A recent US Fish and Wildlife Service-commissioned public opinion poll
found that 81 percent of the general public support ethical hunting, even though
only 10 percent hunt. This is good news, but the same poll also found that 62 percent of
the general public believe that a lot of hunters break hunting laws, are
reckless and drink to excess, even though less than 3 percent of hunting accidents
are associated with alcohol or substance abuse.
Hunters have an image
problem, and only they can fix it. And they need to fix it because the
future of hunting increasingly will be determined by popular vote governed
by the 80 percent of the public who don't hunt or who belong to animal rights
organizations.
Each hunter is a spokesman for all hunters. Suppose that you get a call
from a local radio or television station or newspaper asking for an
interview. What do you say? Based on my 35 years of work in the media
business, on both sides of the camera, I offer the following suggestions:
1. Find out as much as possible ahead of time
Is this going to be a
debate? If so, with whom? I tend to agree with the Wildlife Legislative Fund
of America that debates with anti-hunters are generally something to
avoid. Most of the time they only test your debating skills. If there is a
specific issue at hand and you have done your research then it may be worth
it. Otherwise, why get involved if opinions aren't going to change?
Remember that anti-hunters would love nothing more than for you to lose
your cool. (WLFA, incidentally, runs excellent workshops to teach people
how to run media campaigns.)
2. Be yourself
People who have an open mind will recognize people who
speak honestly and from their heart. Don't try to act, but do prepare like an
actor. Actors practice their lines and visualize their performance ahead of
time to reduce anxiety. If, after reading this article, you close your eyes
and visualize yourself being interviewed about why you hunt, you will be
much better prepared to field questions in a real situation.
3. Prepare answers
Think through some questions that are likely to be asked and prepare short, concise points you want to make, regardless of whether the question is asked or not.
For example: If you're asked, "Why do you hunt?" consider
the following points:
Hunting is a tradition enjoyed by millions. We take hunting seriously
and are thankful for what it means to us. And we show our thanks by supporting
conservation work.
There is no biological reason to oppose ethical hunting. Animals will
die. If hunters don't kill them, they will die of natural causes, which
usually are more prolonged and painful than being killed by a hunter.
Hunting is simply taking responsibility for killing some of the food you
eat.
Most behavioral scientists agree that hunting is healthy, natural,
instinctive behavior predatory aggression that is motivated by pleasure,
according to psychiatrist/anthropologist Melvin Konner in "The Tangled Wing."
No major psychological or anthropological writings find that hunting
causes violence or crime. In one of the few studies that has been done
about hunting's influence on violence, Dr. Chris Eskridge at the
University of Nebraska, Omaha, found that nationwide, as hunting license
sales go up, levels of violent crime go down. (We do need more research on
the psychological aspects of hunting, because this is a target for many
antis right now in light of school shootings.)
Wild game meat is health food. It is low in fat and cholesterol and
high in protein. By hunting for food you are simply taking responsibility
for your food, which makes you feel more respectful of nature.
Largely because of hunters we have more of many game animals than at
any time in the last century. We are conservationists because we hunt.
4. Project a positive image
Dirty camouflage may work in the woods, but
it will project a bad image on camera. Wear neat, upscale casual clothes.
5. Speak with your eyes
If you are being interviewed on-camera and you
are told to look at the interviewer, get a sense of how friendly they are.
If the interviewer is hostile and you look down or away, you will look less
credible. To keep your image if you have to look at them, focus your
attention on their nose. Don't engage their eyes directly. Try it.
If you are looking directly into the camera, focus not on the lens, but on
the back of the lens where the image is being recorded. If you don't think
this makes a difference, try it with your home video camera. Your eyes are
the most important communicators you have, except for your voice.
Winning the battles vs. winning the war
Interviews and debates are
skirmishes in a long, ongoing contest for public opinion. Each interview
is important, but in the long run, public opinion is shaped by multiple
exposures to the same positive message about hunting coming from as many
different sources as possible. Each hunter, hunting club and organization must
set a positive example. Not just doing good conservation work, but by
performing humanitarian service to the community at large that shows that
hunters are decent, caring people. In addition, clubs should stock the
local public and school libraries with books and videos that give hunting a
good image.
The more times people see and hear positive messages about
hunters and hunting, the more likely there will be public support for
generations of hunters to come.
Contributing Editor James Swan is also an actor, who has appeared in over
a dozen feature films, six television series and many commercials. He is the author of the book "In Defense of Hunting." To purchase a copy visit his website.