sustainable fi shing became a challenge. Fisheries biolo- gists responded, and fi shing has remained a popular outdoor activity for interested sportsmen. In the early days of deer breeding in Texas, it ap-
peared as though there was a prejudice against deer breeders by some wildlife biologists, because some of the stock “might have been” trapped from the wild. That is probably not the case today, because it is
widely accepted that deer without DNA-tested pedigrees have lower monetary value. Yet there still seems to be a bias against deer breeders
by some. Are there biological reasons why deer man- agement should be treated so differently than fi sheries management? I suspect that it goes back to the original premise of this article — there are philosophical differ- ences amounting to no more than extreme “religious” differences. Most wildlife biologists come from a strong ecology
background where it is philosophically wrong to put hands on an animal, let alone keep it in captivity. Maybe it’s time to put aside our differences for the good of the entire hunting industry so that the hunting tradition will still be enjoyed by Texas citizens in 2050. Today, hunting license sales have steadily declined
because competition from other outdoor activities has increased and available leisure time has decreased. Yet, as the population increases, there are opportuni-
ties for attracting new sportsmen to our passion. If those of us in the greater hunting industry don’t quickly learn that our infi ghting over philosophical differences will be our downfall, then perhaps we deserve what we will get. Hunting license sales and hunting expenditures will begin to decline in Texas as they have in other states. Those who believe fair chase hunting isn’t possible on high-fenced ranches may soon fi nd themselves in the same boat as those who only want to catch native trout with a fl y rod. Most business executives who take clients hunting
can go anywhere in North America (or the world, for that matter). Do we want them to hunt in Texas or elsewhere? The future of our Texas hunting heritage depends on the ability of private landowners to manage their own deer herds in the model that best fi ts their deer management goals. The fact remains that unilateral deer management
models will not fi t all landowners, just as one wildlife theology will not satisfy all of us. It’s time to look for common ground and rally around those goals.
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www.TexasDeerAssociation.com | 403 East Ramsey, Ste. 204 | San Antonio, TX 78216 | P: 210.767.8300 | F: 210.767.8401 November 2014 The Cattleman 79
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