As a lifelong outdoorsman and retired conservation officer, I spend much of my time tracking hunting and fishing trends. Most of the time, this involves reviewing new equipment, techniques, or tactics. A close second would be reviewing new regulations or management ideas. Because much of my research is done online, either in chat forums or blogs with comment sections, I also see what others have to say about hunting and fishing topics. Unfortunately, a growing number of “sportsmen” respond to every conversation with statements that easily show they believe state wildlife regulations are nothing more than unconstitutional control, licenses are a government money grab, and conservation officers are modern pirates. While much of this is keyboard boasting or trolling, a surprising number of readers state that they buy into the arguments. Let’s take a moment to explain why this is a problem for true sportsmen.

The United States and Canada manage fish and wildlife via what is known as the North American Model, or North American Conservation Model. This model was developed in the post-Civil War period due to a massive decline in natural resources. Although most Americans are familiar with the mass slaughter of bison, few understand that this was not a once-and-done situation. The same tactics were deployed involving waterfowl, deer, shad, and a host of other species nationwide. To preserve and hopefully build the dwindling populations, conservationists developed the North American Model based on the following principles:

Wildlife is a Public Trust Resource — natural resources belong to all the people and are held in trust by the government.

The elimination of markets for game prohibits the commercialization of wild fish or game and outlaws market hunting, which led to the decline of dozens of species, including the passenger pigeon.

Allocation of Wildlife by Law — establishment of hunting and fishing regulations, including licenses, aimed at promoting sport hunting/fishing while also protecting the resource.

Wildlife can be killed for legitimate purposes, such as preventing the loss of legitimate hunting and fishing, which conservationists recognize as an essential part of the overall management of fish and wildlife.

Wildlife is an international resource, established to ensure cooperation between the United States and Canada, as wildlife does not recognize borders.

Wildlife is Managed Through Science — promotes management through science rather than public or political trends.

Democracy of Hunting — everyone is entitled to the same opportunity to hunt or fish within the legal framework established to prevent the class system of hunting access seen in many European nations.

So why does this matter to the average outdoorsman?

First, it is why we have both the Fish & Boat Commission and the Game Commission. Each agency is also managed within the framework of the North American Model, including how biologists develop regulations, seasons, and creel limits; why there are licenses; and why conservation officers exist.

Second, this model is what has allowed many species to return from near extinction. By the late 1800s, shad, deer and waterfowl were harvested by the wagonload, often for sale at market. Through the establishment of rules and regulations, including making it unlawful to sell wild game, sport hunting was able to continue within a limited framework.

Third, according to the model and the Pennsylvania Constitution, the natural resources belong to all Pennsylvanians. Not the “King,” or even the government. This means that it is the state’s responsibility to protect and manage those resources on behalf of everyone. In Pennsylvania, this is paid for via hunting and fishing licenses, not taxpayer funds. There is no way to fill the state’s coffers.

Finally, if everyone were to abandon or fail to recognize the systems established under the North America Model, the progress made during the last 150 years would be lost overnight. Can you imagine what would happen if there were suddenly no laws restricting deer hunting? No season, no limits, no need for a license?

Next time you read someone’s comments suggesting the illegit nature of hunting or fishing regulations, claiming licenses are a fraudulent money grab, or even threatening game wardens, ask yourself this question: “Are they a troll or are they trying to cheat?” If they are trying to cheat, it means they are not just cheating the government; they are cheating every other outdoorsman.