SHOOTING LESS IS SHOOTING GREAT
They say every conservationist in the world was once a hunter. It May not be true for all but a hunter-turned-conservationist would know both sides of the coin far better than anyone.
But let’s face the fact. A hunter only turns into a conservationist due to the inability of pursuing the field anymore. Be it an age factor or physical degeneration but that’s where hunters start thinking of themselves as turning into conservationists.
However, an effort of conservation was far more convenient while the passion for hunting was still alive. The equation is simple. The hunter had a better chance of conservation while he had a gun in hand and the endurance to scale the field. Wouldn’t it be better to have some credentials while tracing back your hunting career before you start calling yourself a conservationist? Unfortunately for most of them, there is nothing but a ballistic history of enormous game bags (or fame bags) and heroic photographs of dead animals and birds. No sir, that never helps in such a career change!
In essence, conservation starts the moment a person starts thinking of becoming a hunter. And if you learn the art of hunting with the goal of conservation, no matter what age you decide to call yourself a conservationist, you will have those credentials when you trace back your hunting career. The very notion of conservation lies within the knowledge of hunting. Conservation is not about just knowing the habitat well but preserving the habitat well.
The reason why most hunters shoot excessively with devastating impact on habitat, is they never get a “fulfilling shot”. You know how it is. The moment your dog points or ducks or responds to your call, your adrenaline rushes. And that’s the very moment most of the hunters lose it. Doesn’t matter even if it’s one bird or a flock, all guns smoke to the last round. Adrenaline turns into greed. The purpose dies there and then, the story of conservation ends. And the saying becomes true, “the world is enough for your need but not your greed”.
“Hunting is a game of patience”, you’ll often hear this from hunters while spreading their pearls of hunting wisdom. But they will never tell what it means to be patient. Today’s hunters are equipped with the most advanced arsenal in the field. Multiple guns, countless cartridges, dogs, and paid guides. A bird only has wings and a habitat to count on for its life. But as the bird flushes, looks like it’s war. The lessons of patience you just heard last night around the bonfire, are long forgotten in the moment. Everyone is on the search for glory in a quick shot. However, in essence, there is no glory to it. You can compete for speed shoots in a Skeet range any time in the year. Let hunting be paid gratitude it deserves and game a chance it demands. That’s precisely where a hunter’s true patience is tested. How a hunter takes that chance reveals his passion for the game and concern for the habitat. Take time for it to flush, let it take a direction, and pursue an escape. That’s patience and a direct approach towards conservation all while holding a gun. After all, this comes with a “fulfilling shot”. A shot where you consumed silence of the moment, listened to the flutter of wings and were challenged by the maneuver. Waiting enough to experience the uncertainty of hit or miss. That’s patience and that’s a conservationist attitude while hunting.
There are lessons in nature that are learned the hard way. Consuming that takes time and patience is one of them. A big bag has no glory to it. Take one shot but with the purpose of conservation and that will be so fulfilling that you might not even crave for more. This will not only let you ponder into the dynamics of your shooting skills but will shape your personality as a conservationist. Above all, this approach will have a direct contribution to preserving game birds and their habitat for generations to come.