America Is Backsliding Toward Its Most Polluted Era

At the risk of being dismissive of people's interests, I've increasingly come to view many hunters and fishers are largely driven by the ego. They don't care if they can hunt or fish in 20 years as long as they can brag to their friend group that they bagged the biggest fish or game. In fact, it'd be better if they no one could hunt/fish in the future because that means they'd hold the "record" indefinitely.

All those pesky rules and regulations are just getting in the way.

Go sit in a bar in hunting country during deer season. You won't hear people talking about how peaceful, relaxing, or enjoyable it was. You either hear (1) them bragging about how big of deer they got (2) how big the deer was that "got away".

Bar talk vs actual experience is a matter of ritual. I picked up hunting late in life, and everyone privately says they love getting out, walking the land, relaxing, etc. But at the 6-8 "happy hours" each night, it's a bragfest. It's just culture.

This is an incredibly bad take. I can't think of a single hunter I've ran across that didn't talk about how peaceful, relaxing and enjoyable hunting is. I don't personally hunt, but all the big hunter personalities such as Joe Rogan, the Meateater crew, etc. constantly harp on the peacefulness of spending time in nature while hunting. My coworkers that hunt rarely talk/brag about what they shoot. Maybe they brag between themselves because the peacefulness and relaxation aspects are givens, everyone in the group understands that.

I only know one active hunter and boy does he brag - if only given the occasion. So maybe the people you mention are just being afraid to be judged for their true ideas? Because either way, you can always go in the nature, and so many people go at least here in Switzerland, and just... go in the nature, spend time in that peaceful environment, period. You don't need a gun and a dead squirrel to be peaceful.

I come from a family of hunters. We have those types, but we also have the types which just love the outdoors. Even the latter type has some manly-man schtick to their love of hunting, but it's partly about spending time with male friends and family. When someone ends up bagging a deer, the meat is shared around the family. Doesn't happen that often, but I look forward to it - I really love the gaminess of wild deer.

With fishing, I've observed a similar trend. There's plenty of people who just really love to geek out about fish (I am one of these), and keep detailed notes of the species they catch, where they caught them, the conditions, the baits/lures used, reading up on their ranges, behaviors, feeding habits, etc. There's other people who really love eating fresh fish, and they aren't into the process and community as much. There's a few ladies in my Chicago fishing group like this (one of whom is a high powered lawyer, as I understand it).

Some of the trophy fishermen want more rules and regulations, these tend to be the Musky fisherman who want their bodies of water to be mandated catch-and-release only.

The MAGA leaning fishermen seem like they can come in any of the above (and more) flavors. I'd be hard pressed to put a number on what % of fishermen I've run into are which types as well, regardless of their politics.

>Go sit in a bar in hunting country during deer season. You won't hear people talking about how peaceful, relaxing, or enjoyable it was. You either hear (1) them bragging about how big of deer they got (2) how big the deer was that "got away".

There is nothing wrong with this. Its isn't mutually exclusive with a love and appreciation and respect for nature.

Yes there is an ego component, and that is OK too. It is a challenge and people derive satisfaction from success and accomplishment. How is it different than people excited about how productive their garden is or how many sweaters they knit for family.

I caught a big fish last weekend. I put in time, thought, and effort and paid off. I was happy and my friends were excited for my success (and dinner).

That doesn't mean I'm some nature hating egomaniac.

>So maybe the people you mention are just being afraid to be judged for their true ideas?

Not at all, the "hunter" types in the US typically are unfiltered and direct and don't hide their thoughts and beliefs.

>Because either way, you can always go in the nature, and so many people go at least here in Switzerland, and just... go in the nature, spend time in that peaceful environment, period.

The fishing/hunting types spend much more time in nature without a gun than with one from what I've been told and seen. There are only a few weeks/months where it is legal to hunt in the US.

Some people brag. This is known. It might be about hunting or knitting or a car. Im not sure why that should have any bearing on the topic. Should everything that people brag about be banned?

I like to go into nature for all sorts of reasons, sometimes it is to enjoy peace, sometimes it is to enjoy peace with a gun and a dead squirrel. sometimes it is to enjoy a challenge with a gun and a dead squirrel, and I don't care about peace. These ideas aren't in competition, they are synergistic.