a fine shot.
On a hillside farm high above the Gauley River, a young man was introduced to a very old sport in a very old place. I have no way of telling for certain, but I am convinced that he will remember that simple day in the West Virginia mountains for many years to come. And who knows, he may even decide to embrace the hunting lifestyle and become the next generation of sportsmen who carry the torch well into the future. I am hopeful.
Chris Ellis is a veteran of the outdoors industry. His book “Hunting, Fishing and Family from The Hills of West Virginia” is available at . Contact him at chris@elliscom.net.
