Conservationist

[Five Seasons]

I hope many of us view ourselves as not just hunters or sportsman, but outdoorsman. I hope many of us appreciate and value the peace and beauty of the great outdoors. I believe we should be even more appreciative as our pheasant fields are turned into walmarts, and our golf courses built around our creeks.

Anyhow, I don't understand why we leave behind the garbage that we do. I constantly pick up water and beer bottles near the public land I hunt left behind by fellow hunters. I also don't understand why a mostly conservative group tends to be the loudest voice against environmental regulations aimed at reducing pollution. Regardless of your opinion on global warming, anything we can do to preserve our earth should be welcomed. What we've already done with regards to polluted soil and water is fact. I know many of us remember not being allowed to eat the fish out of the Great Lakes.

Please guys, as a group we need to do our part to keep are woods and our waters clean.

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[NFA-ADK]

So true Belo!  As a hunter and sportsman I consider myself a conservationist.  It is a shame how polluted our land and waters have become.   Never understood why people litter so much, if you bring it in carry it out!

[the_narrows]

Couldn't agree more.  In addition to hunting, I love hiking, backpacking, and mountain biking, and I wish that leave no trace ethics were more prevalent in the hunting community.  Most hunters surely behave well in the woods, but there are certainly a few who make a mess, bury their toilet paper, rather than carry it out.  

 

Perhaps our motto should be "Leave only footprints, take only wildlife."

[growalot]

 I know what you mean...lake and reservoir shores around here are always a mess with line and all kinds of stuff, our land looked like a dump site for a bar and gun club ..20 yrs later still finding beer bottles ,shell casings and clay pigeons...

I always try to find my casings after shooting and never leave anything at the lakes..

 

It only takes a moment to be careful and clean up ....but it can take days for what ever eats or gets caught up in your garbage to slowly die.

 

This I will be repeating Often to our Grandson

[DCHunts]

Most hunters surely behave well in the woods, but there are certainly a few who make a mess, bury their toilet paper, rather than carry it out.

Perhaps our motto should be "Leave only footprints, take only wildlife."

Now I agree with everything said as far as bottles, cans, wrappers, coffee cups, empty bottles of "buck bomb". Anything along those lines should be carried out. But are you seriously telling me you carry out your used toilet paper, rather than bury it? That is beyond unreasonable. You do understand that toilet paper breaks down in oh about one good rain shower?

I'm all for conservation but when I have to "go" in the woods the used TP ain't coming with me.

[stoneam2006]

Balloons marking tape and drink containers among my most picked up garbge..insane how much you find even when thought to be deeper than most tend to go....I was talking to a guy this past Saturday and he was telling me of a property he had hunted that the owner has banned everyone because of the trash left behind...I don't get it the garbage weighs less going out then in so it's easier to carry anyways. Some will never get it

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[the_narrows]

But are you seriously telling me you carry out your used toilet paper, rather than bury it? That is beyond unreasonable. You do understand that toilet paper breaks down in oh about one good rain shower?

 

Yes.  If I bring toilet paper (for my kids), I pack it out in ziplock bags.  

 

Having lived out west, I've seen evidence of month's if not year's worth of toilet paper on common hiking trails and even some frequently used off-trail areas.  Even in areas of higher rainfall, it takes months, not days for toilet paper to break down.  That's not something to endeavor to leave in the woods for the next outdoorsman to find.

 

Now, in my case, being an ultralight backpacking nerd, I solve this problem at the "source" and don't pack toilet paper.  The "water and left hand" process is practiced all over the world, and results in a squeaky clean bottom.  Ask any serviceman to show you.  Well, actually, maybe don't.  Just google it, or click here:  http://ultralightbackpackintips.blogspot.com/2012/09/liberate-yourself-from-toilet-paper.html

 

Not saying you have to do it, but really, pretty easy.

[EspressoBuzz]

Shotgun shells annoy me the most, I often wonder why anyone would want to see their own trash next time they go out.

[fasteddie]

It's not just the woods that are being trashed . Volunteers pick up trash thrown out of vehicles along the highways . You see the Orange trash bags filled up ready for pickup . In a few days the highway is trashed again . What the hell is wrong with people . Nothing but SLOBS ! 

[turkeyfeathers]

Yes. If I bring toilet paper (for my kids), I pack it out in ziplock bags.

