HSUS Pays for Wildlife?
Differences in perspective lead to differences of opinion.
Just look at our highly contested elections in this democratic society illustrate that people are different. That reasonable people can look at the same issue and come to radically different conclusions is a matter of perspective and those varying perspectives are a big part of what has made our democracy the greatest ever known to Man. But there are differences of opinion, and then there is propaganda; facts spun beyond any semblance of truth.
Case in point: Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States said in a recent blog: “Many state fish and wildlife agencies cater to sport hunting enthusiasts by managing deer, elk, moose, and caribou for elevated population levels. They treat wild areas as open-area wildlife game ranchers, viewing wild ungulates like cattle and sheep, and killing the predators that threaten them—just like ranchers do. More predation by wolves, bears, or mountain lions means fewer game animals for hunters to shoot. They’ve got an economic stake in the matter: with inflated populations of hoofed game mammals, they can sell more hunting licenses and generate revenue for their bureaucracy.”
Come now, Mr. Pacelle. Aren’t you being just a tad bit disingenuous here? Criticizing state fish and wildlife departments for optimizing conditions for game animals is like criticizing the librarian for caring about books or Rosie O'Donnell caring about her next meal. It is hard to imagine why the Humane Society would not support habitat improvement projects that lead to increased numbers of wild ungulates. Don’t more deer, elk, caribou, etc. improve the lot of wolves, bears, and mountain lions, as these predators now have more upon which to prey? And doesn’t better habitat make life better for all wildlife, including non-game species? These questions can be answered two ways: yes or duh. The real reason Wayne Pacelle and the Humane Society are against improving conditions for wildlife and its’ habitat is they don’t approve of hunters. And in their myopic plan to abolish hunters, the best way to marginalize our sport is by reducing hunting opportunities…as if human encroachment on wild lands is not enough.
But the real hypocrisy of Pacelle and Human Society of the United States is what they don’t tell you, which is the fiscal aspect of wildlife agencies, or more simply, where the money comes from. Wayne and his minions will do anything to hide, confuse, obfuscate, muddle, & befuddle is the fact that sportsmen and women are the people who pay for wildlife conservation in this country through licenses, fees, and PR taxes…to the tune of almost $5,000,000 EVERY day. The Humane Society’s contribution? Not so much. Sure, the HSUS wants to keep wildlife, but their primary goal is to abolish hunters and hunting. In this “have your cake and eat it too” scheme, they have no plan for funding wildlife conservation. But I do.
Here is a standing offer for Mr. Pacelle and the HUSUS to put their money where their collective mouths are and actually do something for wildlife. If you accept the challenge, Mr. Pacelle, we as hunters will stop buying licenses, tags, and sporting equipment; in other words, stop paying for wildlife. In return, the Humane Society of the United States will pay the nearly $5,000,000 a day shortfall in conservation funding formerly paid by hunters. But be sure and do the math Wayne, for when stand in the stead of sportsmen, even with your $100,000,000+ anti-hunting war chest, the HSUS will be broke within 30 days. Once the HSUS files its’ Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition, we hunters will once again go back to paying for wildlife, just like we’ve been doing for nearly a century. To see it happen, I could be persuaded to give up hunting for 30 days. Shall we say June?
