Tuesday, November 04, 2003

Here's this week's entry in the Too-Late-for-the-Outpost category:

The Eastern Wildlands Chapter of the Montana Wilderness Association is sponsoring a free lecture entitled "Wilderness and ... Fair Chase." The lecture will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, in the Madison/Jefferson Room in Marillac Hall at St. Vincent Healthcare.
Conservationist Jim Posewitz will discuss the history of hunting in America, the issues that surround ethical hunting, and the challenges that hunters face in modern times.
Posewitz believes that hunting in North America is a remarkable expression of democracy that has its roots in the American struggle for independence, a news release said. Posewitz will also discuss how fragile the political resolve historically has been (and still is today) towards the ideas of conservation, wildlife as a public resource, and the protection of wildlife habitat.
A passionate defender of hunting, Jim Posewitz spent 32 years as a biologist with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and he headed the agency's ecological program for 15 years. Posewitz is the founder and executive director of Orion - The Hunter's Institute, a nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to the preservation of hunting opportunities for future generations. The institute focuses on hunter ethics and the role hunters play in conservation.
Posewitz is the author of numerous books, including “Beyond Fair Chase” and “Inherit the Hunt.” Posewitz writes, "Fundamental to ethical hunting is the idea of fair chase. This concept addresses the balance between the hunter and the hunted. It is a balance that allows hunters to occasionally succeed while animals generally avoid being taken."
Posewitz is working on a new book about Theodore Roosevelt and the impact that he had on both the preservation of hunting and the preservation of federal lands for the public.
Posewitz also serves as executive director of the Cinnabar Foundation (a Montana-based environmental philanthropic organization), and he is an adjunct professor of history and philosophy at Montana State University.
Awards he has received over the years include Educator of the Year (Safari Club International), Conservationist of the Year (Montana Hunting Hall of Fame), American Motors Conservation Award and Montana State University's Blue-Gold Award.
In addition, Orion - The Hunter's Institute has twice been named as the Conservation Organization of the Year by the Montana Wildlife Federation, and a Beyond Fair Chase video won several awards from the Outdoor Writers Association of America for its script and editing.
The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call Eastern Wildlands Chapter of the Montana Wilderness Association at 256-3874.

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