Having lived out west, I've seen evidence of month's if not year's worth of toilet paper on common hiking trails and even some frequently used off-trail areas. Even in areas of higher rainfall, it takes months, not days for toilet paper to break down. That's not something to endeavor to leave in the woods for the next outdoorsman to find.

Now, in my case, being an ultralight backpacking nerd, I solve this problem at the "source" and don't pack toilet paper. The "water and left hand" process is practiced all over the world, and results in a squeaky clean bottom. Ask any serviceman to show you. Well, actually, maybe don't. Just google it, or click here: http://ultralightbackpackintips.blogspot.com/2012/09/liberate-yourself-from-toilet-paper.html

Not saying you have to do it, but really, pretty easy.

Taco Bell the night before. I'll leave my feces and camo TP in the woods thank you.

[cdmckane]

Yes.  If I bring toilet paper (for my kids), I pack it out in ziplock bags.  

 

Having lived out west, I've seen evidence of month's if not year's worth of toilet paper on common hiking trails and even some frequently used off-trail areas.  Even in areas of higher rainfall, it takes months, not days for toilet paper to break down.  That's not something to endeavor to leave in the woods for the next outdoorsman to find.

 

Now, in my case, being an ultralight backpacking nerd, I solve this problem at the "source" and don't pack toilet paper.  The "water and left hand" process is practiced all over the world, and results in a squeaky clean bottom.  Ask any serviceman to show you.  Well, actually, maybe don't.  Just google it, or click here:  http://ultralightbackpackintips.blogspot.com/2012/09/liberate-yourself-from-toilet-paper.html

 

Not saying you have to do it, but really, pretty easy.

 

As a vet, I have NEVER used the "water and left hand" process.  I always used toilet paper and, according to Army Doctrine, dug a hole and buried it. 

[Marion]

That water and left hand is absolutely disgusting and quite honestly pretty animalistic and savage of you. Hope you wear a rubber glove. The least you could do is use a damn leaf

You Can't Beat My Meat!

[hunter49]

 Between the plastic bags , bottles, & other plastic containers we are killing ourselves & our earth. These things don't break down. We see them in trees ,ditches, along & on fences it's disgusting.  I carry in & carry out & pick up other trash on the way out. I feel we need to promote the "Don't litter" law & enforce it like it used to be back in the 60's & 70s! I hate when I see people (mostly teens) throw out Mickey D & other fast food trash out of their cars. I have already pulled next to cars at traffic lights & told them they dropped thrash from their cars & should be picked up when I see this happen. But now days you might get shot!

[Skillet]

I always pick up a couple pieces of trash when I'm out there. In a bad area, me removing a can or bag isn't going to make a big difference, but it's the right thing to do. If more of us picked up just 1 piece of trash on every trip out there....

To me, it's a show of respect to nature, & the creatures that live out there.

[G-Man]

I don't have a problem cleaning up mess in the woods, but I am against crippling an economy to lower emissions further while other countries have no emission controls, I'm all for free trade but why not stop all products coming into our country that come from countries with no emissions, when you match or beat our standards then you can in port to here, then we lower emissions here again and they have to match to import here. A much better idea than lowering our so much company's leave for China and import at lower prices.. thays why I am against environmental emission controls being more and more testrictive..

Don't get me wrong I'm happy water and air here is cleaner, but all the air polluted in China heads this way.. better to cut it off there then kill jobs here..

[turkeyfeathers]

Anyone been to Burt dam back in the day ? I've never seen such a trash pit. Gutted salmon for eggs thrown on shore , miles of 40 pound test everywhere, Michigan crickets hanging from every tree , garbage all over. Actually sorta turned me off from fishing for awhile. Can't believe there was so many slobs in one place

[Doc]

Look, I'll be happy if people would just stop pulling up into the end of our driveway and taking a dump in the middle of it. I realize that emergencies do come about, but it almost looks like they measure the driveway to be sure they plop their crap and toilet paper dead center in the middle .... lol. And then the trash bags that find their way up into our driveway .... what's that all about? What kind of mentality does it take to do that kind of stuff. And then there are the shoulders of the road out front where you will every kind of refuse you could imagine.

 

So, lets face it, people as a species are just filthy pigs that like to foul their own environment, and I believe they often enjoy doing so. The only thing missing is the squealing and grunting. And in the case of these little stinking piles in my driveway, I'm not sure that some squealing ad grunting doesn't accompany that act as well.

