Subject: Re: hunters
Date: Nov 29 22:05:09 1996
From: Bob Mauritsen - rhm at ms.washington.edu


I would be quite happy to believe that things are as you say. I've never
hunted much and I'm new to birding, so my query was mostly prompted by
the recent posting where a hunter (I believe) told a birder to watch
out for a couple of "wild hunters out there" in the Skagit Flats. And
so I was wondering what experienced birders did in such circumstances,
i.e., did they decorate themselves, or did they just ignore it all and
look for birds. On my first visit to Spencer Island in early summer, I
was also treated to the thrill of two beer-drinking young males floating
down the slough in a boat, shooting at various things along the bank
(presumably), with rifles. I would imagine that beer and youth could
conspire to produce "hunters" who don't always shoot "up". But I
would be happy to admit that all this has just tickled my paranoid
gland, given half a chance.

bob mauritsen
Seattle
rhm at ms.washington.edu


On Sat, 30 Nov 1996 RANIDAE at delphi.com wrote:

> What do you think the "wild hunters" might do to you if you
> don't wear a brightly colored hat? Since the only hunters
> likely to be out on Skagit Flats are waterfowl hunters, the
> chances of being hit by birdshot are much less that the
> likelihood of being hit by a semi on the freeway.
>
> I am always amazed, amused, and concerned with the fears of
> nonhunters about being in the same locale as hunters. I assume
> it has to do with the stereotype of hunters that is so common
> in nonhunters. I wonder if there is something that I can do to
> help change that stereotype, at least with the denizens of
> Tweeters.
>
> Tom Juelson
> Olympia
>