The last two years have been by far the most powerful in my career in terms of knowledge and perspective gained on the great outdoors. I am working on some articles and essays on some issues that range from the political to the practical that have really shaken up the way I have view things. Here are just a few of the challenging questions.
If we are concerned about “no fishing zones” being implemented in the Gulf, why aren’t we upset about the more than 300,000 acres of no-fishing zones already in place between the Louisiana state line and the Rio Grande? (And just what do you think I might be referring to?)
Everyone is all about supporting taking kids fishing and hunting but what about outdoor mentorships? Who will take time to make a real difference in a kids life and truly pass on the tradition of the great outdoors?
How sad is it that we refer to deer by their Boone & Crockett scores so much, little kids who have never hunted are out there talking about “150s” and “170s”? Whatever happened to dreaming about good, old “eight-pointers”? Heck, I used to daydream about shooting does and spikes.
How can anyone look themselves in the mirror when they post passionate, intense and sometimes vulgar threads of various forums and social media about outdoors issues, yet have never written or spoken to a legislator or Texas Parks and Wildlife Commissioner?
Like I said, these are just a few thoughts. What are your opinions on these questions?
I have lots to say on these and many more coming soon to Texas Fish & Game and fishgame.com.
Chester,YOU SPEAK OF GOOD THINGS,THE STUFF WE ALL NEED TO HEAR.PLEASE KEEP ON SPEAKING.GODSPEED ANDY DOWNEN
Thanks Andy.
I agree, especially with your last comment. It’s the same everywhere, it’s the same 10% doing 90% of the work. The rest just bump their gums. The 13″ rule for me to be a blanket rule for East Texas is like taking candy from the kids mouth. How can I get my daughter to take her first deer (a doe or nubber or just a little buck) with this rule in place? I can’t, I have to travel to the hill country to do it.
The rule has made East Texas hunting brutually tough especially for those with little time to spend in the woods or those who hunt on public land.
And the children. How do we keep them interested so that the sport can grow? In my county they gave us 4 does days on Thanksgiving weekend. If your not in a hunting family, those days are out. That same year they gave the youth 10 more days, but they put them in Jan. after school starts back from Christmas break. Wasted Mon-Fri., in my opinion. Should have given them youth days during Christmas break.
Agreed.