 

And we think that people will walk through the woods without throwing all kinds of crap around the woods? The only thing we can do that is reasonable and practical is to accept that some percentage of people who use that area will be these disgusting pig-like creatures and it is probably up to us to pick up after the pigs in the woods.

[landtracdeerhunter]

I'm glad to see, by this posting that their are still some decent people that still care for our environment. Thank you and keep up the great work!

[GreeneHunter]

This past hunting season made me think !  Under my ladder stand is probably 5 coffee cups that I (yes me) just discarded and maybe a candy wrapper or two and yup I own the property ! I made a point to get back there ASAP and clean the place up and try and remove the human presence from the place . I actually feel guilty for being a slob in my own woods !

[Daveboone]

Now I agree with everything said as far as bottles, cans, wrappers, coffee cups, empty bottles of "buck bomb". Anything along those lines should be carried out. But are you seriously telling me you carry out your used toilet paper, rather than bury it? That is beyond unreasonable. You do understand that toilet paper breaks down in oh about one good rain shower?

I'm all for conservation but when I have to "go" in the woods the used TP ain't coming with me.

 

I used to share this thought....until I spent more time in the Adirondacks along popular trails. The top  of Blue Mountain, trails along canoe routes, etc. are disgusting with toilet refuse.The  top of  Blue Mountain actually stinks of it, and due to the amount of it, it takes a long time. Many wilderness areas to require you to take out even toilet paper.

I got into the babit of lighting it . 90 % of it is gone in seconds,

Actually, most of the time I just grab a hand full of ferns/ leaves anyway. That is even less noticeable.

[Uptown Redneck]

I don't have a problem cleaning up mess in the woods, but I am against crippling an economy to lower emissions further while other countries have no emission controls, I'm all for free trade but why not stop all products coming into our country that come from countries with no emissions, when you match or beat our standards then you can in port to here, then we lower emissions here again and they have to match to import here. A much better idea than lowering our so much company's leave for China and import at lower prices.. thays why I am against environmental emission controls being more and more testrictive..

Don't get me wrong I'm happy water and air here is cleaner, but all the air polluted in China heads this way.. better to cut it off there then kill jobs here..

The problem with your solution is that America produces very little of what American's buy, therefore we are dependent upon imports from the countries you speak out against. While claiming that attempts to lowers emissions will cripple our economy the surest way to kill our economy would be to ban imports from polluting countries being personal consumption (consumer spending) accounts for roughly 2/3 of America's economic activity.

[Steve D]

Posted this 2-weeks ago

http://rochester.craigslist.org/rnr/5360613099.html

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2015 by Steve D

[Doc]

By the way, I would like to make an observation from some nearby state land. Most of the trash that I have found and removed was concentrated on the trails gouged into the forest floor my mountain bikers and the constant string of hikers that use those trails also. So, trying to blame it all on hunters is a pure distortion of facts. Oh, and aren't those blobs of bright colored paint splashed all over the trees next to the trails attractive. It's as if these bikers and hikers are all semi blind and unable to recognize the maze of dirt ditches that they are riding on.

 

And while the DEC gets all excited over a hunter nipping a branch or two, they don't seem to have any problem with the bikers having a field-day with chainsaws removing limbs and downed logs. They do this with DEC permission and blessing.

 

And then too, speaking of trash in the woods, I can't say that I have seen a whole lot of hunters walking through the woods carrying those mylar balloons that nobody seems to have a problem releasing into the air without a care where they will fall and become litter. People that would never think to thrown non-biodegradable materials out their car windows will stand there and oo-o-o & ah-h-h while they turn loose these party balloons totally unconcerned where they will eventually wind up. What friggin stupidity!

[G-Man]

The problem with your solution is that America produces very little of what American's buy, therefore we are dependent upon imports from the countries you speak out against. While claiming that attempts to lowers emissions will cripple our economy the surest way to kill our economy would be to ban imports from polluting countries being personal consumption (consumer spending) accounts for roughly 2/3 of America's economic activity.

The point being if you stopped imports on those consumer products that were made with no emission controls ,the companies would have no choice but to either return to the usa creating jobs, or go out of buisness, or force emission controls to go global to sell its products. Will it sting for a bit yep, but long term jobs, and less pollution will be the outcome

[The_Field_Ager]

One side of our woods is along a road. I have found old toilets, beer cans, bottles, tv's,an assortment of rubbish dumped from the back of vans and pick-ups. I once even found a bag of skunk weed. I guess someone was getting pulled over and ditched the evidence.