We have all heard the country song and love the idea of Huntin, Fishin, and Lovin Every day. Sounds perfect.
Back in the days when native people could do just that, things may have been tougher than you thought. Modern hunters and anglers must respect seasons, shooting hours, limits, sizes, and weapon restrictions. All these rules and regulations help to support wild game and fish populations.
There was a time when hunters and fishermen killed what they could carry. Perhaps they only took certain parts of the critters they killed. Maybe just a few feathers, or the backstraps. The rest was just discarded. Market hunters killed everything they could, whenever they could. They sold it to the big city markets for a payday.
Mountain men often killed just what they could eat. Lewis and Clark’s crew needed to serve 25 lbs. of meat to each member of their party a day! Resolute hunters did their best to meet this demand, but it’s called hunting, and there are no guarantees. There was not always food for every meal. Hunger was common.
Native tribes competed for Hunting Grounds. They moved villages to follow herd migrations, weather patterns, and resource availability. A village would usually move every week or so to exploit new grazing for animals and areas to hunt and fish.
Some areas were shared, and others were fought over. Hot springs, salt deposits, flint outcroppings, and water were often shared. These were no kill each other zones.
Considering a constant hunting and fishing pressure scenario means that natural resources are impacted constantly. No off hunting and fishing days. Every day at any time meant an opportunity to Hunt and Gather. It takes an entire year of breeding and growth of the critters to restock the shelves. The more shoppers, the less there is to use.
This was not a big deal when the hunters and anglers were limited in size. As the populations grew, the pressure and stress on the resources also grew. When pioneers and Buffalo Hunters arrived, the impact was even greater.
Hunting and fishing opportunities today exist because of sportsmen and women. Public lands, management, and natural resource protections are paid for by sportsmen and women. Every aspect of the sport involves a tax, license fee, or cost that are used to manage and protect the natural resources involved.
Even though a wildlife area is for the primary care of deer or big game critters, everything in the ecosystem benefits. Now we just need to control the pressure and competition from other hunters and predators.
Hunting and fishing have changed. Subsistence hunting today is a myth. It is cheaper to go to the market and buy your meat and fish. Sporting gear, time off work, license fees, and other costs make wild game meat expensive. You can buy outstanding meat and fish from home and have it delivered to the front door for less money than it takes to tag or catch your own.
Hunting and fishing today is more about having FUN! Anglers can Catch and Release. Photographers can take pictures and videos. You don’t always have to kill it to enjoy it! Those hunters and anglers that enjoy harvesting their own food can still do so in season and within limits and rules.
Hunt and Fish and Love doing it!
Montana Grant
