HUNTING AND THE NEXT GENERATION
BY SEAN RENFRO
I AM AN AVID HUNTER AND ANGLER. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT BOTH SPORTS, AND SUSPECT I WILL BE DOING BOTH FOR THE REST OF MY DAYS (HEALTH AND FUNDS PERMITTING OF COURSE).
I WILL LET YOU IN ON A LITTLE SECRET THOUGH. AS A CHILD I NEVER HUNTED, AND WENT FISHING ONLY TWICE. UNDOUBTEDLY THERE ARE MANY OF YOU OUT THERE WHO CANNOT IMAGINE THIS. SINCE HUNTING AND FISHING TEND
TO BE TRADITIONS THAT ARE PASSED DOWN FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT, IM SURE MOST OF YOU WERE TAUGHT THESE THINGS BY PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS.
IT MAKES ME A LITTLE SAD WHEN I THINK OF ALL THE YEARS DURING MY CHILDHOOD THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN HUNTING AND FISHING. I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN A LOT LESS TROUBLE AS A YOUNGSTER ALSO. INSTEAD MY YOUNGER YEARS MOSTLY CONSISTED OF VIDEO GAMES AND HIGH SCORES. I ONLY NOW SEE WHAT A WASTE OF TIME AND ENERGY THAT WAS.
THE MAIN POINT THAT THIS STORY IS SLOWLY COMING TO IS THIS: IT IS UP TO US, THE GENERATION OF HUNTERS NOW TO PASS THESE WONDERFUL TRADITIONS DOWN TO THE NEXT. IF YOU HAVE KIDS, NEICES, NEPHEWS, OR YOUNGER SIBLINGS, TAKE THEM HUNTING OR FISHING.
I KNOW THIS IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN JUST GOING BY YOURSELF. IT TAKES MORE PLANNING, MORE PATIENCE, AND MORE MONEY. IN THE END IT WILL BE WORTH IT THOUGH. YOU WILL BE PASSING ON SOMETHING THAT THESE KIDS WILL NEVER FORGET YOU FOR. ILL BET MOST OF YOU REMEMBER VERY CLEARLY THOSE THAT PASSED THESE TRADITIONS DOWN IN YOUR FAMILY.
THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE ALSO. CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS LIVE IN A VERY CONFUSING WORLD TODAY. IN THIS AGE OF TECHNOLOGY, TERRORSIM, PREVAILANT DRUG USE, AND A SCORE OF OTHER THINGS UNIQUE TO TODAYS SOCIETY, KIDS NEED ACTIVITIES THAT GROUND THEM MORE THAN EVER. HUNTING AND FISHING CAN PROVIDE THIS. WHEN A CHILD IS BORED, HE OR SHE WILL FIND WHATEVER IS AVAILABE TO OCCUPY THEIR TIME. AND LETS FACE FACTS; SOME OF THOSE DISTRACTIONS ARE NOT GOOD ONES. YOU CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A KID DOING SOMETHING WORTHWHILE WITH THEIR TIME, OR DOING SOMETHING THEY SHOULDNT BE.
SO IT IS UP TO US, THE HUNTERS AND ANGLERS OF TODAY TO PASS THESE THINGS ON TO THE HUNTERS AND ANGLERS OF TOMORROW. IF WE DONT, THERE MAY NOT BE HUNTERS AND ANGLERS. JUST A GENERATION OF VIDEO GAME IMMERSED T.V. BABIES TO WHOM STORIES ABOUT THE OUTDOORS ARE JUST THAT, STORIES.