From the City to the Woods: An African American Family's Hunting Experience
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From the City to the Woods: An African American Family's Hunting Experience
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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781504903417 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 04/29/2015 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 80 |
| File size: | 23 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
From the City to the Woods
An African American Family's Hunting Experience
By Donny R. Adair
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2015 Donny R. AdairAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5049-0340-0
CHAPTER 1
Why Do People Hunt
There are many reasons why people hunt animals. For some, it's about the preparation and the chase to outsmart an animal in the wild. Others hunt to kill and eat meat and poultry that is organic, leaner than farm-raised and has no man-made additives. Many hunters enjoy developing skills with firearms, archery equipment and traps. You should give some serious thought as to why you are interested in hunting. Does killing bother you? Will you have guilt or regrets if you kill an animal, whether large or small game? Will you consume the meat? How do you feel about hunting for sport or trophies? Will you hunt predators or dangerous game?
Many hunters believe that they are helping to keep nature in balance by making sure that wild animals do not exceed the carrying capacity of the land. In places where we hunt like the state of Mississippi, traffic accidents between vehicles and deer are the number one cause of injuries and deaths. It is an agricultural environment where deer thrive. In southern states like Texas, Florida and out west in California, hogs are overrunning the land and causing havoc on farms, ranches and other rural properties. In those states, and states like Oregon, there is no license required to kill hogs and they can be hunted with any firearm or bow.
A successful hunt is the culmination of applying many outdoor skills. People find hunting interesting because you have to learn about the query you are hunting. The history of the species, the environment, folklore, weather, appropriate hunting methods, game laws, camping, survival skills, first aid, and preservation of harvested game are just some of the topics, which must be addressed. This is what intrigues me the most. I have spent the last 40 years developing a body of hunting knowledge and I have just scratched the surface. It's an on-going challenge. That's why I hunt.
Many hunters got their start by hunting grandpa's or uncle Joe's farm. I, like many African Americans, grew up in an urban environment. I grew up in Portland, Oregon. However, my grandfather, Appleton Charles (A.C.) Adair, who raised me, and my uncle, Bill Anfield, exposed me to the outdoors. I mention him by name because Uncle Bill and Charles Kelly, one of the famous fishing Kelly brothers, were known far and wide as the best Crappie fishermen in the northwest. They were expert fishermen. They focused their efforts on warm water species such as bass, catfish, crappies and blue gills. Of these, the crappie was the most coveted because it is the tastiest fish to many; and, they could be caught by the hundreds when you can locate a feeding school. My uncle always had a firearm, a pistol, but he did not hunt. My grandfather did not hunt either. This is a typical experience of many African Americans growing up in an urban setting.
My introduction to firearms really came from my mother. She worked in clubs at night and carried a .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol in her purse all the time. We were told not to touch it without permission. By the time I was a teenager she had taught me how to safely load and unload the gun and how to fire it. When I got in to college and began purchasing my own guns, "Moms" (family nickname) would ask me to clean her gun and fire it, since she did not get to the country very much. When she passed away in 2008 we discovered a .22 caliber 8-shot revolver on the floor near the head of her bed. There was also a wooden mallet I made in the 8th grade (1964). I guess if the 8 rounds were not enough, she would have beaten an intruder over the head with the mallet. The last of "Moms" gun legacy was the final day we were cleaning her house to sell it. The kids and other family members cleaning the attic discovered a Winchester 94 Lever Action Rifle brand new in the box! Yes, a 30-30 caliber 1968 Buffalo Bill Cody Replica, which had never been fired. Perfect for our hunts in the dense forest of western Oregon for black-tailed deer.
I got my start hunting oddly enough when I was attending college at the University of Oregon in Eugene in 1968. I befriended some brothers (a term of endearment for African American men, who are not necessarily related by blood), who were the Eugene Chapter of the Black Panther Party. They invited me to go hunting with them for deer in the Coast Range Mountains between Eugene, Oregon and the Pacific Ocean. We harvested deer, processed the animals and gave most of the meat to local low income residents, particularly single mothers and elderly.
After college I returned to live in Portland. I could not find any Black hunting partners. So I hunted alone for a few years then quit hunting altogether. I started hunting again when my sons became ages 11 and 12, to expose them to the sport. They had fished with me for years and been exposed to firearms as early as age 6 by their grandfather in Mississippi during their long summer visits.
CHAPTER 2Why Don't Black People and Others Hunt?
The numbers of all hunters and shooters in the U.S. was shrinking for years. The number of gun owners recently began to increase, even in the face of some terrible tragedies involving deranged gunmen. The reason for this was the political scare and fear campaign, which alleged that President Barrack Obama was going to implement legislation that would decrease access by private citizens to guns and/ or ammunition.
The first question in my mind was what does the demographic data show about the ethnicity of hunters in the United States? According to the most recent data provided by the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife here is the breakdown.
