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Hunting photos draw mixed emotions In a recent letter to the editor, Milton Silvia complained about my photograph(s) (there were two) of hunters with deer they had taken during the shotgun season, which ended in mid-December. Mr. Silvia said the photos didn't belong in a family newspaper. One of the "dead deer" pictures, however, accompanied a story about a 13-year old boy who shot his first deer under the watchful eye of his father. It was family story and included the excitement of his grandparents upon hearing the news of their grandson's first deer. The "art" in the form of a photo, was supplied to "support" the story. The other photo, which appeared first, was of an unusual, nearly all-white buck, taken by a seasoned hunter. A picture is worth a thousand words and without it, readers could only have guessed what the ghostly white stag looked like. Both photos were tasteful, in that they included no blood, tongues hanging out, or open body cavities (on either the animals, or the hunters). I was extra careful about that. I understand that some people don't like pictures of dead deer and if you are one of those people, then I suggest that you don't look -- and please "avert the eyes" from the meat department at the grocery store. There, you won't find any images of dead deer, but the reality of it is that you will find bloody parts of butchered and dismembered animals and fowl, tastefully placed on little Styrofoam trays and wrapped in cellophane. They didn't grow on trees. You'll even find organs, like livers and kidneys, some tongues, a few tails, and even pig's feet and ears. And please don't turn to the Food section of the newspaper. In it, you probably won't find pictures of animals on the hoof, but you will find photos of their parts cooked and displayed on serving dishes. Hey, it's all in the presentation, right? Maybe I should've included a sprig of parsley, a radish rose or other garnish in the dead deer photos. In the Food section, in cookbooks, and on TV cooking shows, you'll also find recipes on how to cook the body parts of these warm-blooded creatures, and also some cold-blooded ones. If you've ever watched the English cooking show, "Two Fat Ladies," it's a real treat to watch the two comical ladies shoot their own pheasants and catch their own salmon, then instruct you on how to gut, prepare and cook them. This past fall, I wrote such a "from game bag to table" column and received an anonymous negative comment from someone who found it "nauseating." At least Mr. Silvia had the backbone to sign his name. In his letter, Mr. Silvia claimed that because a Standard-Times photographer refused to take a picture of a dead bear shot by a hunter some years ago, it became the paper's policy not to run pictures of dead animals. When I began writing the Open Season column (15 years next month), it was the policy of the sports editor and managing editor at the time not to run dead animal photos. "Some people find it offensive," I was told. Those two editors are no longer at the paper, but I highly doubt that the policy was carved in stone because of one photographer's over-sensitivities. If a writer refused an assignment by the editors to write an anti-gun story because of his beliefs, would the powers-that-be, then say, "Well, if he says he won't write an anti-gun piece, then nobody's going to write anti-gun pieces for this paper anymore, by gum." I've debated the "no-dead-animal-pictures" policy with the editors through the years. Lots of other papers run such photos. We write about hunting, why not show the picture? What's the difference -- a photo of a dead deer, a dead fish, a rib roast or Thanksgiving turkey with all the trimmings? No matter how you look at it, they're all dead critters, or parts thereof. If people are offended, you've heard the expression, "You don't like it? Don't look." You're not going to please 100 percent of the readers with almost any photo. And so on. Times and editors have changed. Maybe today's editors are more open-minded with more of a sense of fairness than those in the past. Maybe they realize that a large percentage of the state's outdoorspeople, who number close to 100,000 hunters and approximately one million freshwater and saltwater anglers, live in -- or visit -- the Greater New Bedford area and Southeastern Massachusetts, and appreciate the addition of such photos with Sunday's outdoors column. Or maybe the editors finally grew tired of my incessant arguing and constant submission of dead animal photos and decided to run them, just to shut me up. Some may not have realized it, but in mid-December, we outdoor folks experienced a small triumph when the Standard-Times ran the picture of the white deer and also the boy with his first deer. It was the first time in 15 years. Hopefully, it won't