Kayaks can interfere with fishing, but neither anglers nor kayakers own the river.
Hunting season is here, and so is election season. Everyone is inundated with ads, calls, billboards and texts asking for our votes and donations. At best, many of these pitches offer out-of-context quotes, hand-picked stats, and misleading information. This is the sad state of our political system.
Most of these political pitches share one thing in common. They offer extreme left or right polarizing positions. Extreme positions are rarely the best positions.
If you’re reading this column, we hope that hunting, fishing, other outdoor sports, or nature and environmental issues influence your voting choices. While I’m not in a position to say who to vote for, I encourage you to do fact-checking beyond what commercials and robocalls offer to find the best candidate for you.
Politics aside, extreme views are not uncommon in the outdoor world. Again, they are rarely in the best position to solve the problem. Some suitable cases follow.
share water
There is an ongoing conflict between kayakers, canoeists and trout anglers. In a recent local newspaper, I read a letter to the editor emphasizing extreme positions on the conflict. Fly fishing guides have suggested that the Little Juniata River is too valuable a resource for trout fishing and inaccessible to kayakers and canoeists. Downstream from Milesburg Spring Creek and Bald He Eagle He’s Trout There must be other anglers who feel the same about Creek.
To be honest, it annoys me when a parade of paddlers walks by when I’m fishing. But I’m also a kayaker and neither group owns the water. The writer of the letter does not own the river and conveniently forgets that most of it is open to fishing simply because it is navigable.
self-proclaimed lawyer
Then there’s “banging and stacking” Ted Nugent, a self-professed hunter and gun owner. Nugent is about as polarizing as the numbers you can get. He has even threatened violence against gun control advocates. By the way, sources online say he receives from $50,000 to $100,000 for each talk he gives. So I think being polarizing pays off.
As a gun owner, Second Amendment supporter, and lifelong hunter, I am simply embarrassed when I see a Nugent. Nugent does not represent me. I am sure his extreme position has never won over a single anti-Hunter.
Missing points for wetland habitats
The Old Crow Marsh in Huntingdon County Smithfield Township has been the focus of controversy since Rutters announced plans to build a huge truck stop/gas station/convenience store right over the marsh.
As a longtime user of the wetlands for photography, birdwatching and wildlife watching, I am opposed to the current plans for construction. With 220 species of birds reported, it is currently Huntingdon County’s premier birding spot. Well over 2,200 checklists have been reported to eBird. It’s unfortunate that development endangers this unique wildlife habitat.
However, there were times when the grass paths were not mowed, and social media raised the issue because it was hypothesized that the town was not cutting the paths in retaliation for protests against the Rutters development. Again on social media, one environmentalist commented that the wetlands would be better off if the roads were not mowed.
Wow, it’s amazing how this extreme view misses the point. In the short term, it is true that wetland wildlife would be better off without human intervention, but wetland habitats are not.
Old Crow Wetlands has hundreds of supporters because of access. Without mowed trails, I think few people would venture to brave chest-high vegetation. , we estimate that usage will decrease by 95% of the current number. Probably more.
Stakeholder groups must look for solutions that benefit everyone
Finally, consider the extreme position put forward by three Pennsylvania fish and boat commissioners in April 2021. In the name of preserving wild trout, the Commissioner proposed fishing and protecting about 3,000 miles of Pennsylvania’s best wild trout rivers, due to lack of supporting scientific evidence. We only release artificial lures.
They are supposed to represent all anglers, but if their move is passed by a full committee, they will lose the rights of at least 80% of license holders who primarily fish with bait. Become. Fortunately, the entire committee did not support this motion.
In the outdoor world and politics, extreme opinions rarely solve anything. In fact, it often has the opposite effect.
In light of this, a year ago the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation established the Outdoor Recreation Office. Most recently, the department announced the formation of a new stakeholder group, the Recreation Engagement Coalition. It includes a diverse group of people representing many outdoor interests. Wherever the group is in between, they can calmly discuss perspectives, make rational decisions, and find solutions that benefit all Pennsylvanians. I hope that we will be able to meet at