Hunters and fishermen spend a lot of time outdoors.

PhotoTanner: “They’re out in the woods, out on the water. They’re walking the fields, the countryside.”

That’s Todd Tanner — an avid fisherman, hunter and founder of Conservation Hawks, a non-profit committed to protecting our woods and water for future generations. He says outdoorsmen are observing and experiencing environmental changes first hand.

Tanner: “I’ve had any number of people talk to me about, not necessarily climate change, but the fact that the snows come later, or the runoff comes earlier, or the streams are lower, or the ponds where they used to fish or used to hunt birds, waterfowl — are drying up.”

Tanner believes climate change is the single most important issue facing hunters and anglers today. He says sportsmen might be skeptical of scientists telling them climate change is real. But now they’re beginning to hear the same thing from their own friends.

Tanner: “I think it helps that people are hearing from their peers. When other hunters and other anglers are saying, ‘hey — you know what, we are seeing this. It jogs perfectly with the science. It’s exactly what the scientists are telling us.’”

Reporting credit: ChavoBart Digital Media.
Photo: Copyright protected.

More Resources
Sportsmen’s and Anglers’ Views Highlighted in New ‘This Is Not Cool’ Video
Fighting Climate Change
Ticked Off: America’s Outdoor Experience and Climate Change
Poll: 69 Percent Of Hunters And Anglers Say We Should Reduce Carbon Emissions That Contribute To Global Warming
Game Changers: Air Pollution, a Warming Climate, and the Troubled Future for America’s Hunting and Fishing Heritage

Jan O'Brien was assistant editor and website manager at Yale Climate Connections from 2007-2022. She brought more than three decades of experience in environmental publishing and policy research and more...