Dear Editor:

The recent National Hunting and Fishing Day celebration held in Seneca, SC, was an attempt at keeping the blood sports alive at a time when the sports are losing popularity nationwide. By luring children into the violent world of hunting, the Department of Natural Resources hopes to reverse the trend that has seen the number of hunters in the state decline by sixteen percent in the past decade.

Since the DNR is partially funded through the sale of hunting licenses, it seeks to create a new generation of wildlife exploiters to meet its budgetary requirements. But there are better ways to interact with wildlife than to violently treat them as living targets. The state is home to nearly one million residents who last year spent nearly $500 million while observing, feeding and photographing wildlife. These "wildlife watchers" contributed far more to the local economy than the state's hunters, who spent only a fraction of that sum.

Since the DNR "secures 28.6% of its budget from state funds," (South Carolina DNR 2005-2006 Annual Accountability Report, p23) the time has come to demand that legislators stop allowing money to be siphoned from the public tax fund to provide "welfare" for hunters. Additionally, the excise taxes on weapons and ammunition should be used for victims of gun violence and their families rather than to promote more violence. The protection and preservation of wildlife and the areas where they live can be financed through an excise tax placed on the cost of binoculars, backpacks, and other outdoor-related equipment used by wildlife watchers.

Making these changes can protect wildlife and the areas where they live while simultaneously promoting a more peaceful world. To help further these ideas, please visit

Joe Miele, Vice President
Wildlife Watch, Inc.
P.O. Box 562
New Paltz, NY 12561