Received this in an email today from Sporting Classics, I liked it.

I am the American Hunter.

My musket forged a home in the wilderness and a safe haven for our first refugees from political and religious oppression. It provided the first Thanksgiving meal, just as it has provided so much to be thankful for.

My rifle was the clapper for the first bells of liberty that tolled the birth of our Republic.

I am the pioneer, the Minute Man, the enduring warrior of freedom and hope.

I charted a path through the undiscovered wilderness before the first settlers headed West. I was there when the first wagons rolled across the plains and forests of this beautiful land.

I have always been there when the drums of war summoned my weapons and my skills.

As Hunting is my heritage, so is my obligation to perpetuate all wild creatures. I was the first strong voice — and for a long time the only voice — to speak out for game limits, hunting seasons, and regulations.

Without my dedication to wildlife, backed by my hard work and hard cash, few of this generation would ever see a wild turkey or a white-tailed deer or thrill to the sight of waterfowl on the wing.

My license fees and tax dollars on firearms and ammunition continue to finance wildlife management and research, and help purchase and lease millions of wild acres for the benefit of all who share my love for the outdoors.

As I fought for my country’s freedoms, I will continue my fight against those who violate the laws — and the ethics — of hunting, and those who pollute, destroy, and betray nature for profit.

I will not be deterred by those who out of ignorance demean my birthright and my hunting heritage. They do not understand because they were never there.

I walked the lands with the dawn of creation. I am of the land; woven into the tapestry of nature just as surely as the creatures that inhabit it.

I cherish and respect the God-given beauty of our woodlands and prairies, and I remain dedicated to ensuring that our country’s wildlife endures and flourishes for the generations to come.

I am the American Hunter.

- See more at: http://sportingclassicsdaily.com/i-am-the-american-hunter/#sthash.7URpQkNp.dpuf


One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others.
Archibald Rutledge