Take Back The MDC
A Gathering Point for True Sportsmen
THE DEPARTMENT OF "DOOM AND GLOOM"
Submitted By Anonymous
The story in the front cover of the March issue of the CONSERVATIONIST
magazine comes to no surprise to me especially after also reading THE NEXT
GENERATION OF CONSERVATION handbook.
In this article, Dale Humburg prepares us for the "Doom and Gloom" of
Hunting as we know it today. His article starts out interesting enough
about how he and his grandson, Sterling, romp through the woods taking
pictures and comparing notes. His grandson's pictures focus on a different
perspective than his.
Dale goes on to tell how he grew up farming, milking cows (by hand) and
trapped to pay for college, while today his grandson lives in a condo, walks
across the street to school and plays computer games. Fortunately, Sterling
has a good mentor in Dale to show him the ropes of Hunting and Fishing.
Too many youths today are not so lucky.
Again, this story held my interest until it took a turn for the worse.
Dale goes on to write how the MDC's database on hunting and fishing tells
how a demographic change is on the horizon. Due to middle-aged and older
hunters not being replaced by younger participants at the same rate they
were "RECRUITED" years ago. For example, the number of resident firearms
deer hunters has dropped by 22,000 in the last five years. Their
projections through the next 25 years show a loss of more than 110,000
resident firearms deer hunters, 200,000 anglers and 130,000 small-game
hunters.
Next the story tells how the MDC is looking for ways with their conservation
partners to ENGAGE hunters and anglers, and to promote conservation on
private land and enjoy outdoor recreation on conservation areas. INTERESTS
THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY HUNTING AND FISHING RELATED!
At this point I had an fuzzy feeling that "Hunter Recruitment" was not the
FIRST concern of the MDC's NEXT GENERATION Plan. As a matter of fact, I
couldn't even find it on the back burner of the plan?
Thanks to volunteers and O&E employees, Missouri ranks Number 1 in the
nation for hunter recruitment. The MDC database that paints this "DOOM AND
GLOOM" picture of hunting in the paragraphs above with their statistics
should be destroyed.
If something is "BROKE" its time to fix it. Broadening programs and
expanding funds to the O&E department on Hunter Recruitment may be needed.
The employees now doing this job are spread way too thin.
There are 1000's upon 1000's of youth that are hoping for the opportunity to
participate in hunting or a shooting sport. If the problem is because the
youth are more urbanized today, then that's the area that needs to be
addressed, and we can all help and do our part my mentoring as many youth as
possible.
I was told by different O&E employees from different regions that Lorna
Domke, (head hauncho of O&E) was wanting to limit each instructor to only
holding one event per year, she said this would be enough. DAAHH!! For
the sake of Hunter Recruitment it looks to me like this would be money well
spent to expand these programs.
According to surveys, youth 17 years and younger who haven't ever had the
opportunity to shoot or hunt, over 82% said they would still like to try
it, but never got the chance when they were younger.
Anytime hunting or shooting clinics are held for the youth by such
organizations as the LAND LEARNING FOUNDATION, or private run clinics, they
immediately fill up with new recruits, and with a limit on most clinics,
many are turned away.
Point being: the MDC can use their fancy database info and write Hunting
and Fishing off as "DOOM AND GLOOM" or the leader of O&E could get off her
dead horse and put more funds into fixing the problem, by helping their
volunteers, sponsoring more hunting and shooting clinics, and make
hunting and fishing RECRUITMENT of the "NEXT GENERATION" top priority.
Sen. Dan Clemens Remarks
Just last month State Senator Dan Clemens made remarks on the Missouri Senate Floor expressing his concerns with the current leadership at the MDC. Please read his remarks and forward them on to others who may wish to read them. Click Here
Report to Elected Officials
Please download and pass on the Take Back The MDC report to elected officials concerning the current state of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Please call your state elected representatives and senators and tell them that you are concerned with the Leadership at the MDC. Tell them you want change!
Download HERE
