[Epinepherine]

I attended a seminar in Cleveland a few weeks ago at one of the area clinics with a group of about 15-20 people; all from various locations of the state. During one of the breaks we got to talking about the upcoming fall/winter and what we do to make the blistery effects of winter more tolerable and "to make it go by a little faster". Naturally, I mentioned hunting and the like. Two women sitting in front of me turned around with looks of bewilderment & amusement and informed me that I "don't look like a hillbilly" and asked if I or my parents were from Missouri or West Virginia -- I suppose you must be from one of those states to hunt/fish -- and proceeded to pepper me with questions & comments in an effort to uncover how & why I could list hunting as a leisure activity.

It wasn't exactly a revelation to hear this as I've been involved in similar conversations and have read about others here having similar encounters. It's fairly common in Ohio still to be pigeon-holed as possessing a certain character flaw or trait to actually participate in hunting despite the enormous amount of hunters this state has.

What's it like in your region?

 

[Marvin]

I attended a seminar in Cleveland a few weeks ago at one of the area clinics with a group of about 15-20 people; all from various locations of the state. During one of the breaks we got to talking about the upcoming fall/winter and what we do to make the blistery effects of winter more tolerable and "to make it go by a little faster". Naturally, I mentioned hunting and the like. Two women sitting in front of me turned around with looks of bewilderment & amusement and informed me that I "don't look like a hillbilly" and asked if I or my parents were from Missouri or West Virginia -- I suppose you must be from one of those states to hunt/fish -- and proceeded to pepper me with questions & comments in an effort to uncover how & why I could list hunting as a leisure activity.

It wasn't exactly a revelation to hear this as I've been involved in similar conversations and have read about others here having similar encounters. It's fairly common in Ohio still to be pigeon-holed as possessing a certain character flaw or trait to actually participate in hunting despite the enormous amount of hunters this state has.

What's it like in your region?

not good unless they know you or they hit a deer with their car and are pissed about it.

 

[Deer Stabber]

If you dont hunt in my area of the word your the outcast!

 

[fultontx]

I have it pretty good here in rural Wisconsin. Folks drive all over with deer strapped to the hoods of their cars and everybody honks and waves to them. It helps if you have a huge Green Bay Packer flag flying too, you might get harrassed if you have Bears or Vikings colors on. You can walk into any supermarket or gas station in November and about 75% of the people will have blaze orange on

 

[SDeadeye]

When you cross the South Dakota-Minnesota border, there is a billboard on the SD side that says "Hunting, Fishing, Furs, and Livestock are our WAY OF LIFE. If you don't like it keep driving." or something to tha effect anyways I couldn't remember all of the 2nd part...but my point is that I think I'm lucky and haven't really encountered much of that here in SD as everyone I know hunts or fishes or owns cattle and more often than not all 3. Pheasant hunting alone brings in around $135 MILLION dollars to our economy each fall...add to that the $140 MILLION that other types of hunting bring in plus the $181 MILLION dollars of fishing revenue for our economy. Needless to say the anti's are not very welcome here.

 

[YooperKenny]

On November 15th (opening of rifle season), the high school halls here in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan are pretty empty - many students and teachers are hunters. Many schools used to be closed that day, but not too many these days I think. So I'm happy to report that hunting and fishing are an accepted way of life here! Just another reason that makes it a great place to live, work, and raise kids :wink:

 

[T-LaBee]

Kinda what I was going to say...

If you don't hunt in my area of the word your the outcast!

There are more and more people moving into this area that are probably philosophically against hunting, but the people who have lived here are mostly all hunters. The new-comers that are against it don't have the guts to speak their mind openly. (yet) I almost pity them when they do.

It is funny even to me how businesses still close their doors during hunting season and everyone just understands.

Living in Montana you are more than likely a hunter. If you aren't, most of the people you know are...so...NO-ONE would dare to badmouth hunting. It is just a way of life here.
Tom

 

[twogun]

What's the public's perception of hunters in your area.

Hunters are the public in my area.

 

[RecordKeeper]

Hunting has a very positive image here in Alabama. And as hunters, we have a strange bedfellow political ally.....insurance companies.

The insurance companies lobby for ever more liberal hunting laws. Then again, Alabama has the highest rate of car/deer crashes in the USA.:wink:

 

[T-LaBee]

I wonder how far behind we are?

Hunting has a very positive image here in Alabama. And as hunters, we have a strange bedfellow political ally.....insurance companies.

The insurance companies lobby for ever more liberal hunting laws. Then again, Alabama has the highest rate of car/deer crashes in the USA.:wink:

Yesterday I saw a doe and a fawn side by side and three more deer within a mile. And that is not uncommon...

One of the highways is known as hamburger highway.

Tom

 

[GeoMike]

...It wasn't exactly a revelation to hear this as I've been involved in similar conversations and have read about others here having similar encounters. It's fairly common in Ohio still to be pigeon-holed as possessing a certain character flaw or trait to actually participate in hunting despite the enormous amount of hunters this state has.

