To: <WMD@agfc.state.ar.us>
Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2000 9:46 PM
Subject: Rezoning / Dog Hunt Bann
Dear Sirs / Madam,
I recieved your news letter this date, and immediately "polled" my club members, as well as the leadership of all of the adjoining clubs about the RE-ZONING / DOG issue, with the following results.
Without exception, the answer came back, NO, WE ARE AGAINST THE REZONING.
The comment by the majority was that they viewed this as a act of gradual attrition, designed to reduce the number of square miles that can be hunted with dogs.
Most felt that the next move would be to further reduce the dog hunting at future "re-zoning" actions.
All that I talked to felt that dog hunting is not a "right", but is our natural "HERITAGE".
Any action to diminish dog hunting will be viewed as an assault on our very "CULTURAL VALUES", that have helped our FOREFATHERS to survive here in the State during Hard Times.
When asked "WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU TO SUPPORT REZONING", most said that if it increased the number of square miles that dogs could hunt, then it would be clear that the Re-Zoning was for game management purposes and not to further curtail the use of Dogs in Hunting.
All that were polled wanted to know if the proposal was made by the Commissioners, or the Game and Fish Leadership.
Also asked was, "how could a line on paper change the quality of management programs" ? Most also noted that Arkansas has one of the Nations most successful management programs, and wondered why it must be changed at the expense of our Cultural Heritage.
Simply stated, our hunters view this as a ploy to curtail dog use. They also state "we knew it was coming, when they dropped the dog license requirement".
Thank you for providing this Forum for voicing our views.
Larry Harmon
Note: I have blind copied this to those that I "POLLED", as well as two hundred plus email contacts that have a "PERSONAL INTREST" in the issue.
I AM IN THE FOOD CHAIN. I AM AT THE VERY TOP. I DID NOT GET HERE BY MYSELF. I SURVIVED BY FORMING AN ALLIANCE WITH ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE FOOD CHAIN, WHO IS ALSO VERY NEAR THE TOP.
THIS ALLIANCE, THAT PROVIDED SURVIVAL FOR BOTH OF US, COST US BOTH VERY DEARLY. MY PARTNER LOST HIS ABILITY TO FUNCTION BY HIMSELF, FOR I FORMULATED ALL OF OUR SURVIVAL STRATEGIES. I LOST MOST OF MY SENSE OF SMELL, AS WELL AS OTHER SURVIVAL SKILLS, BECAUSE MY SURVIVAL PARTNER DID THOSE THINGS FOR ME.
OURS IS A TRULY EVOLUTIONARY SURVIVAL STORY, A PARTNERSHIP THAT CONTINUES ON TODAY. WHEN WE LOOK AT EACH OTHER, MY PARTNER AND I, WE SEE THAT OUR EYES ARE AT THE FRONT OF OUR FACES, FOR AFTER ALL, WE ARE HUNTERS AT THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.
OTHERS, FURTHER DOWN THE FOOD CHAIN, HAVE EYES AT THE SIDE OF THEIR FACES SO THAT THEY MAY SEE DANGER APPROACHING.
THERE ARE THOSE IN OUR WORLD THAT DO NOT UNDERSTAND OUR PARTNERSHIP, AND FEAR IT. THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OF HOW OUR FOREFATHERS SURVIVED.
DURING HARD TIMES HERE IN THE OUACHITAS, THERE WERE THREE MAIN WAYS OF SURVIVING: LEAVE AND LOOSE YOUR CULTURAL HERITAGE, OR GO OUTSIDE THE LAW AND MAKE WHISKEY AND ROB BANKS. THE THIRD ONE, CHOSEN BY MOST LAW ABIDING FAMILYS, WAS TO HUNT FOR A LIVING.
SO ONCE AGAIN THE ANCIENT ALLIANCE BETWEEN MANKIND AND DOG PROVIDED SURVIVAL.
HUNTING WITH MY SURVIVAL PARTNER, IS NOT A RIGHT THAT A STATE AGENCY CAN GRANT, NOR DENY. IT IS A NATURAL PROCESS THAT IS MY CULTURAL HERITAGE.
ONLY GOD SHAPES THE EVOLUTION OF CULTURES. AN AGENCY THAT ASSUMES THE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE THE SHAPE OF CULTURES BY RULES CHANGES, IS NOT ACTING IN OUR BEST INTREST.
Larry Harmon
04-21-2001