The Definition of a Sportsman (7 of 7)

Thoughts From the 'Root

Three men from the Bitterroot share their definition of a sportsman.

Brent – “A sportsman is an individual interested in outdoor activities involving the pursuit of game animals or fish. I tend to believe the true ‘sportsman’ should be classified as someone that is more interested in being out in the field than actually have a ‘successful’ day in the field (full freezer or creel).”

Like Brent said, a “true ‘sportsman’ should be classified as someone that is more interested in being out in the field than actually have a ‘successful’ day in the field,” because though pictures and trophies on the wall are respectable, they are no more than visual time markers that allow a person to access filed memories from their mental vault. And from these, it’s often the unintended experiences that make the day a success – unexpected wildlife sightings, the sound of an unchecked mountain stream or wind rustling the grasses of a mountain meadow, conversations with friends, or just the discovery of an island of solitude in a cramped world.

James – “A sportsman is someone who enjoys the outdoors and participates in hunting and fishing activities. A true sportsman is an ethical hunter and fisher and prides oneself on preservation and a ‘leave-no-trace’ attitude.”

We each have a responsibility for our own little patch of green in this world. A ‘leave-no-trace’ attitude,” as James puts it, is perhaps the best means to care for it. Sportsmen should think of themselves as custodians of the land they frequent and the place where they live, and be ready to accept judgment by later generations when we are ready to pass on our charge.

Greg – “The definition for me has changed over the years. I used to think it was anyone who was outside hunting, fishing, hiking, etc. But now, after living in Montana for ten years, my thoughts about what it means to be a sportsman is much more complicated than that. You hear people talk about how the outdoors is their church, their religion. Some even say they find God there. I do. But so many people treat the woods, the rivers, the mountains as if it were only a playground – something created simply for their pleasure. Yet it’s so much more than that. A sportsman recognizes this value of creation and knows his or her interaction with nature is important not only to their soul, but to the natural world as well.”

Every sportsman experiences a philosophical evolution when he comes to grips with the fact that there is a link between the natural world and self. I need say no more because Greg says it best.

To conclude...

The Definition of a Sportsman covered over the last seven posts is an idealized description of an outdoorsman who has a mature understanding of his relationship with the world around him. He has a strong sense of ethics, is a steward of the land and the animals that thrive there, and a sense of duty to bring up the next generation of hunters, fishermen, outdoorsmen, etc. to practice the same ideology. This definition is not perfect and is not for everyone, but these ideals are not a litmus test for a sportsman, they are merely something to strive for. Think of it using this analogy: if every Christian had to abide by every law handed down by the Church without disagreement, there would be a lot fewer parishioners in the pews on Sunday (ruffle any feathers?). So it is with the The Definition of a Sportsman. We aim high and strive to do our best. Brent, James, and Greg have a healthy understanding of self and what it means to be considered a sportsmen. I thank them for participating. I hope this series stretches some people's definition. Feel free to share.

The Definition of a Sportsman (6 of 7)

A Sportsman's Responsibilities

With the title of Sportsman comes a certain amount of responsibility. First and foremost, a sportsman must hand down traditions to the next generation by instilling in youth a respect for sport, environment, animals, and nature. It is a simple task. Take your kid hunting, fishing, and hiking, and lead by example. This creates another generation to advocate for the principles of the sportsman.

Second, give of your time and/or treasure to protect the animals and environment by participating in local organizations like Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, and/or National Audubon Society. Volunteering to help restore wetlands, maintain trail, or donating money to create hunting easements is a lasting tribute and monument that you can look back on with pride and say, “I did that!”

Third, vote! Every year Americans cast ballots in local elections for candidates and issues that may affect recreational opportunities in your area. Figure out which candidates support land use policies that will ensure the growth and longevity of the outdoor opportunities. It’s never as simple as voting for the candidate who supports gun-rights, however. I like to bring up a popular phrase when someone is lauding the virtues of a candidate simply because he or she supports gun-rights. You’ve heard it before. “It’s the land, stupid!”

The Definition of a Sportsman (5 of 7)

A Sportsman is an Animal Activist

In a recent episode of “30 Days”, George Snedeker, an avid hunter from North Carolina, is placed in a home with a family of vegans from L.A. for 30 days. The family is active in the local affiliate of PETA. George does not understand nor agree with the vegans reasoning for not eating meat, but he is a good sport about participating in a protest against fur and at a protest at a local fast food chain restaurant. He also takes part in the family’s meatless meals. There is no dramatic philosophical shift by either George the hunter or the vegans from LA after 30 days together, but that wasn’t expected. What did happen was a small change of attitude by George regarding industrial farming practices when he was exposed to how some animals are housed and mistreated. He experienced the animal abuse first hand when he participated in a rescue of a wheezing sick calf that was left on its own in an open field to die. George took the stray calf to a local animal rescue and nursed the calf back to health. The experience created a bond that helped George realize that he had more in common with the vegans from L.A. than he thought. He discovered he too was an animal activist.

