The Sidney herald., 1955-09-01
The SpOrtsmen's
Column
BY Ray Stack

OS hdy Stack
Last week, the enlarging
observation-disclosures relations
problem was described. This week,
an attempt will be made to dis
cuss some answers to the prob
lem.
Recently, some Richland county
landowners and sportsmen began
a search for answers to the prob
lem OF better relations between
hunters and farmers. The sports
men say they wish to retain the
good will of the landowners in
order to perpetuate their sport as
they have known it. The landown-
ers, by and large, are willing to
share the wildlife b%y-products of
their land, IF they can have ade-
quate protection.
There is widespread evidence
that our legal mechanisms are
far from adequate. This made
quacy is endangering our only
means of harvesting game crops
on private lands. Trespass laws,
In particular should be so strin-
gent and well enforced that a
farmer who needs protection and
assistance can get it easily and
quickly. Dale Carnegie says you
can't make a man do anything.
1t seems only logical, then, that
If we would harvest wildlife sur
pluses on private land we must
give the owner the legal status
and security he wants and to
which he is entitled. Then we can
go to him, recognizing hunting
for what it is - a privilege.
Legislation, no matter how
stringent, will never be the total
answer, however. Neither will
the packaged, sealed, and deliv-
cred type of cooperative or con-
trolled hunting units be the an
SWer. The latter has been at
tempted nationwide over and over
again. For everyone that is still
operative hundreds will become
defunct. Landowners in general
soon lose interest in this approach
to hunting control. Controlled
hunting or the permit system
takes control out of the farmers
hands and puts the control I'M
der a system. The landowner de-
sires consideration and protection
on his particular piece of property.
The SportSmen would do well to
ponder the implications involved
in this basic attitude of the land
owners.
Sportsmen have been heard to
maintain that farmers have been
unjust in their attitude and have,
for insufficient reason, closed
land to hunting. The hard, cold
facts Of the matter are that the
landowner legally does not have to
justify closing his land. Remem-
Der the story of the freshman?
The Richland County Sports
men club has assumed an impor-
tant role among the hunting fra
ternity and in the community as
a whole. The leaders of this club
are we'll aware of the farmer
hunter problem, and are contri-
buting much to solving it. It
seems inevitable that the burden
of leadership is creating better
landowner = sportsman relations
will be the responsibility of or
gained S~portsmen's groups.
There is a truism that states
that most problems r well on
the road toward solution whenever
the problem becomes recognized.
The recognition and consideration
OF the landowners problem by
sportsmen, as groups or as indi-
vidualS, will go far toward Great
ing an atmosphere of mutual CO.
operation between the landowner
sportsmen groups.
Advice is seldom solicited and
less often taken. To the sportsman,
however, to hunt on another
mans land is a privilege. Abuse
the privilege has but one re-
suit loss of a place to hunt.
Next week, I will tell of several
comments from local people on
the farmer hunter relations"
problem If you haven't written
your comment yet please do so
soon. This column will provide a
opportunity for farmers and
Sportsmen to tell of their expert
ences on this problem.