They'll wear you down....

[publichunter1]

To Oak, Big Fin, and the rest of you fighting for our land and rights,

Thank you all so much for doing everything you do for all of us. I try to send my help is much as possible but it doesn't come close to the things you all do. My two boys, new baby girl, and I are all indebted you.

 

[Nameless Range]

Words of thanks are somewhat hollow, but thanks for what you do. It feels like in a lot of arenas the tide is turning because of people like you.

 

[Nameless Range]

This thread is 5 years old, but I think about it often, and what may have prompted it. So much so that I searched for it today.

The wife and I sit down monthly and map things out on our shared google calendar for the coming few weeks, and last night I sensed a bit of consternation in her when I pinged half a dozen evenings for "meetings". I'm not even that busy compared to so many, but it doesn't feel good to add friction to your family's life.

I also often think of Randy's words: "Conservation is not convenient."

Hope you are doing well @Oak !

 

[Irrelevant]

I will admit after being inspired by many here, @Oak included, I dove into local conservation head first.

But after less than 3 years, I swam to the edge of the pool, climbed out, and walked away. Fighting and losing, and fighting again, and losing again, while fighting against the aggression on all sides, just wore me plumb out... way faster than I would have thought. When even people on the same side of an issue can't agree, and money gets wasted, and doesn't get raised, and people let you down... It's kinda like advocacy is a river and you're a pebble, not only do you often lose to the mightier force, but it's constantly wearing you down, from boulder, to cobble, to gravel, then sand, and eventually you just wash away.

My hats off to those stronger individuals still in the pool, still fighting against the tide of greed and "progress"

 

[shoots-straight]

I will admit after being inspired by many here, @Oak included, I dove into local conservation head first.

But after less than 3 years, I swam to the edge of the pool, climbed out, and walked away. Fighting and losing, and fighting again, and losing again, while fighting against the aggression on all sides, just wore me plumb out... way faster than I would have thought. When even people on the same side of an issue can't agree, and money gets wasted, and doesn't get raised, and people let you down... It's kinda like advocacy is a river and you're a pebble, not only do you often lose to the mightier force, but it's constantly wearing you down, from boulder, to cobble, to gravel, then sand, and eventually you just wash away.

My hats off to those stronger individuals still in the pool, still fighting against the tide of greed and "progress"

it's kinda turned into a way of life. You pace yourself, do what you can, and remember.
" Father, give us courage to change what must be altered, serenity to accept what cannot be helped, and the insight to know the one from the other.
My motivation has grown sense the beginning of this thread.

 

[bullbugle307]

I'm trying to jump back in, and it's already been a headache. First working group meeting got completely hijacked to the point it was ended. Second was canceled. I swear to God if I drive 70 miles one way for an evening meeting after going to work at 3 am and the next one turns out like the first one, I'm gonna be pissed.

 

[shoots-straight]

I'm trying to jump back in, and it's already been a headache. First working group meeting got completely hijacked to the point it was ended. Second was canceled. I swear to God if I drive 70 miles one way for an evening meeting after going to work at 3 am and the next one turns out like the first one, I'm gonna be pissed.

At a min. look on the FW&P's page and see what they are "KINDA" pushing for changes in HD's you're familiar with. Make sure you send in your viewpoint addressing those changes. THIS is more important than making the meetings. Flood the comments on every HD you can.

 

[Ben Lamb]

“One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast....a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much; I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those desk-bound men and women with their hearts in a safe deposit box, and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this; You will outlive the bastards.”
― Edward Abbey

The work will be here after folks replenish themselves. Take the time to enjoy what you fight for, and remember, if you tap out, you tap someone else in. While Buzz does rightly say that 1% do the heavy lifting for th 99%, part of that lift is to help develop the next round of advocates and help them be better than we were before them. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon and the work never stops. The same forces that were battling over the conservation of wildlife in Theodore Roosevelt's day are still fighting today.

So take a rest, enjoy your life and get back in the fight when your cup runneth over again.

In the decade or so that I've been on this site, I've seen leaders emerge in a lot of states where I didn't think it would be possible. People like @Nameless Range, @neffa3, @Schaaf, @MTelkHuntress, @BuzzH, @Zach, @COEngineer and so many more.

Thanks, Newberg.

 

[BuzzH]

The work will be here after folks replenish themselves. Take the time to enjoy what you fight for, and remember, if you tap out, you tap someone else in. While Buzz does rightly say that 1% do the heavy lifting for th 99%, part of that lift is to help develop the next round of advocates and help them be better than we were before them. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon and the work never stops. The same forces that were battling over the conservation of wildlife in Theodore Roosevelt's day are still fighting today.

So take a rest, enjoy your life and get back in the fight when your cup runneth over again.

In the decade or so that I've been on this site, I've seen leaders emerge in a lot of states where I didn't think it would be possible. People like @Nameless Range, @neffa3, @Schaaf, @MTelkHuntress, @BuzzH, @Zach, @COEngineer and so many more.

