At Tioga Boar Hunting, we support a community of hunters and outdoorsmen that get along with one another. It’s already tough out there enough and we don’t need hunters that are bickering or yelling at other people. The reason we say this is that of late there’ve been rumblings of hunters not getting along with hikers and vice versa, as pointed out in Hiking Around Midstate PA: A community blog, which attempts to make sense of the division between the two groups.
Jim Foster writes, “It may be because some of us let generalizations overcome what should be natural alliances. Hunters are sometimes called insensitive rednecks who blast indiscriminately at everything that moves. Hikers are sometimes cast as ultraliberal flower children who want to take away everyone’s guns.”
This is clearly wrong, as both groups are unfairly characterized by these generalizations. While there are always bad apples in the bunch, we shouldn’t let our assumptions about others judge how we treat them. All aspects of the ecosystem must be in balance, and that means the relationship between hunters and hikers. Foster believes that we must “police our own ranks and make things better for everyone,” and at Tioga Boar Hunting, we couldn’t agree more.
Hunters out there, what has your experience been like with hikers? Hikers out there, what has your experience been like with hunters? Remember, it is our responsibility to maintain safety out there so everyone can reap the benefits of these wonderful lands. Let us know what you think in the comments below.