I'm a member of MDHA and proud of it. I became a member a little over 2 years ago and really didn't know anything about the organization. With all the APR debates as well as the deer feeding bans and debating over baiting that you will be hearing about in the next few months I thought that I would post something that I read on the QDMA website. It struck a cord with me and made me think about hunting and what it ment to me. I liked what the auther said and how he said it.
My Way or the Highway by Joe Cannella
I believe quality deer management has its place in Minnesota. In particular, human dominated landscapes lacking natural predators in order to properly manage deer herds for a balanced age and sex ratio.
I believe if you are a seasoned hunter, claiming to be a meat hunter and hunt in a unit which allows you to take a doe, you should let the yearling buck walk and shoot a doe.
I am also against scopes on muzzleloaders during the muzzleloader season and predominantly as a bowhunter I would love to have the rut to myself.
I also believe in democracy and the freedom of choice.
As staff with the MDHA obviously deer hunting and deer hunting discussion is year round. As a loyal member, I find myself perhaps like many of my fellow members defending the MDHA more often these days.
“MDHA is for scopes on muzzleloaders so I don’t like them now.”
“MDHA won’t support legislating buck management, so I don’t like them now.”
“MDHA does not support deer baiting, so I don’t like them now.”
“MDHA supports discouraging deer feeding, so I don’t like them now.”
MDHA doesn’t like me hunting deer behind fences so I don’t like them now.”
Of course this follows with “I will not be a member.”
Most of the above gripes have one common theme. They are self serving. At times we are all guilty. Unfortunately, a significant number of hunters only look at deer hunting with one measuring device “how it impacts me, myself and I.”
Fortunately, the volunteers in the trenches, raising the money, collecting the hides, coordinating the youth days and spending the dollars towards the mission of working for tomorrow’s wildlife and hunters today don’t have the same measuring device. No, they seem to be thinking about everyone but themselves.
So what do I say when some “self serving my way or the highway” advocate blast me and wants to know why MDHA is not supporting legislation so everyone is forced to play by his rules? Basically “my friend”, those topics are rarely on the agenda.
When the one percent club or the few and proud meet at the regular scheduled meeting the agenda usually looks like this………let’s see here we have a request for purchasing new .22 rifles for the local firearms safety class, the local wildlife manager needs a new brush hog and would like some financial assistance with a legacy grant, this year the budget will allow us to send 15 kids to Forkhorn camp but we have 25 requests, the state habitat committee would like our support for a new public hunting land purchase, and we have two more schools looking for grant money for the national archery in the schools program. Oh and Pete is turning 75 years old and sure could use some help collecting hides this year!
How about that democracy aspect, I am not aware of any other conservation organization that has a representative democratic voting system like the MDHA. Every position MDHA has taken has gone through a voting system. When a resolution is submitted every member has the opportunity to voice an opinion and cast a vote starting at the chapter level with the membership meetings, then through a chapter delegate to the corporate board meeting where they cast a vote which is weighed by the number of chapter members. Hopefully, this sounds familiar!
But you have to be a member and show up. So if something is important to you and you think your right then get all of your friends that agree with you to join. If the vote comes out in your favor then that will now be the MDHA position, yep just like democracy.
I am humbled to say I have personally benefitted from the “crew” at the table. I attended my first conservation banquet in the early nineties and won a life membership from the MDHA Sturgeon River Chapter. I felt so guilty but overwhelmed with their generosity I joined the committee. Since then I have taken my turn collecting hides, soliciting for the banquets and working the youth days.
Overtime, I have reaped the benefits and seen the MDHA support go to work first hand. As a program coordinator at Laurentian Environmental Center (LEC), MDHA along with some other great conservation groups helped start hunting and shooting sports education programs at the facility. These programs continue to educated thousands of kids and their teachers every year. Eventually, LEC joined the MDHA and began offering Forkhorn camp programs.
My current chapter, the Itasca County Chapter, has sent my daughters and their friends to Forkhorn camp, and they were a significant partner in ensuring public access to over 180,000 acres of conservation easement lands which provides my family and others land to hunt today and perpetually.
Do I always agree with every MDHA position, no I don’t. In my opinion, MDHA has the best representative system a Minnesota hunter can belong too. I am proud of our members and to be one of them. I am especially proud of the one percent club, who unselfishly work at priority number one, to keep the hunting tradition alive for everyone, yeah everyone, even the selfish.
Check Out Our Forum Tab!
Topic: MDHA (Read 1079 times)
