Ep 52: Talking to Non-Hunters about Hunting with Peter Churchbourne from the NRA

09/12/24 • 76 min

In this episode of the In Seezyn Podcast we talk with Peter Churchbourne, the Managing Director for the NRA Hunting Division and Hunters Leadership Forum, we discuss the groundbreaking work by the NRA Hunters’ Leadership Forum (NRA-HLF) and Responsive Management, and how they have conducted extensive research on Americans' attitudes toward hunting and hunters. This research, combined with insights from top debate strategists and communication specialists, has been distilled into a powerful book: How to Talk About Hunting. In addition to this book there is a series of 6 articles summarizing these principles in the American Hunter Magazine.

Peter talks to us about why the public opinion of hunting matters and outlines multiple strategies that hunters can use in conversation, and on social media to improve the support from the non-hunting public, which largely determines the future of hunting across the country.

Key Takeaways:

The book is specifically designed for wildlife and conservation professionals to build support for hunting through persuasive and effective communication.
It provides tools to address the public on topics like the historical role and modern benefits of hunting, backed by new social science research and proven communication strategies.
With hunters representing less than 5% of the U.S. population, maintaining cultural acceptance of hunting is crucial for its future. The book emphasizes reaffirming shared values rather than changing minds.
The research revealed that most Americans (79%) already have a positive attitude toward hunting, making it a matter of effectively communicating the value of hunting and conservation.

Become a member of the NRA: https://membership.nra.org/MultiStep/JoinToday
Link to American Hunter article referenced in episode: https://www.americanhunter.org/content/how-to-talk-about-hunting/

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Key Takeaways:

The book is specifically designed for wildlife and conservation professionals to build support for hunting through persuasive and effective communication.
It provides tools to address the public on topics like the historical role and modern benefits of hunting, backed by new social science research and proven communication strategies.
With hunters representing less than 5% of the U.S. population, maintaining cultural acceptance of hunting is crucial for its future. The book emphasizes reaffirming shared values rather than changing minds.
The research revealed that most Americans (79%) already have a positive attitude toward hunting, making it a matter of effectively communicating the value of hunting and conservation.

Become a member of the NRA: https://membership.nra.org/MultiStep/JoinToday
Link to American Hunter article referenced in episode: https://www.americanhunter.org/content/how-to-talk-about-hunting/

Contact In Seezyn Podcast
Engage with us on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=in%20seezyn%20podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inseezynpodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@in.seezyn.podcast

Email us at: [email protected]
Shop Treezyn Camo at: https://treezyn.com/

Nothing stings like a WASP: Save 20% on WASP broadheads with code ISP2025 at www.wasparchery.com
DeerAge: Save 20% at Deerage.com with code ISP20
NiceTargets: Save 25% on Targets using code SEEZYN25 at www.nicetargets.com
Rax Game Lures: Check out their lineup of attractants and cover scents at Raxgamelures.com

Previous Episode

Ep 51: Dove Hunts and Deer Stands with Drew Young

Welcome back to the In Seezyn Podcast, this week we have Drew Young in Studio. Mike and Holden have been hunting with Drew for a few years and we will all be heading to Missouri to hunt whitetails during the rut, however today we are talking largely about the Alabama Dove opener. The three of us will be spending the weekend in Alabama hunting on a new piece of property that Drew purchased earlier this year. In this episode, we dive into the basics and advanced strategies for a successful dove hunting season. From food plots for dove to choosing the right gear, we’ll cover everything you need to know to make the most of this high-energy hunt. Plus, we introduce Rax Game Lures, a game-changing product designed to improve your success rate in the field, especially for attracting big game like whitetails.
Check out Rax Game Lures: https://raxgamelures.com/
Rax Field staff application: https://raxgamelures.com/pages/field-staff-application

Contact In Seezyn Podcast
Engage with us on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=in%20seezyn%20podcast
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Email us at: [email protected]
Shop Treezyn Camo at: https://treezyn.com/

Nothing stings like a WASP: Save 20% on WASP broadheads with code ISP2025 at www.wasparchery.com
DeerAge: Save 20% at Deerage.com with code ISP20
NiceTargets: Save 25% on Targets using code SEEZYN25 at www.nicetargets.com
Rax Game Lures: Check out their lineup of attractants and cover scents at Raxgamelures.com

Next Episode

Ep 53: 12 Signs It's Time To Harvest More Does with Lindsay Thomas

In this episode, we dive into a common question for deer hunters and wildlife management organizations alike: How many does should you harvest? Managing deer populations for optimal health and balance between deer numbers and available forage is crucial. Here are the 12 key signs that indicate you may need to harvest more does than you have been:

Full Buck Tags, Empty Doe Tags: A balanced harvest of one doe for every buck can prevent an unbalanced buck-to-doe ratio and overpopulation.
Rattling and Grunt Calls Rarely Work: If bucks aren’t responding to calls, the buck-to-doe ratio may be too skewed toward does.
Browse Lines: If deer strip vegetation up to a certain height, it’s a clear sign of overpopulation and inadequate forage.
Older Does in the Harvest: The age distribution of harvested does can indicate whether you are under or over-harvesting them.
Kidney Fat: Deer health can be gauged by fat levels around their kidneys. Sparse fat means poor health and a need for better habitat or more doe harvest.
Food Plot Cages: Simple browse enclosures can show if your food plots are over-browsed, signaling a need for more forage or a reduced deer population.
Deer Eating Poor Forage: When deer start eating low-quality, tough-to-digest plants, it’s a sign they are overpopulated for the available food.
The Rut is a Dud: A lack of rut behaviors like buck fights or scrapes can be a sign that too many does are available, reducing competition.
Non-Native Plants Rule: If your land is infested with non-native plants, it reduces the carrying capacity for deer, requiring a lower deer population.
Internal Parasites Are Abundant: High levels of parasites in harvested deer signal poor health, likely caused by overpopulation.
Tick-Infested Deer: Ticks thrive when deer populations are too dense, leading to health issues for deer and increased tick-borne diseases.
You Hunt in a CWD Management Zone: Chronic Wasting Disease management zones require special consideration, and harvesting does is crucial to maintaining healthy deer populations and slowing the spread of the disease.

Guest Info: Lindsay Thomas Jr., Chief Communications Officer of the National Deer Association (NDA), shares his expertise on deer management and the importance of proper doe harvest. Lindsay has over 20 years of experience in wildlife journalism and has been instrumental in educating hunters on sustainable hunting practices.

Links & Resources:

National Deer Association
Article: https://deerassociation.com/12-signs-you-should-harvest-more-does/

Contact In Seezyn Podcast
Engage with us on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=in%20seezyn%20podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inseezynpodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@in.seezyn.podcast

Email us at: [email protected]
Shop Treezyn Camo at: https://treezyn.com/

Nothing stings like a WASP: Save 20% on WASP broadheads with code ISP2025 at www.wasparchery.com
DeerAge: Save 20% at Deerage.com with code ISP20
NiceTargets: Save 25% on Targets using code SEEZYN25 at www.nicetargets.com
Rax Game Lures: Check out their lineup of attractants and cover scents at Raxgamelures.com