Given current events, people are increasingly apprehensive about guns.
It is understandable that some people do not want to expand hunting opportunities on Northampton public lands; it seems reasonable to reject activities that could threaten public safety.
However, scientific data show that hunters almost never injure bystanders. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, many more injuries and deaths are caused by other popular activities like hiking or biking.
Survival and fear of harm are deep human instincts, and they surely bias people against hunting. Unfortunately, most non-hunters are not aware of many of the relevant details that should be considered, including the dates of hunting seasons and when different types of equipment may be used.
Are people aware that most (86 percent) Massachusetts hunters pursue deer, using shotguns (rifles aren’t allowed), and our season lasts just 12 days in November and December? Do they realize that most other hunting (for example, turkeys and rabbits) is done with birdshot, which poses virtually no risk to bystanders?
If more people spoke to experts and hunters to learn more about hunting, they would discover many things they didn’t realize, including some of the benefits from hunting (such as providing most conservation funding in America), and assurances about public safety. If people had more accurate and detailed information, I think they would be more open to sharing the woods with hunters, for at least 3 percent of the year.
There are many positive and legitimate reasons people hunt, including a desire for healthy, organic meat, experiencing nature, and carrying on cultural traditions handed down for millennia. Many people respect gardeners, hobby farmers, or Native Americans who seek a deeper connection to the earth or their ancestors, but don’t extend that appreciation to hunters, because of their biases or fears.
Our community has a long and proud tradition of respecting and tolerating others, even those considered repugnant by some. Buying into bias — no matter how widespread — is unfair and it’s wrong.
As citizens, we have a social responsibility to thoroughly consider the rights, beliefs, and activities of our whole community, even those with whom we are unfamiliar or uncomfortable.
Mitschka Hartley
Florence