Hunting and Hiking don't Mix

By Michael Hermann; Lizard Tracks, Centre Daily Times, January 2000

When deer season opens I get calls from non-hunting folks asking where they can safely go hiking. I don’t recommend visiting any trails in our State Forests or game lands during deer season unless you are there to hunt. It is true that State Parks have safety zones which are off limits to hunting. Although you have every right to hike in these areas remember they are only lines on a map and bullets don’t recognize such boundaries.

People will say “It’s allright, we can wear orange.” That serves only to alert others of your presence assuming you are in their sight line. Accidents can happen and usually do. Darwinism is a viable explanation for hunting accidents and you should protect your gene pool by staying home.

The bottom line is if you are not hunting it makes no sense to put yourself in danger. And it’s not fair to those who are hunting. The wildlife is very active in response to the high volume of humans and gunfire. Hunters are focused on the art of hunting and recreational hikers can easily stumble into a dangerous situation.

Sundays are safe days. No hunting is allowed and you can feel free to hike or bike on your favorite trails. If you are accustomed to hiking during the week I’d suggest you take a long walk through the neighborhood or explore some city parks.

Deer season has always been a flash point between those who hunt and those who do not. It angers non-hunters when they suddenly don’t feel safe in the woods. It angers hunters to find people recreationally hiking during deer season. As usual both sides feel strongly they are right.

My viewpoint is that these are public lands for recreational use and hunters have every right to hunt. Please respect the hunters who only have a short window of opportunity to pursue their recreational enjoyment.

The hunting community is one of the few that are forced to pay monetary dues to pursue their sport. Think about that next time you walk or bicycle on your favorite trail. You didn’t have to buy a permit and be given a few days to pursue those activities. Of the 365 days in which the public lands are available only certain days are open for hunting. Imagine if there was a hiking season, a camping season and a biking season.

I have no intentions of starting a pro vs. anti hunting argument. If you really want to save the lives of deer you should put your energy into supporting the preservation of animal habitats. That is the number one threat to the deer population. Interestingly enough, this is an area that both hunters and anti-hunters rally together on. The newest shopping center in your area is the real threat to wildlife.

I will bring up an ugly reality to hunters. Please be responsible regarding the gutting of deer. It has become a problem when the remains of deer are left to rot on our trails. Children do not enjoy discovering severed heads and legs during a winter hike. Last year I was dismayed to find several of these situations, one involving the remains of six deer left at a popular trailhead parking area. My dog was delighted; I was not.

Pennsylvania forests are not overflowing with natural predators to scavenge these sites. They fester for months and become macabre icons which do not promote the good aspects of hunting.

During deer season the camps are full and there are trucks all over the roads. 99.9% of these people are responsible and intelligent human beings. But the other .1% manages to litter the roadsides and destroy trail markers out of ignorance. Let’s police our own ranks when we’re out there and pick up some trash on the drive back to town.

The forest belongs to everyone, and the actions of any single user affects all user groups. Please be smart, be safe and leave no trace.

Postscript: After this was published I got many responses from hunters and non-hunters, all positive. But one man called to tell me that Sundays aren't safe either, because he hunts Coyote on Sundays, and he can do so every day of the year. He rambled on in a semi-coherent voice to state something to the effect that if any godamn hikers or fool bikers ever get in his way he'd shoot them too. I guess he told me...so now I tell you: Be careful out there. This is what you may encounter.