and any other negative people in your life.
Stay Positive
We all have those people that will knock you for trying to follow your dreams, those who will say you won't make it, it's impossible, you have to be rich in order to do that, etc. How often do you hear positive people in your life, those that will tell you you're going to make it, or simply that they're proud of what you're doing? You could probably count them on one hand, yet I'm sure if I asked how many people have told you that you'd never make it, you'd lose count. Unfortunately, you will always encounter negative influences in your life, it's important you don't let them get to you. A negative person is in many ways like a parasite, they will put doubts in your head and if you let them affect you enough, it can change who you are as a person. The only thing to do is smile, and stay positive! Surround yourself with positive people, positive influences, and those that have already achieved what you wanted to accomplish; ask them for help, advice, and gain any knowledge you can from them. We as humans are like sponges, if you surround yourself with greatness, you yourself will become great. Ask yourself, who do you look up to, who do you aspire to be like? For me, it's Cameron Hanes, he remains positive no matter what he faces, and despite getting older, I guarantee he can run circles around just about anyone. The man works hard and is rewarded everyday for what he earns, and for me, that's all I can hope to achieve in this industry. It's not about money or fame, for me, its about teaching others about what I love, it's about being there when someone pulls the trigger on their first animal, and it's about getting to see the results of the hard work I put in each and every season. I try to surround myself with positive, like-minded people in an effort to help us all achieve what we set out to do. From everything I've been told, the outdoor industry is small, and very tight knit, but no matter what, if you have honesty, integrity, a strong work ethic and are able to remain positive, you will be successful.
Dealing with Anti-Hunters
In today's day and age, it seems more and more like anti-hunters and other animal rights activists are consistently attacking us as hunters. They've been caught making death threats, slandering our names, taking unwanted pictures of our vehicles, threatening our families, and much more. It seems that if you're willing to hunt, in their eyes, you're some sort of animal or serial killer. Recently in Florida, they're up in arms about the Florida Wildlife and Game Commission (FWC) approving a black bear hunt for the first time since it was banned over 30 years ago. The hunt was very well organized for the most part with there being multiple Bear Management Units (BMUs) and a set quota for areas that had a high enough population to support hunting. The hunt brought in well over $300,000 in permit sales alone, greatly helping to further conservation efforts of the species. Yet, in the news and all over social media and other websites, hunters were being attacked. I participated in the hunt myself, and fortunately for me, the protestors at the check station were peaceful, however, they were caught taking pictures of groups of hunters and posting them on their websites labeling us as murderers. We talked with one of them and she was trying to tell us that she only opposed bear hunting, not all hunting in general, and that since we were "deer hunting" she would label us as the "good hunters". When we asked her, why she was so against the hunt, she began spouting off a bunch of political garble, stating that the hunt was only put on to make politicians rich and whatever other propaganda she had been fed. Then when we told her that the bear hunt was extremely well managed and documented she just reverted back to the propaganda. We then informed her that we hunt to provide our families with meat, whether it came from a bear, deer, duck, or hog, we intended to eat anything we harvested. She seemed almost taken aback, and when the question came up of how getting meat in a grocery store is less humane than hunting, she quickly spouted off more garble then walked away. We all just looked at each other and laughed, she obviously wasn't well educated and was only prepared for the political aspect and not what the actual reality of why we hunt.
That's the main issue you face when dealing with any sort of anti-hunter, they're uneducated, and whether it's an actual lack of knowledge or just sheer stupidity, you can't reason with those types of people, which is why all the keyboard commandos revert to name calling and death threats. To answer the question of "How do we deal with those types of people?" Simply put, you treat them with respect. Trust me, I know it's hard to do, but when you speak calmly, respectfully, and intelligently, most people will tend to listen. You're not going to change their mind, but you could hope to educate them further on the values that we hold dear. Tell them about the Pittman Robertson Act, tell them the reason you hunt and what drives your passion! Tell them about how you revere the animals you pursue and have the opportunity to harvest. You'd be surprised what that respectful and calm attitude can do. For me, the most I ever ask is for is mutual respect; I respect their lifestyle and their choice to be a vegan or non-hunter, and in return, I expect them to respect my lifestyle to be a hunter and provide meat for my family.
