By Staff
Dear Editor,
I would like to congratulate all the children and any other hunter that harvested a deer this past hunting season.
I am a hunter and I well remember the excitement of taking my first deer. When I see photos of children with their first deer, my heart swells with pride, even though I may not know the child. I see a happy child, full of pride and self-esteem and usually a proud parent or relative. I do not see disgrace or disappointment.
I also see a child that might become a hunter or fisherman and maybe not a drug pusher or criminal. The woods are a wonderful place to teach a child responsibility, help him or her gain confidence and even boost his self-esteem. They are not being taught to kill.
I know that there people that participate in our sport that give hunting a bad name. Not all hunters are like that. Most hunters are ethical people that respect their sport and do not kill every animal they see. They only harvest mature animals that are legal to hunt.
Most hunters work all year planting food for deer, turkey and many other species. We work all year for just a few weeks of hunting. For all the money we spend and all the work we do, I believe we deserve the enjoyment we get from hunting and the proud feeling we get from seeing our children taking a deer. This is our heritage, a tradition we love and very much enjoy, this is just not a southern thing. It is enjoyed worldwide.
I am a southerner and I firmly believe in my southern heritage. I practice my southern traditions- deer hunting, turkey hunting, fishing, and minding my own business.
Don Moye
Atmore