The Blame Game

The Blame Game-

Recently the Minnesota DNR released their forecast for the 2014 Deer Hunting season.  The report told hunters to expect a “CONSERVATIVE” harvest.  Quite quickly the press release got passed around on social media, and the BLAME GAME began.   From what I saw, there were quite a few who were upset with the DNR and accused them of mismanaging the resource, thus creating a lower population and the need for the reduced number.

I’d like to suggest that perhaps we as outdoor enthusiasts should maybe spend less time pointing our fingers at everyone else and take a good hard look in the mirror.  According to MN DNR reports, we harvested over 290,000 deer during the 2003 season.  During the 10-year period from 2002-2011, over 2,375,000 deer were registered.   That’s an average of roughly 235,000 per year.  Did we NEED to harvest that many? Or did we do it because we could.  Did we NEED to fill two, three, or four tags?  I know there are plenty of people that live on venison.  I know that some families wouldn’t make it through the winter without a couple of deer in the freezer.  However, is that the norm, or an exception?

Walleyes aren’t biting on Mille Lacs? Must be the Indians fault.  Deer heard is too thin? Stupid DNR messed it up? Or maybe it’s the wolves?  Or maybe, just maybe, we the sportsman & sportswomen are partly to blame.

Speaking of Mille Lacs, in the late 90’s and early 2000’s the Safe Harvest Levels on Mille Lacs for walleyes was nearly 400,000 pounds, this year it was at 60,000 pounds.  So whose fault is that? Is it possible some of the blame should rest on the section of the population that took 75% of the quota out of the lake?

I realize there are multiple factors at play in both the deer population and the Mille Lacs walleye population, and a solution cannot be formulated in a single blog post.  I’m also not trying to defend the DNR or endorse their management tactics.  What I am suggesting is that each and every angler and hunter take personal responsibility for the future of the resources available to us.  Do we really need another limit of fish? Do we really need two deer?  The beautiful thing about accepting the blame, is we now empower ourselves to create a solution.  If we blame externals, which we have no real control over, for the current set of circumstances then we have rendered ourselves powerless.  The power lies with each and every one of us, the decisions we make in the deer stand, duck blind or boat are the only things we can control.  Let’s make sure we are doing all we can as individuals before we start blaming others.

Consider for a moment the definition of the word “CONSERVE”.

CONSERVE: to use (something) in order to prevent loss or waste

                        to keep (something) safe from being damaged or destroyed

I for one believe we should all expect a CONSERVATIVE season, no matter the circumstances.