FWD: School Text Says Hunting & Fishing Makes Species Extinct...

WAGCEVP · March 19, 2002, 08:58 PM

Appended below for your information is some news as relayed from our friends at the National Wild Turkey Federation. It is

self explanatory and, while pretty disappointing, not terribly surprising.

With best regards,

Paul F. Karczmarczyk, Regional Biologist
Ruffed Grouse Society
P.O. Box 2504
West Brattleboro, VT 05303
Office: (802) 325-2114
Fax: (802) 325-2143
email: [email protected]
website: www.ruffedgrousesociety.org

Subject: Fw: McGraw Hill 4th Grade science text book-FYI

I have forwarded you an excerpt from a new McGraw-Hill 4th grade
science text book. I thought you might
want the opportunity to comment, as well.

James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President for Conservation Programs
[email protected] or [email protected]
Phone: 803-637-3106/Fax: 803-637-0034

March 13, 2002

MacMillan/McGraw-Hill
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Two Penn Plaza
New York, NY 10121

Dear Sirs:

An excerpt from a new McGraw-Hill 4th grade science text has been brought to our attention. From page A 34 of the text, the statement reads as follows:

"People play a role in extinction. People use pesticides and chemicals, destroy places where animals live, and use up resources. They also hunt and fish. This causes many species to become endangered, or in danger of becoming extinct."

We take great exception to the inference that hunting and fishing is causing the extinction of any species. This statement is completely false. While it is true that market hunting of the past and commercial fishing both past and present have greatly impacted populations, it is quite wrong to include all hunting and fishing in this blanket statement. Modern sportsmen, both hunters and fishermen, have been responsible for saving many species from the brink of extinction. Notable among these are whitetail deer, wild turkeys, many species of trout, and striped bass, to name only a few.

The 400,000 members of the National Wild Turkey Federation, as well as millions of other sportsmen, are vitally interested in conserving, not destroying, our wildlife heritage. We ask you to either remove your statement concerning hunting and fishing or qualify it to correctly represent the facts.

Thank you,

James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President for Conservation Programs
The National Wild Turkey Federation

Cc: NWTF Officers, Rob Keck, C.E.O., Carl Brown, C.O.O., James Sparks, C.F.O.

C.R.Sam · March 19, 2002, 09:48 PM

Should have added that twas the sportsmen who introdeced many species of game and fish that we now take for granted.

Sam

Art Eatman · March 19, 2002, 11:11 PM

Separate from the problems with textbooks: It took some doing, but they finally got some Austin, Texas, school teachers to finally believe that the whitetailed deer is not in danger of becoming extinct.

History books are not immune, either. One had it that Truman used the atomic bomb to end the war in Korea.

I won't comment further...

Art

Zorro · March 19, 2002, 11:24 PM

True or False!

Hunters and fisherman have Harmed or Helped the Following Species:

Red Fox
Rainbow Trout
Chinook Salmon
All Duck Species!
Striped Bass
Large Mouthed Bass
All Catfish Species
Brown (German) Trout
Pheasant
Tilpa
Coyote
Add about 100 more.............

March 19, 2002, 08:58 PM	#1
WAGCEVP Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2000 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,989	FWD: School Text Says Hunting & Fishing Makes Species Extinct... Appended below for your information is some news as relayed from our friends at the National Wild Turkey Federation. It is self explanatory and, while pretty disappointing, not terribly surprising. With best regards, Paul F. Karczmarczyk, Regional Biologist Ruffed Grouse Society P.O. Box 2504 West Brattleboro, VT 05303 Office: (802) 325-2114 Fax: (802) 325-2143 email: [email protected] website: www.ruffedgrousesociety.org Subject: Fw: McGraw Hill 4th Grade science text book-FYI I have forwarded you an excerpt from a new McGraw-Hill 4th grade science text book. I thought you might want the opportunity to comment, as well. James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D. Senior Vice President for Conservation Programs [email protected] or [email protected] Phone: 803-637-3106/Fax: 803-637-0034 March 13, 2002 MacMillan/McGraw-Hill McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Two Penn Plaza New York, NY 10121 Dear Sirs: An excerpt from a new McGraw-Hill 4th grade science text has been brought to our attention. From page A 34 of the text, the statement reads as follows: "People play a role in extinction. People use pesticides and chemicals, destroy places where animals live, and use up resources. They also hunt and fish. This causes many species to become endangered, or in danger of becoming extinct." We take great exception to the inference that hunting and fishing is causing the extinction of any species. This statement is completely false. While it is true that market hunting of the past and commercial fishing both past and present have greatly impacted populations, it is quite wrong to include all hunting and fishing in this blanket statement. Modern sportsmen, both hunters and fishermen, have been responsible for saving many species from the brink of extinction. Notable among these are whitetail deer, wild turkeys, many species of trout, and striped bass, to name only a few. The 400,000 members of the National Wild Turkey Federation, as well as millions of other sportsmen, are vitally interested in conserving, not destroying, our wildlife heritage. We ask you to either remove your statement concerning hunting and fishing or qualify it to correctly represent the facts. Thank you, James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D. Senior Vice President for Conservation Programs The National Wild Turkey Federation Cc: NWTF Officers, Rob Keck, C.E.O., Carl Brown, C.O.O., James Sparks, C.F.O.

March 19, 2002, 11:24 PM	#4
Zorro Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2000 Posts: 1,072	True Or False? True or False! Hunters and fisherman have Harmed or Helped the Following Species: Red Fox Rainbow Trout Chinook Salmon All Duck Species! Striped Bass Large Mouthed Bass All Catfish Species Brown (German) Trout Pheasant Tilpa Coyote Add about 100 more.............

March 19, 2002, 09:48 PM	#2
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Should have added that twas the sportsmen who introdeced many species of game and fish that we now take for granted. Sam

March 19, 2002, 11:11 PM	#3
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Separate from the problems with textbooks: It took some doing, but they finally got some Austin, Texas, school teachers to finally believe that the whitetailed deer is not in danger of becoming extinct. History books are not immune, either. One had it that Truman used the atomic bomb to end the war in Korea. I won't comment further... Art