The Importance of Using Technology FOR the Future of Hunting & Trapping

The Importance of Using Technology FOR the Future of Hunting & Trapping

            As a very active member of social media, I hear more often than not that I am “risking the future of hunting/trapping by posting pictures and videos on social media”.  This is a statement that I wholeheartedly disagree with and will discuss why in this article. 

            It’s no secret that there is a vast gap between the last generation before the internet was created, and the generations after.  The fact remains that technology is not going away, so people need to embrace change and see the glass half full.  It is true that a lot of the younger generations are growing up with limited social interactions and more social media, but if we want a future for our past heritages such as fishing, hunting, and trapping, then we need to be creative on how to introduce youth to these sports when they are constantly plugged in.

            My solution: Post on social media. Currently, I am active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Snapchat, and I have my own blog.  On all these sites, especially during the trapping season, I am live streaming, posting pictures and videos, and writing articles about my adventures in the outdoors.  The fact is, the more disconnected that people get from nature, the outdoors, and where their food comes from, the less likely they are to engage in those activities.  If our children are growing up being exposed to myths such as “hunting is cruel”, “animals are skinned alive”, etc., and never see the alternative, factual evidence, then they may grow up believing the propaganda. 

A video still from a "hand-in-trap" video that the author published, explaining how traps hold the animal comfortably, and that traps "hold not hurt".

            Anti-hunting and anti-trapping groups are EXTREMELY active on the internet, even when they are spewing misguided and conjured up hoopla.  They are always staging photos to benefit their agendas, and use their pages and petitions to tug at the heartstrings of people on the internet.  We know our grandparents and parents are the smallest demographic of people on the internet, so who are these groups targeting? The answer is, our youth.  Ages 12-18 are the targeted audience.  No matter what side you are on to begin with, evidence shows that what you are exposed to in this age range has a significant role on what you grow up to be.  If teenagers are infiltrated with anti-hunting messages, they are more likely to grow up wanting to protest hunting and wildlife conservation and management.

Photo shows a bobcat held comfortably in a trap.

 

            I have quite a following on social media, and many of those followers have no idea about the facts of hunting or trapping.  I can’t count the number of times folks have told me that they are glad I posted a video showing myself putting my hand in one of my traps, because they thought traps “broke bones and harmed animals”.  I’ve had many people tell me that they didn’t know that we had otter, fisher, bobcats, etc. in Wisconsin until they saw me post pictures of releasing several from my traps.  I even had someone once tell me that they didn’t know wild turkeys strutted until they watched one of my hunting videos. 

            I really feel that part of the reason a person would oppose increasing bobcat tags, or having a badger harvest season, or passing a wolf hunting season, is that they truly believe that these animals are “endangered, threatened, and rare”.  They may have never seen any evidence of those animals in Wisconsin for their entire lives.  I recently posted a video of a badger walking along the road and many people were shocked that we had badger in Wisconsin….Wisconsin, the Bucky state.  I’ve released several badger in the past couple trapping seasons, I’ve had badger on my trail cameras, I’ve seen badger roadkills more times that I can count, and I’ve seen badgers and/or badger dens with offspring many times.  So to me, badgers are as common as any other furbearer.  I’ve had more interactions with badger than I have with grey fox, yet nobody thinks grey fox season should end.  Exposing people to what we do is the best way to inform them of facts.  Making a statement like, “You shouldn’t post what you do on social media” is as bad for hunting as any anti group petition.

Badger caught and released unharmed by the author.

            I feel that posting responsibly and frequently on social media is the best way to introduce youth to our beloved sports.  Showing photograph evidence that refutes the myths that anti groups like TrapFree Wisconsin, Wolves of Douglas County/Wolf Patrol, Humane Society of the US, and PETA are trying to convince people about is the best way to combat these groups.  These groups do not care for the animals; they are formed for selfish reasons that include attention, money, and to be in the spotlight.  These groups are so disconnected from wildlife that they would not be able to tell you a coyote track from a bear track.  These groups are the same ones that tell the general public that wolves are endangered, when the facts show that wolf populations are over triple the sustainable numbers. 

            Now you may know the obvious answer to what we shouldn’t post on social media, but what should we be posting? Information is the best content to post, and often.    I run several sites, groups, pages, and accounts and my belief is that posting answers to common questions is the best way to help others understand what we do.  Let the public know when the next hunter safety or trapper ed class is.  Tell them about upcoming changes to laws that would impact them.  Inform them about the changes that anti groups are trying to push.  Let them know about events in the area that may help them learn about tracking, scouting, shooting, and anything outdoors.  Post pictures of your harvests, tracks, animal sign, traps, bows/guns, trail camera photos, buck rubs and scrapes, etc. 

Photo showing a coyote that was caught in a foothold trap.  Evidence that traps do not harm, break bones, etc.  Can you even tell which foot was in the trap?

            The more we hide what we do, the less likely that youth will take an interest in our “secret” world.  As long as we are posting respectful, responsible content, then we have nothing to hide.  We all know that in every group, no matter the industry, there are rotten eggs.  We have rotten eggs in the hunting community who poach or trespass, we have rotten eggs in the trapping community who use old traps that are not comfortable for the animal, there are rotten eggs in hiking or camping groups who litter, destroy trees/foliage, etc.  Every group has an outlier but the majority of people are good at heart, and we need to embrace what we do and be proud. 

The author and her collie Marbles, with their 2017-2018 "end of the line" catch.