Hunters by Race and Ethnicity
• 13.7 million total hunters
• 12.9 million white 94%
• 0.3 million Latino 2.1%
• 0.4 million African American 2.9%
• 0.3 million other 2.1%
• 0.1 million Asian 0.7%
(Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Based on demographic data and trends some of the shooting and hunting industry leaders, such as the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), have adopted objectives to increase the number of African American and Latino hunters and shooters. I participated in workshops at their Annual Shot Show, which is the largest firearms industry trade show in the world.
Now personally, I think that we (African Americans) may be under counted. Black people are often suspicious of survey questionnaires and don't respond, especially if they would have to divulge things like gun ownership.
CHAPTER 3Reasons African Americans Don't Hunt
The reaction to our website and Facebook page for African American Hunting Association is interesting. While most who blog or post on our sites are experienced hunters, it is obvious that many African Americans have not been exposed to hunting. They want to find hunting partners or clubs in their area. In some cases they have been hunting alone, or with a small group of friends who may be of other ethnic groups. Here is a recent email that is typical:
Howdy Mr. Adair,
As you can see below, my name is Charles Simien; I live in El Paso, TX and hunt Texas, New Mexico and the state of Chihuahua, MX. I usually hunt with Hispanics out here, even though I have one Black hunting buddy, who no longer hunts. Of course on the other side of Texas, I hunt with my family. There are several gun shows in the area where I see a smattering of other Black folk; many do not talk with me, like they would get smeared with blackness. Most Black folk are very urban oriented, don't believe in owning guns, think that eating game is icky and I must be crazy for hunting.
That said, I love hunting and would like to pass the tradition on to other Black youth. Give me a shout out if you would.
Charles L. Simien
CHAPTER 4Summary of Reasons Why I Think Black people don't hunt.
• We live mostly in urban settings
• Less land ownership
• Media connections with firearms and crime
• Our parents did not introduce kids to the sport
• Economic issues
• Criminal record – cannot own firearms
An obvious reason many Blacks don't hunt is that we live predominantly in cities. During the 20th century we migrated from the plantations and farms of the south to the industrial complex of the northeast, mid-west and western United States. As part of the migration and aging of those who stayed in the rural environment, rural land ownership by Blacks decreased. The access to land by Blacks for hunting is also made more difficult by the national trend in the general population of private landowner restrictions. Many hunters are now leasing hunting rights on private property.
Throughout the United States there are public land hunting opportunities. National Forests, federal wildlife refuges and wilderness areas are open to hunters. Many of the states also have publicly managed wildlife refuges as well. Here in the west many of the timber companies that freely gave access to their forests are now requiring a fee. States like Oregon still have cooperative travel access on hundreds of thousands of acres on private lands.
Many African Americans have had either no experiences with firearms or negative experiences. There is a history of violence that is hard to ignore from Jim Crow lynchings and inner–city drive bye shootings. Recent shooting incidences involving white citizens and police officers shooting and killing Black citizens have been well publicized and are being protested throughout the country. The most asked question I get on my website and blog is "Is it safe to go out in the woods?" Many people say they are scared of "White Folks".
The media's treatment of gun ownership and hunting gives a negative image of African Americans. Most programs on television only depict Blacks with guns involved in criminal activity. The absence of African Americans in positive settings with firearms, such as target shooting or hunting, is noted. In fact, some say the TV channels portray hunting as a "red neck sport". Rarely is there an article or even a picture of an African American hunting in regional or national magazines. In the November 2010 issue of Outside Magazine there was a 4-page article on the African American Hunting Association I founded. It had a picture of my son Donnell Chocolate Adair in a Mississippi Swamp that we were hunting near the home of my in-laws in the Delta. We believe that was the first national article ever on Black hunters.
Many African Americans, being raised in the urban environment, do not get introduced to hunting by their parents. Many states, like my home state of Oregon, do not hold hunter education classes in the inner city. However, hunting clubs are increasing the opportunity for inner-city kids to get exposed to all manner of outdoor experience. You will have to investigate your local area to see what gun clubs, archery clubs and youth clubs are doing to provide hunter education and orientation.
Some Black gun hunters and non-hunters have declined to take up archery in states, which do not allow you to carry a pistol as a back up for safety. Some say the reason is not that they think a bear might get them; but they fear people. I have to confess that I have hunted in rural areas in the west close to where white supremacists live. My sons and I are heavily armed when we do. I have said to them when we split up sometimes, "If you come upon a group of guys at a camp fire and it is in the shape of a cross; don't stop and ask to warm up your hands at their fire".
Another major reason that African Americans don't hunt is the cost, especially if you are doing it as a hobby or sport. My wife grew up in rural Mississippi. Her father brought home wild game, including small game like squirrels and raccoons (coons is really the correct pronunciation) and large game like deer and wild hogs. It only cost him the price of a used gun and some .22 caliber bullets, which were used by this expert marksman. An old pickup or car was the only vehicle needed, if any.
