Out Home

Poor Cousins

Poor Cousins IN THE FAMILY OF AMERICAN WILDLIFE, the game animal is the rich uncle. It is studied, managed, and greatly valued by professional conservationists and sportsmen. Millions are spent each year on the management and hunting of deer, waterfowl, pheasants, quail, rabbits, and other game species. Now consider their poor relatives: the nongame wildlife species. They are no less beautiful or unique than the game species, nor less worthy of our concern. But because they are not hunted, they are not the subjects of intense, hunter-sponsored conservation programs. As Dr. Joe Linduska once wrote: It is said that the bluebird is declining in numbers and is in trouble. That is a sad state of affairs, but it would probably not be so if the bluebird weighed three pounds and held well to a pointing dog ... If that bluebird, or any other nongame wildlife, is in trouble, it's not for lack of protection. Nearly all songbirds are protected by state and federal law. But while a bird may be protected from 185 Poor Cousins It. THE f .....lI.Y 01' .....UlCa" WlLDU... the game .nimal is the rich uncle. It is studied, m.naged, .nd greatly valued by prof"",ion.l coniflVationists and sportsmen. Million. are .""nt each yur On the management and hunting of deer, waterfowl, phe....nt., qu.il, rabbits, .nd other game s!,«ies. Now consider the" poor ret.ti""", the nongame w,ldlife species. They are no less beautiful or unique th.n the game .ped", nor l""s worthy of our COnCern. But b«ause they.re not hunted. they.re nOt the subjects of intense, hunter~sponsored conse"'a~ tion programs. As Dr. IN Undusk.a once wrote: h is said that the bluebird is declining In numbe,.. rnd Is in trouble. ThO! i. a sad state of ./(.its. but it would prol>obly not "" "" if the bluiM>ird weighld I""'" pounds and hdd weill". pointing dog ... If that bluebird, or any other nongame wildlife, i. in trouble, it', not for lack of protection. Nearly all songbirds are protected by state ....d federal law. But while a bird may be protected from ." Poor Cousins It. THE f .....lI.Y 01' .....UlCa" WlLDU... the game .nimal is the rich uncle. It is studied, m.naged, .nd greatly valued by prof"",ion.l coniflVationists and sportsmen. Million. are .""nt each yur On the management and hunting of deer, waterfowl, phe....nt., qu.il, rabbits, .nd other game s!,«ies. Now consider the" poor ret.ti""", the nongame w,ldlife species. They are no less beautiful or unique th.n the game .ped", nor l""s worthy of our COnCern. But b«ause they.re not hunted. they.re nOt the subjects of intense, hunter~sponsored conse"'a~ tion programs. As Dr. IN Undusk.a once wrote: h is said that the bluebird is declining In numbe,.. rnd Is in trouble. ThO! i. a sad state of ./(.its. but it would prol>obly not "" "" if the bluiM>ird weighld I""'" pounds and hdd weill". pointing dog ... If that bluebird, or any other nongame wildlife, i. in trouble, it', not for lack of protection. Nearly all songbirds are protected by state ....d federal law. But while a bird may be protected from ." 186 JOHN MADSON shooting, it's not shielded from our technology. And to many wildlife species, the bulldozer, dragline and intensive farming are deadlier than bullets. Protection is needed, of course. Even heavily hunted wildlife is protected-by closed seasons, bag limits, shooting hours, prescribed methods of take, and refuge areas. But protection alone won't do the job. By itself, it is generally a hands-off, donothing approach. The best protection for any wildlife species is positive management. This has been proven with our major game species. We have learned a great deal about their biology, what makes them fail or flourish, and how to manage them as well as possible. There are gifted wildlife biologists who spend their entire careers studying a single game species and its environment. Compared to pheasants and quail, we know practically nothing about orioles and bluebirds. And we debase ourselves and our world by saying: "So what? Bluebirds and orioles have no economic value ... II To anyone who loves nature in its- completeness, it would be a dreary world with no wildlife but game species-no eagles, ospreys or hawks; no gulls or pelicans; no bobolinks, warblers, prairie dogs, kit foxes, coyotes, grebes, bitterns or flying squirrels...