I was surprised to learn that next month’s elections will have four states choosing to add hunting and fishing as constitutional rights; those four possibly adding to the ten that already have passed such a statute.

Apparently political correctness is very much alive and well, and the recent success of newcomers like the Tea Party has caused us few remaining outdoors types to ensure our sporting heritage isn’t compromised by some photogenic charismatic and a few choice sound bytes …

I’m thinking it may be overkill, but I’m often wrong.

I’d always assumed that once men found out that farmed Tilapia were steeped in enough hormones to change their sex, even the animal first-er’s might grip crotch and demand wild-caught everything.

Tilapia often contains an artificial male sex hormone that is absorbed by humans when eaten. Because male tilapia grow faster and are more lucrative than females, the fish are often treated with the hormone to induce a sex change.

Then again, Mom does most of the shopping …

With animal-friendly organizations litigating everything involving hunting or fishing as a wildlife control, it neatly explains why us fishermen are never called to defend native fish from invasives – or why Rotenone is the preferred fishery management tool, versus us lawn chair predators and our bottomless ice chests.

I’m not so sure we’re not in a gunfight already.

The new initiative synthesizes Friends of Animals’ tradition of opposing hunting and predator control with scientific evidence pertaining to coyote behavior and ecology, thereby fostering respect for coyotes in Pennsylvania so that these animals may live on their terms. Our campaign will promote respect for coyotes as conscious beings, and educate people about the role of coyotes in the local ecology and how communities can support alternatives to the lethal management of coyotes.

I’ve never doubted that coyotes weren’t conscious beings, they’re one of a few species that successfully negotiate the rural-urban interface, and can be found living in some our largest cities.

I just cannot understand why us hunters and fishermen, who celebrate the outdoors – who ask our respective legislatures and representatives to save a little water for wildlife, or please don’t pave the entire state – save a small corridor of greenery so them tasty quadrupeds can enjoy some small dignity … before we blow daylight where daylight shouldn’t be. Why does it always fall to us killers to propose less freeways, strip malls, and civilization?

All around us, nature is being managed to death, with malls and freeways taking its place. Animals are being driven from the land on which they were born and concentrated into smaller areas and blamed for a laundry list of ills they never created. It’s time for communities to call for ceasefires, and reverse a trend that’s bad for all of us…

Ok, here it comes – less development so the community will have precious open space where the animals can frolic – and have unprotected sex …

… Community leaders should deliberate on the facts, seek and nourish what’s best in our community, and keep recreational and controlled hunting, deer contraception and sharpshooting out of Westport.

… nope, we’re keeping hunter’s away and embracing the Wal-Mart Superstore. We’re not passing out freebie condoms, and begs the question – how many of these stalwarts would buy guns if threatened with bulldozing their home so deer would have a dab more forage space.