This is the typical experience of people who were raised or live in the country, regardless of race or ethnicity. Even if you didn't live there you may have gotten your first hunts on your grandpa's, uncles/aunt's or other relative's farm or property. Often the fish and wildlife rules may have been stretched to feed the family. My wife grew up thinking that you only hunted at night. I found out why when we visited my in-laws in the fall years ago. Each night my father-in-law would disappear in to the woods just before dark and return well after dark with some kind of game to be skinned.
The costs associated with hunting may vary, but you can bet you are going to have to invest some bucks if you want to do it legally, safely and effectively. You will have to obtain at least one firearm (probably a rifle) or bow, ammunition and proper clothing for the weather and game you will be hunting. If you select archery as your method of hunting, you will need to purchase a bow, arrows, a range finder and a good case. I prefer a hard case, for protecting my bow. You will need a vehicle or you will have to contribute to transportation if you travel with a buddy. Most importantly, you must purchase the required license and tags from the state or country that you will hunt. In the year that I hunted Oregon, Alaska and Mississippi I spent several hundred dollars just on the papers in my back pocket. I will discuss the costs of hunting more in some of the following chapters on how to jumpstart your hunting hobby.
Last but not least, one of the reasons that African Americans don't hunt is because they have a criminal record, are on parole or probation, and may be prohibited from possessing a firearm. A disproportionate number of African Americans have had some involvement with the criminal justice system as a juvenile or an adult. However, in many states, like my home state of Oregon, there is a statute that allows you to petition the court to be allowed to possess a firearm for hunting. This will cost you a filing fee, which is currently about $275.00.
Those are some of the reasons that Black people have shared with me and that I have discovered why they haven't considered or tried the hunting and shooting sports that I, and many people, enjoy so much. I'm sure you have heard many others.
CHAPTER 5Is hunting for you? Make up your mind.
This will be a short chapter, the reason being is that this may be a point at which you $%@# or get off the proverbial pot. Hunting is not for everyone. Although my family and I believe you should eat what you kill; I understand and accept hunting for sport and trophies. As long as the game meat is not wasted (which is required by law) and given to someone who can use it, I'm cool with people hunting for sport or trophies. Also, I encourage people to try target shooting with gun or bow. It can be fun and offers competitive challenges. I shoot trap with my 12-gauge shotgun at least 2 or 3 times a month. I don't advocate to anyone that they should hunt. However, I do share my love for guns, bows, shooting and the challenge of harvesting something good for the table.
CHAPTER 6Hunter education is the first thing you need to do!
It is imperative that anyone who wants to learn how to hunt or to shoot to get some instruction from a competent instructor. All youth under the age of 18 must take a hunter education course, pass a test and be certified by a state wildlife agency to legally hunt big game. It is a good idea, even if the youth is only going to hunt small game. Also hunter education may be required of young adults over 18 born after a certain date. Check your state regulations. In addition hunters of any age are required to have hunter-ed certification to purchase out of state licenses in some states. If you are traveling out of state to hunt, check before you leave. Most states, like our home state of Oregon, list the hunter-ed certification right on your hunting license. So if you travel, take your home state license with you as proof.
I took and passed the highest level of courses to obtain a certification of Master Hunter. That allows me access to some exclusive draws hunts. For example, I drew a late season hunt for a cow elk in northwestern Oregon, which allows me to hunt until mid-March. There are only 10 or 11 of these tags available to Master Hunters only. Oregon has an emergency hunt program. When you sign up by county to help control animals, which are damaging property or livestock, Master Hunters' names are listed at the top of the list. They receive opportunities to conduct emergency hunts first.
My final and most important reasons why hunter education is such an important issue are safety, safety and safety. Oh did I say safety? Don't put a firearm in your hand if you don't know how to safely use it. Also, you need to understand the responsibility that goes with firearm safety, including keeping others from accessing and using your firearm(s) without your consent. Bows are just as deadly and should be regarded as a weapon just as you would a gun. All weapons should be lock and stored properly in a safe or at least use trigger locking devices so they cannot be fired by anyone without your consent.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from From the City to the Woods by Donny R. Adair. Copyright © 2015 Donny R. Adair. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Contents
1. Why Do People Hunt, 1,2. Why Don't Black People and Others Hunt?, 6,
3. Reasons African Americans Don't Hunt, 9,
4. Summary of Reasons Why I Think Black people don't hunt, 10,
5. Is hunting for you? Make up your mind, 16,
6. Hunter education is the first thing you need to do!, 17,
7. Make it a family affair, 19,
8. Equipment ... what should you buy?, 21,
9. Hunting Methods, 26,
10. Guns and Optics for beginners, 30,
11. Archery Equipment, 37,
12. Other Essential Gear, 40,
13. Practice makes perfect, 42,
14. Finding hunting partners and forming relationships, 43,
15. Sam's bear, 49,
16. Outfitters and Guides, 51,
17. Preserving your game in the field, 53,
18. Enjoy the great table fare of the outdoors, 55,
19. Conservation and Ethics, 57,
20. Just for fun – Bigfoot; is it real?, 62,
21. Surf and Turf, 65,
22. Stampede, 67,
23. Final thoughts, 69,
24. Hunting and Shooting Resources, 72,