be the last. comments on crossbow legislation I received a letter from Robert Barbour of Taunton this week, in response to the report in last week's column on the recent crossbow legislation, which would allow certain physically handicapped people to apply for a permit to use a crossbow during the archery deer season. Previously, only paraplegics or people with cerebral palsy could obtain such a permit. People with other handicaps who were unable to draw a bow were eliminated from the bow season. "I am writing you in regard to my support of the use of crossbows by physically handicapped people such as myself. I am a hunter and have bow-hunted for deer in the past. However, in the early fall of 1995, at age 60, I was in a motorcycle accident and broke my collarbone, right shoulder, shoulder blade, five ribs and got a torn rotor cuff. "I missed the 1995 bow season. "I reduced my bow draw weight to just over the legal 40 pounds, but still had difficulty using the bow. In 2002, at age 66, I had multiple by-pass heart surgery. As you know, they cut through the sternum - top to bottom, and cut chest muscles, etc. I also fell and got two cracked ribs. "I missed the 2002 deer hunting season. "The accident and operation have reduced my upper body strength despite rehabilitation exercises, and have limited my ability to use a traditional or compound bow. "I believe a crossbow would be the answer for me. "I am not otherwise physically unable to hunt and plan to hunt with shotgun and blackpowder rifle during the 2003 season, God willing. I also would like to be able to hunt with a crossbow (so I can enjoy the six-week archery season). "They should allow crossbows with a cocking assist feature. It would be of little use to have to manually cock a crossbow without an assist device when one doesn't have the strength to do it. "I hope crossbows will be allowed with reasonable regulations and I hope you will support the use of crossbows (for physically disabled persons) and keep this issue alive in your columns. Please give as much notice as possible about public hearings. I would plan to attend." Mr. Barbour, you can count on it. And I am forwarding a copy of this column to the Mass. Fisheries and Wildlife Board. Proposal aims to recover fish species Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton announced on Wednesday that the Bush Administration will request an $8 million increase for the federal fish hatchery program, a 16 percent increase from $35.7 million to $40.8 million in FY 2004. The proposed budget increase will "help to recover imperiled fish species, increase recreation opportunities for anglers, eradicate invasive fish populations and repair aging infrastructure at fish hatcheries across the nation," stated Secretary Norton. President Bush also recently signed a bill to reauthorize the North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA), one of the most important conservation programs ever. NAWCA provides challenge grants for wetland conservation projects across North America, where groups, like Ducks Unlimited, match every dollar of federal money with at least one dollar of non-federal money. Since it was first enacted in 1989, the Act has helped to fund more than 960 projects in all 50 states, Canada and Mexico, and restore and protect nearly nine million acres of critical wildlife habitat. Upon signing the Act, President Bush said, "Today, we're taking important action to conserve North America's wetlands, which will keep our water clean and help provide habitat for hundreds of species of wildlife. Since 1991, more than $462 million in federal grants have helped to encourage $1.3 billion in contributions from others. Together, these funds have restored streams and rivers, re-established native plants and trees and acquired land that is home to more than a third of America's threatened and endangered species." fishing/outdoor expo heads to worcester The Eastern Fishing and Outdoor Exposition comes to the Worcester Centrum Feb. 6 - 9 with thousands of feet of retail space showcasing fresh and saltwater fishing tackle, hunting and archery equipment, boats and canoes, along with outfitters, guides, lodges and vacation destinations. There also is a schedule of seminars, exhibitions and events, available by visiting the show's website at www.sportshows.com. Show hours are: Thurs. and Fri., 12:30-9:30 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; and Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission is $9 for adults and $3 for children under 12. The Centrum is located in Downtown Worcester, from Exits 16 and 18 off I-290. Marc Folco is a Standard Times columnist. You can e-mail him with questions or comments at openseason1988@aol.com This story appeared on Page E8 of The Standard-Times on January 26, 2003.
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