This was not a dramatic shift in George Snedeker’s philosophy, however. George, an avid deer hunter and outdoors man, believes in making use of the whole animal and not wasting, a value shared by all sportsmen. There is also a correct way to harvest an animal, taking a shot that is within a hunter’s ability that will result in a quick kill. Witnessing sickened cows being “horsed” into cattle cars with front end loaders and the experience of rescuing the calf left for dead gave George perspective on where the burger for his Big Mac or Whopper comes from.

A sportsman is an animal activist. A sportsman takes pride in a successful hunt and shows respect for the animal that will become a meal, but he or she expects the same respect for an animal that ends up as hamburger or steaks from the local grocer. It is easy to look down on animal activists if one is ignorant to the mistreatment of cows on feedlots and the way chickens are housed. George, the hunter from NC, witnessed this first hand. The Black Angus standing in the field may end up as steaks on the grill Friday night, but the least we can do is give it as much respect while it lives and when we decide to harvest it, as we do with the wild game from the field. Remember, we are what we eat.

The Definition of a Sportsman (4 of 7)

A Sportsman is an Environmentalist

This statement presents a conflict to many Westerners who consider themselves sportsmen. They share a mindset that “environmentalists” are a fringe group out to ruin the livelihoods of blue and white-collar Western workers. Brent from the Corvallis area provides evidence of this mindset in the following quote.

“While environmentalists would like to take credit for protecting everything good on earth, sportsmen do more than their share.”

Brent is correct that sportsmen do a lot for maintaining the areas where they recreate. A National Geographic article entitled “Hunters: For Love of the Land” (Nov. 2007) estimated that “hunters contributed 280 million dollars in 2006 to dozens of groups that devote most of their revenue to conservation,” groups like Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. In fact, the article also surmises, “that many species might not survive at all were it not for hunters trying to kill them,” and that “The nation’s 12.5 million hunters have become essentially partners in wildlife management.” So whether Western sportsmen like the title of Environmentalist or not, the proof is in the money; sportsmen are big softies for Mother Nature and that is essentially what an environmentalist is.

Greg Lemon puts it best in quote from, “Blue Man in a Red State”.

“Out here, environmentalists are people who still hunt and fish. They may chain themselves to a tree to keep loggers from cutting it down, but check their freezer and you’ll find steaks from last year’s deer.”

Here are a few of the local issues of environmental consequence that should concern sportsmen.

Drilling on the Rocky Mountain Front
There will be an increased call to allow more coal-bed methane, natural gas, and oil exploration along the Rocky Mountain Front of the United States as the cost of energy continues to rise and with the Bush Administration on its way out. Here are a few questions that need answering: At what point does drilling for fossil fuel trump wildlife and the environment? Is the land only worth what you can extract from it? Who benefits from drilling in the areas where Americans hunt, fish, and hike?

Streamside Setbacks
Streamside development, where structures are built within a few feet of a mountain stream, is an example of an environmentally unfriendly and unsportsman-like activity. A mountain stream naturally moves and changes course from year to year with the spring runoff. Building structures next to a stream leads to eventual streamside stabilization projects like rip-rap which artificially redirect the flow of the river and change the river’s natural local ecology. Montana’s rivers are property of the state and thus every Montanan owns a piece. The sportsmen of Montana have a responsibility to protect this precious resource by installing setbacks in county streamside building permits.

All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)
Operating an ATV in a non-motorized area is not only illegal, but it denudes the land, leaving ruts that increase the extent of erosion during rainstorms or spring runoff. They are also an unnecessary source of noise pollution that can ruin the experience for law-abiding recreationists. ATVs will always be an important part of recreation and hunting in Western States and there will always be places where riding is permitted, but illegal riding and damage to the environment only adds to the call for further restrictions.

In conclusion, a sportsman is an environmentalist. He never disrespects Mother Nature or fouls another man’s experience when entering the realm of the elk and trout. A sportsman understands the value of leaving a small footprint in life because his actions can have a profound effect on the surroundings and the future. Sportsmen are stewards of this planet. We have a responsibility to maintain the health of its animals and land because as Brent puts it, “If we abuse the resources we have, then we also lose what we enjoy most.”

The Definition of a Sportsman (3 of 7)

A Sportsman's Ethics

A sportsman understands that hunting, fishing, riding, and hiking are not rights, but privileges and that there are rules to play by just like with any sport.

