The value of a buck

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What is the value of a thing? Do we measure value only in economic worth? Or is value measured by the quality of our lives? The two are usually tied together in some way. How do we value our outdoor experiences? On a recent late season deer drive I had the opportunity to reflect on how we value some things. It was a beautiful morning with golden sun beams streaming down through the towering pines. The air was frosty, but not too cold. A pack was running far out in the pines, to my front, and another pack was coming on my left. Three shots boomed out in the distance, ahead of the dogs. This was the second drive of the morning. The first hunt had yielded a nice doe, and had been a houndsman’s dream. Big packs of hounds had rolled through the thickets, pushing the deer. It was what the old timers called “hound music.” Some of the best races I’ve heard in a while. This second drive was starting out good also. That pack over to my left front was coming closer. Then a shot on my left startled me. I looked in time to see a good buck leap into the logging road. The second shot brought him down. The hounds went on by, obviously chasing a different deer. I had put the standers out just moments before, so I knew the shooters were a grandfather and grandson combination. I was glad they had got the buck. Later, when the horn blew to end the hunt, I drove back down the road to pick up the standers. I helped the granddad load the 8-pointer on my truck. He proudly told me it was his grandson’s first deer. Back at the clubhouse, we learned that the other three shots had resulted in another 8 point buck being taken. The shooter was a young visitor from another state, on his first dog drive. That made three deer before lunch time. Our state is blessed with an incredible natural bounty. We have healthy habitats that provide food, water, and cover for a host of wild creatures. We have these things because they offer a value to us. Personal and economic. The economic value of our natural resources was documented in a recent study by the University of South Carolina Moore School of Business. It was found that our well-managed natural resources are essential for economic development and contribute nearly $30 billion and 230,000 jobs to the state’s economy annually. The study identified how critical our natural resources are to our economy and to our standard of living. The responsibility lies not only with our various agencies and businesses, but with all our citizens. Individuals can, and do, play a part in maintaining, protecting, and managing our forest, fields, and waters. The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism’s surveys have shown that natural resources are the basis for most recreational activities in the state. A major part of outdoor recreation centers on hunting, fishing, and wildlife activities. The Department of Natural Resources realizes that people benefit from contact with nature. The Department supports, maintains, and enhances outdoor activities as a primary mission. Access to outdoor opportunities and natural assets are important to our economy and quality of life. Protection and enhancement of our natural resources should be part of our overall economic development strategies and policies. Putting a value on an old hunters appreciation of hound music, or a young hunters first buck is easy – it’s priceless.