What's it like in your region?

Pretty similar. Pro-hunting folks seem to be the minority, and moreso with women. I've had some women give me irritated or disgusted looks in stores and such just because I was wearing my Realtree camo hat.
I've seen a lot of people that have a perception that only 'lower class' people hunt. Pretty sad.

 

[TexasGuy]

Landowners, at least, LOVE hunters here in Texas.......since we pay them an arm and a leg to hunt their property, they think we're the BEST! :sad:

As for the general public, most of them seem to be nuetral about the whole issue of hunting.....except in the biggest cities where we do have our share of PETA freaks.....

Most of Texas is still very rural with older, "pioneer" attitudes.....hunting is just what many folks do in the fall and winter.....it's pretty well-accepted.....

With the popularity of hunting anything that flys, crawls, walks or runs, I think hell will freeze-over before hunting ever gets banned in Texas!

 

[MNmike]

Minnesota

Hunting, fishing, and the outdoors, are huge draw to the state.

As far as resident view, it's got to be good. The only areas you find the anti's are the T.C. metro area pretty much. You know where the Collages and the sheltered raised city people work and "live?".

But get 20 to 30 minutes any direction from either city, you will be in a highly pro-hunting populated area were anti's aren't welcome.:wink:

 

[slinger09]

The population of deer is becoming burden is some areas around here. Landowners are seeking out bowhunters to help keep the population down in suburb areas. I have gained access to thousands of acres the last 3 years. One ladies exact words is "kill all of them you can, they are eating my flowers".

 

[dlxhunter]

Wisconsin

is pretty hunter friendly overall thank goodness. it is a major source of income in much of the state.

 

[inatree]

here too

Pretty similar. Pro-hunting folks seem to be the minority, and moreso with women. I've had some women give me irritated or disgusted looks in stores and such just because I was wearing my Realtree camo hat.
I've seen a lot of people that have a perception that only 'lower class' people hunt. Pretty sad.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of self rightous yuppies and tree hugging granola eaters around here. But if you stay in the right circles, they can be easily avoided as there are a lot of people who hunt around here too.

 

[inatree]

Additional note

When I was younger and in school, lots of the kids had never hunted and you were considered a ******* if you did. Back then, I didnt talk about hunting to any of those people because I didnt want to be made fun of. I wouldnt deny it if someone asked, but didnt volunteer the information. Now that I am older, I will not feel ashamed of my favorite pasttime or make excuses or try to justify its worth to people who will never get it anyway. In addition, I dont try to keep it a secret, but not to the extent of crazy bumper stickers on my truck, etc. Its funny, one of my wifes friends always jokes on me and calls me a *******, but her and her father sure do enjoy the venison I give them.

 

[Epinepherine]

Interesting replies and about how I expected they might pan-out.

I should point out that these people were not actually bantering anti-hunting rhetoric, just amused that one of their ilk would take up hunting as a past-time. Somehow, they each had an image *perhaps Hollywood* of how and what a "hunter" would act, look & sound.

I did ask the girls what their boyfriends/husbands were involved in as far as hobbies and rec'd the expected & usual responses after some time reflecting; golf, "going out", working on the lawn, etc. *Yawn*

 

[Chupacabra]

Pretty good in MN

As has already been said, hunting is a long-held tradition for many people here in my experience. I live in the Twin Cities metro area and do get some people who don't understand hunting and are succeptible to stereotypes. They are usually surprised I am a hunter and fisherman since I "seem so civilized". Sadly, it's human nature. When people know little about a group they tend to find it easy to make generalizations based on, either an 'image' handed to them, or examples they've seen, set by the loudest, worst, examples of people who share a trait. Almost all of the time, these poor examples that people use to make their sweeping generalizations, are by far the minority. Many of us hunters are just as guilty. I've lost count of the times I've seen someone assume that liberal or democratic social and political views automatically include an anti-hunting agenda. I know an awful lot of democrats who hunt (some are very active in the state party). Apparently they haven't been going to the secret agenda meetings.

 

[Whaack]

Most of the state likes us. If you get up near Chicago the freaks start to come out of the woodwork. When I was in school here in Peoria at Bradley University I remember a specific conversation.

At Bradley there are two types of students. Students from Chicago and local communter students. I am the second. While sitting in class talking to another local commuter I mentions that I hunted for fun. Another girl in class from Chicago spun around and said, "Hunting, what do you mean, like, mushroom hunting?"

The local commuter girl speaks up and says, "No, like, hunting for animals". I said yes, animal hunting. I bowhunt.

I will never forget the look on Chicago girls face. It will forever remind me of how totally sheltered and ignorant some people are about my lifestyle.

To answer your question, if you get out of Chicago the rest of the state basically love us. In fact I think it is state law if you own a truck you must have some sort of wildlife, gun, bow, hunting, decal in the back window.

:darkbeer: