In 2015, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission considered opening a bear hunting season for the first time in over two decades (1994!) and held a series of meetings to hear from the public on the proposal. I (Ashlee Ellis Smith) was at one of those meetings. Walking into the basketball arena at one of […]
Bear hunting spans from first people to step foot on the North American continent to modern-day hunters that hunt black bears in the spring season. That practice, tradition, and pastime is now being challenged with a recent question posed by a Fish and Game Commissioner: “Why do we still hunt bears in the Spring?” It’s […]
West Texas, best known for its rugged landscapes and rich biodiversity throughout Big Bend National Park, has quietly become a hunting hotspot. Several big-game animals call this rugged place home, including mule deer, bighorn sheep, elk, javelinas, and pronghorn. But perhaps the most iconic species in these parts is the aoudad or Barbary sheep. Sporting […]
South Australia will institute a ban on bow hunting on December 5th, if the Premier doesn’t stop it. There is now a possibility Victoria could be next. This is all due, in large part, to a small number of very loud animal rights activists making a lot of noise about some instances of animal cruelty […]
Examining the Pros and Cons of Australia’s Deer Cull If it was Shakespeare talking, he would end this sentiment by saying “But that is the question.” But in the case of Australia’s deer cull, the only question remaining is – can it be improved? For those of you just catching up, the South Australian Government […]
There is something misleading in the term “human nature.” Sure, it harkens back to our origins and connecting with Mother Earth, but what truly is our nature? When you take a step back, the major issues with the modern conservation world all stem from human impact. That degree of burden varies, but there is always […]
Deep in the heart of Louisiana, nestled amidst towering pines and winding rivers, lives a tale of ecological triumph. You could almost call it historic. Once on the brink of extinction, a subspecies of the American black bear now roams freely in the Pelican State, representing the power of unified conservation efforts and nature’s will […]
As the 2024 duck season in Victoria, Australia, looms near, enthusiasts and critics alike find themselves in a familiar debate arena. The annual ritual of Victoria duck hunting, deeply entrenched in tradition and heritage, faces yet another round of scrutiny and contention. Spearheaded by figures like George Purcell and the Animal Justice Party, the anti-duck […]
Who really funds wildlife conservation? Any social media post that ends with “#conservation” stakes its own claim, often serving as a rallying cry for hunters to showcase their role in widespread efforts. But the logistics of how funds are really generated and where they are allocated aren’t so black and white. However, amidst restless discussions […]
TRUTH: Oh Connecticut – Oh ConnecticutIt seems like the first missile has been aimed at African Wildlife – SB 62 has been pushed forward in the 2021 Connecticut legislative session banning the import and trade in 6 Big African species (Rhino x2, Elephant, Lion, Leopard, and Giraffe). Why should you care? The banning of African imports, kills the hunting industry […]
TRUTH: OH PETA…Last week one of the best pro-hunting articles came out in the Washington Post about how the pandemic boosted hunter recruitment, and has been a massive benefit to conservation in the United States. Alas, PETA naturally saw that article and decided to write an opinion piece of their own in the Wall Street Journal. So […]