Thanks, Newberg.

Great post...thank you too Ben, you've helped me and others a ton.

On that note, heading to the rifle range for a couple hours, wind picked up enough to make it interesting.

 

[bullbugle307]

At a min. look on the FW&P's page and see what they are "KINDA" pushing for changes in HD's you're familiar with. Make sure you send in your viewpoint addressing those changes. THIS is more important than making the meetings. Flood the comments on every HD you can.

In this case, I'm actually on the working group, so attendance isn't optional.

Generally good advice though.

 

[Oak]

Hope you are doing well @Oak !

I'm still here. Almost threw in the towel a month ago. Nothing has really changed. The wins are few and far between. I was sitting here just now trying to think of what the last one was. I really think there might have been a small victory a couple of months ago, but for the life of me I can't remember. Inertia bogs the system down. Politics, money, complacency, ignorance. The world is getting smaller, and our wildlife and wild places are going to be some of the biggest losers.

"Partnership" is the new buzzword used to describe the stakeholder effort to give everyone more access, more trails, more recreational revenue, while maintaining the wildlife for which we advocate. Once you enter into a partnership, you have conceded a portion of what you're trying to save. The rest is a negotiation about what remains and what is sacrificed. It's a double-edged sword. If you don't participate in the partnership, you have no voice in the decision-making process. If you do participate, then you've signed off on the sacrifice.

I'll tell you one thing. Those who have a financial interest in the outcome are much more effective than those who are just wondering how many preference points it's going to take them to draw their next hunting tag.

That's my motivational speech for today. Now go out there and do some good! Thanks to all of those mentioned above, and those not mentioned, who continue to fight the good fight.

 

[Ben Lamb]

And a huge thanks to @Oak for always being the man in the arena!

 

[noharleyyet]

Oak is a formidable cornerman on multiple levels...much appreciated my friend.

 

[Irrelevant]

I'm still here. Almost threw in the towel a month ago. Nothing has really changed. The wins are few and far between. I was sitting here just now trying to think of what the last one was. I really think there might have been a small victory a couple of months ago, but for the life of me I can't remember. Inertia bogs the system down. Politics, money, complacency, ignorance. The world is getting smaller, and our wildlife and wild places are going to be some of the biggest losers.

"Partnership" is the new buzzword used to describe the stakeholder effort to give everyone more access, more trails, more recreational revenue, while maintaining the wildlife for which we advocate. Once you enter into a partnership, you have conceded a portion of what you're trying to save. The rest is a negotiation about what remains and what is sacrificed. It's a double-edged sword. If you don't participate in the partnership, you have no voice in the decision-making process. If you do participate, then you've signed off on the sacrifice.

I'll tell you one thing. Those who have a financial interest in the outcome are much more effective than those who are just wondering how many preference points it's going to take them to draw their next hunting tag.

That's my motivational speech for today. Now go out there and do some good! Thanks to all of those mentioned above, and those not mentioned, who continue to fight the good fight.

I'll drink to that.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Great post...thank you too Ben, you've helped me and others a ton.

On that note, heading to the rifle range for a couple hours, wind picked up enough to make it interesting.

And guys like @tjones & @shoots-straight taught me.

We pass on the knowledge & the will to fight.

 

[rtraverdavis]

I’ve had my head up my ass the last couple months, and I’m grateful this thread (which I’ve thought about over the years as well) has re-emerged. I needed to reread it.

Time to dive back in beyond just phone calls and letters. Thanks to the conservation heavy hitters on Hunt Talk. I’ve learned a ton from you guys.

 

[westbranch]

I was on a deer planning team/committee in MN back in 2015. Pretty sure I never want to do that again between the travelling, meetings and feeling like minimal impact in the end because it seemed like there were pre-determined outcomes.

Even just writing emails/commenting on topics can be wearing but all the info shared here on HT helps make it easier. And motivates to get back into things at times.

Currently I am the treasurer for a statewide (Idaho) non profit that does cool conservation work around Idaho but is relatively unknown. No fundraisers or banquets that require pulling teeth to have people involved. Have got to know some very committed people that are involved in a lot of different ways. Which also helps with the motivation.

 

[jryoung]

My cup gets drained often, but it's the folks here on HT that get me to fill it up again. A bunch of over-achievers that remind me there is always more to do. Even if it's little, and subtle.....it's something that's more than nothing.

Meanwhile CA just rushed legislation through that is a kick to the nuts for R3 unless it gets cleaned up.

 

[Ben Long]

Burn-out is real. I think of Poz, who fought for so long and always with a smile on his face. He taught me a phrase. "Sometimes, you have to take a pause for the cause." In other words, take care of yourselves! The fight will be there. But it's a long march up the mountain.

 

[vanish]

Any tips for working folk to be involved?

I tried for a couple of years and just found that since most of the meetings of any importance occurred during working hours, it felt impossible to really contribute. My schedule just isn't that flexible.