Raising the Next Generation
Hayden Martin for SPLIT REED
Photos Courtesy Matt Carey
Respect and reverence are two terms that, historically, have gone hand in hand with taking an animal’s life to provide for yourself or your family. However, with the rise of social media, influencers, and “living for the like,” respect and reverence for animals seem to have been lost in translation. Unfortunately, it is becoming more common for people who know better to post pictures and videos where they are hunting and treating animals unethically for likes and attention on social media platforms. They do not take into account that the generations coming after them are taking notes and will mimic their antics with their friends because they saw someone with a following doing it online. How do we break this sad and disappointing trend so future generations of waterfowl hunters and hunters, in general, will be able to enjoy this way of life?
Shawn Swearingen is a lifelong woodsman who is navigating this landscape whilst seeking out new ways to teach his sons how to respect the animals they harvest. He began his venture into waterfowl hunting out in the Willamette Valley of western Oregon before he could walk by going on hunts with his dad. “By the age of either five or six, I would put on my Harvey Brothers rain gear and go sit on a bucket with my dad and his buddies. When we were not hunting with his buddies, Dad and I would go to the river or dairy farm ponds where I would shoot mallards and grass ducks with a single-shot 20 gauge as a preteen.” Through these hunts with his dad, Swearingen was able to be educated on proper and ethical manners to treat ducks in and out of the field. Now by passing down wisdom received from his dad to his sons, he ensures that they will be ethical hunters and not fall victim to the harmful methods being portrayed on social media today.
Basic Traits to Consider in the Field
Woodsmanship - Be observant of your surroundings and have situational awareness. Watch and listen to the birds. Take note of the farming practices being done with the land you are being allowed to hunt on, if you’re on a hunting lease or a private farm.
Respect - This covers everyone from the property owners to the general public and other hunters you encounter or hunt with.
“Aggressively Friendly” towards others on public land - Always be an effective communicator with a positive attitude. Ask where others are going when you cross paths so you are not setting up too close to them or invite them along if you hit it off.
“As you scroll through your feeds, what you are seeing are the highlight reels with maybe a handful, if that, of learning experiences where the hunts did not work out the way the hunters expected. Be cognitive that what you see online is not what you will get. This is where you create your own experiences and make do with what you have. Learn and grow through the process while figuring out what works best and what works for you.” It is never too early to familiarize your kids with reasonable expectations for their hunting experiences. Demonstrate the way you prepare and process each animal with respect and reverence. Utilize as much of the animal as possible, including saving the organ meat for meals or dog treats, feathers for dog training, or even flies for fly fishing. Answer any and all of their questions in a manner that they are able to form the complete picture.
Ethical Rules to Live By
Do not take a shot where you cannot recover the bird. This includes sky-bustin’ at wads flying overhead as the crippled birds could sail beyond where you can get to.
If you shoot a cripple, mark and retrieve the downed bird immediately. Do not lose sight of the bird and allow it to swim or fly away wounded.
Shoot your lane. Shoot your lane. Shoot your lane.
Be respectful of other hunters in your blind.
Do not be a bird hog when claiming birds at the end of the hunt.
You are not better or above anyone else who hunts. Everyone brings their own knowledge and experience to each hunt.
As hunters, we are called to be a steward of the land and animals we have been blessed with, and when one person misappropriates social media, the whole community as well as future generations suffer the consequences. However, you have the ability to be an example for others and for your children as you raise them up to have ethical and moral standards. Be part of the reason your children and their children are able to hunt in the years to come after you are gone.
Click on Hayden to find him on Instagram