I have probably read this thread 3 times over the last couple of days. This is really disturbing to me. I had a conversation with my buddy in the truck on the way home from North Dakota this year. I long for those days of shooting limits because the habitat was there and the birds were plentiful I get it that farmers need to make a living, and the weather has not been good to the birds over the last few years but I still see our sport dying and that alarms me! RedLab, please don't quit hunting. Your son needs it as much as you. I would give anything to have my kids back at 16 years old and ready to go hunting with dad again! Those times fly by. Point! I get it, it is not the same hunting over somebody else's dog when you have hunted over your own for so many years. But don't give up. I believe that if hunters band together we can have an impact on the sport. What can I do alone? Probably not much, I am not a rich man but I have passion. Passionate people will get more accomplished in this world than people who just want to throw money at a problem.
So what can we do? Well I am going to pheasant fest in February with this in my mind. I plan to talk to those that will listen. What can we do to help the farmer, help the ground, help the wildlife, and help the hunter? I think it is going to take hunters like us involved in PF and working with local chapters. I think some of us need to get involved in politics. Let's run for an elected seat where you can make some decisions and voice your opinions. Try to talk to the people who put outdoor shows on. Find them at events and share your frustrations with them. Find them on social media and ask for some of their time to discuss the issues. Finally I think we need to look to the future. CRP was awesome when it was at it's height. Maybe that is not the wave of the future. Maybe there is a better way and if we put our heads together I bet we could come up with a solution! Sorry for the long rant, I just hate to see guys quit on this sport that I love so much.