Whether it is the DNR’s unwillingness to push back against anti-hunters and those spreading misinformation about wolves at meetings or the appropriation of Native American culture when convenient to try and circumvent biology — slowly, your rights as a trapper, beagler and hounder are being undermined.

By Nick Green

This article was originally published in the 2022 Summer Edition of Michigan Out-of-Doors.

Barooh, baroooooooh, brooooooo, barooooh.

The pack of beagles came baying through my yard early on March 26 hot on the trail of a bunny who used my acreage as its escape route.

Living across from a state game area, I am used to unexpected intrusions and visitors ending up on my lawn. That day, though, the beagles gave my wife and I a bit of a surprise as we were still lounging in bed waiting to decide what the day might bring.

As soon as I figured out what was going on, I had my camera in my hands, gave my wife a kiss and was making new friends. Beagling and bunny hunting are endeavors I have almost no experience with. Being a dog person and someone who is invested in my hunting pursuits because they involve dogs, I was intrigued.

Maybe it was that beaglers and bunny hunting are always on the antis’ hit list (secondary only to hound hunters for bear in Michigan and trappers). Something about this, what I thought was secretive, way of life intrigued me and I had to have a look for myself that Saturday morning.

Despite it being rabbit season and the gentlemen I met being avid beagle owners, none of them carried a firearm. In fact, when I asked if they did much rabbit hunting, they all looked at me like I was crazy.

“Most of us do this stuff because we love the dogs, the people and the culture,” one of them said. “We don’t need to kill things to make this enjoyable for this or our dogs.”

anti-huntin

While I understood their intentions were good, I dug deeper. “Don’t you think that kind of feeds into the antis’ narrative in some ways, though,” I said. What I meant was that if the gatekeepers of this dying art (beagling) aren’t honoring the tradition wholly, how do we expect it to be carried on?

After some time and some debate, we all came to the understanding that it is imperative beagling, trapping, hounding and the “unpopular,” if you will, forms of hunting are preserved and maintained so that the next generation of conservationists will have a full and complete picture of Michigan’s hunting, fishing and trapping legacy.

What concerned us most were the politics playing into the management of our natural resources. It’s an issue I thought was only visible to those of us ingrained in the conservation world — to my surprise, it’s not.

It seems that appeasing a certain base or ensuring that only a certain set of priorities are being pursued rather than considering what is holistically good for the resource and those who fund and care deeply for conservation.

A theme that resonated throughout the day was the idea that no one issue or thing will be the end of hounding, beagling or trapping — it will be a slow end that many won’t even realize is happening. It will be death by thousand cuts.

Whether it is the DNR’s unwillingness to push back against anti-hunters and those spreading misinformation about wolves at meetings or the appropriation of Native American culture when convenient to try and circumvent biology — slowly, your rights as a trapper, beagler and hounder are being undermined.

anti-hunting

We can not be complacent in this death. Our state agency can not be complacent in this death. As a hunter or angler, even if you don’t trap, you can not be complacent in this death.

Our hounders and beaglers need you. Those who enjoy the “less popular” outdoor pursuits need you.

The Humane Society of the United States is one of only two signed up to testify at Thursday’s Natural Resources Commission meeting on the topic of trapping.

Since 1937, Michigan United Conservation Clubs has protected your rights to hunt, fish and trap. Since 1947, MUCC has published Michigan Out-of-Doors Magazine. Please help us protect, conserve and defend your rights to hunt, fish and trap by clicking here.