Stop poaching and stand up for hunting heritage

The poaching of wildlife, whether it is game animals or otherwise, is an epidemic of waste, disrespect and a very unfortunate commentary on our society. I’m baffled, honestly.

I won’t pretend to have the answers, but someone’s got to publicly ask the questions. What happened to our long tradition of passing down hunting skills and ethics from generation to generation? Why would anyone think it is OK to kill an animal and leave its body to rot? How many unethical killings are unreported?

The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks game warden currently has almost 25 open cases of poaching and waste of game meat in Lincoln County. How do we stop this? There are hunter education classes, but obviously there is a breakdown that is happening. The motto of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, started in Lincoln County: Hunting is Conservation.

The reason we have hunting opportunities is because most people follow the rules. FWP wardens and managers do a great job. They make sure our grand-kids will have the same opportunities that we do. The truth is they know more about it than most of us, even those blessed with herds of whitetail and elk in our backyards.

Our hunting and conservation heritage is one of the greatest blessings we have. We can still feed our families, have fun and follow the rules at the same time. Field dressing, hauling and processing the animal is a crucial part of the hunt. I urge you all to talk with your family and friends and stand up for our wildlife and hunting heritage.

Peter Leusch

Troy