License sales are an integral part of improving and maintaining the activities we love. They fund animal population studies, improving stream access sites, education, and law enforcement.

Seasons and bag limits are defined in order to protect game and fish populations in areas where there is hunting and fishing pressure. It protects animals at times during the year when they are giving birth and rearing their young. This ensures that there will be another generation to follow.

Trails are marked “off limits” to ATV and bike traffic in order to reduce the effect motorized vehicles have on the fragile environment. Wilderness campers and hikers are asked to pack out what they bring in for the same reason, to reduce the footprint they leave behind.

Fire bans are implemented during the annual dry summer months when the high country is tinder dry. Following "no campfire" regulations in campgrounds and in national forests reduce the possibility of wild fires starts by humans hands.

As in all cases, there are some bad apples, those that think the rules don’t apply to them. They may call themselves sporting men, but the title of Sportsman is something they have not earned. In fact, there is another name for people that don’t purchase licenses, take animals or fish out of season, or harvest animals above the limit – poachers. Poachers give all sportsmen a bad name. Abusers of the rules do nothing for the sport and hand down bad ethical behavior to the next generation in their family. It is a sportsman’s responsibility to turn in hunters, fishermen, riders, and hikers who practice unethical behavior and to work with game wardens and local authorities to make sure the sporting experience can be had by all.

The Definition of a Sportsman (2 of 7)

The Evolution of a Sportsman

One of the first things a sportsman comes to realize is that he or she is no longer in search of game simply to dress the dinner table. This “need” ended long ago with the urbanization of America and the rise of industrial farming practices. Today, one need only drive to the nearest supermarket or fast food joint to pick up dinner. This is not meant to diminish the experience or importance of the hunt, however. Outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, and hiking continue to teach valuable lessons in ethics and respect for animals and nature. The only change is that hunting now falls solely under the heading of sport.

This is an example of one of the many realizations a young sportsman (hunter, fisher, hiker, etc.) must come to terms with during his maturation. It is a long, stepwise process, a series of evolutions which begins with the curiosity and yearnings of a child, though there need be no correlation with age. This curiosity is fostered under the guidance of a more seasoned sportsman and tested by trial and error. The goal at this stage is simple – to satiate the youth's thirst for knowledge and to harvest one fish, one animal.

Success in the hunt promotes the immature sportsman to the next level. He or she displays the new found talent by “taking” as many animals as possible, in other words, to punch all the tags, catch the limit. It is not about quality at this point, just quantity, because every catch, every kill imparts a bit of wisdom that hones the young hunter’s craft.

Once the rudimentary skill set is laid, the sportsman’s evolution takes on a social dynamic. Originally, maybe it’s blood lust or simple curiosity that motivates the young hunter, but eventually it is a yearning for acceptance among peers, someone to brag to about the latest hunt, the latest fishing escapade. The hunter becomes versed in Boon & Crockett Club scores or knowing the size of the record fish caught on the smallest fly. It's all about catching the most or scoring the biggest trophy. The hunter is skilled in his or her sport, but the continued support from peers necessary to validate the hunter’s ability or social standing is proof that he or she has not yet fully matured in the sport.

The final evolution transcends social acceptance and the “kill” because, as James from Sula, MT puts it, “Killing is such a small part of hunting.” It's about the sport and the ability to keep challenging oneself. A sportsman believes in setting high goals, reaching them, re-evaluating, and then setting higher standards. How else does one explain why sportsmen continue to challenge themselves by stacking the odds in the favor of the quarry (ex: rifle to bow, spinning rod to fly-rod)? The sportsman is invigorated by the constant humility Mother Nature dishes out. She helps the sportsman appreciate every aspect associated with the hunt – craft, nature, communion, solitude, companionship,... She helps redefine “success” in the hunt, completing the evolution of the sportsman.

The Definition of a Sportsman (1 of 7)

What does it mean to be a sportsman? Ask people and you will find that the definition varies with the individual. To one, it refers to someone who is serious about hunting and fishing. To another, it describes a person who is fond of hiking and the outdoors. To a third, it may just be someone interested in athletics. All are valid. But for some people the term takes on more significance. With the title of Sportsman comes a code of ethical conduct, a responsibility to protect the animals and the environment, and the duty to hand down this ideology from one generation to the next. For these few, the title of Sportsman is earned.

Over the next few days, let us look at what it means to be a sportsman and try to dispel some of the conflict between some groups and sporting men. We’ll look at the evolution of a sportsman, a sportsman’s ethics, the sportsman as an environmentalist, the sportsman as an animal activist, and the sportsman’s responsibilities. Please read, share, and evaluate your own definition of what it is to be a sportsman.