🚀 go-pugleaf

Living in the beautiful Sierra foothills, I've become a lover of the
wilderness trek, be it running, hiking or on bike.  My only fears 
have been intoxicated hunters (I've seen many in CA.), kids out
'shooting' and marijuana farmers protecting their crop.  I am
a believer in the right to bear arms, but having had bullets fly
in my direction more than once, I've grown sceptical.  I try to
dress as a non-target and I keep out of the woods for the first
2 weeks of deer season, but I am always on alert.  

Any combination of kids, alcohol and guns is bad.  Had Mr. Cook
been drinking before he shot the jogger?  It wasn't in our news
at all.  Hunting is not bad.  I have responsible friends who
depend on their hunting to help subsidize their budgets (for the
skeptics, they don't have fancy guns, plan big hunting trips or
spend much money at all to hunt).  Most of the accidents that I
have heard of was by 'party' hunters.  I've camped by hunters 
who have played cards and drank most of the night, slept till
noon, then blasted the hell out of the forest in the afternoons.
During the first week of deer season, no animal (including human)
is safe in the forest.

Our vast forest lands are the best places in the world to run.
Runners, hikers, bikers, horsepeople and yes, hunters, should be
able to enjoy them. I actually get madder at anyone who harms 
the forest by littering, tearing up trails, or any other
irresponsible act.  Anybody how harms any creature or the land
through irresponsible acts should be held accountable, and in
a major way.  Some of my favorite trails went up in smoke this
last summer because of human carelessness.  This winter, the
trails in these burned out areas will erode. However, there 
are runners, hikers, bikers, horsepeople and even hunters
who care (as well as my scout troop) out working on the trails,
and cleaning up the mess.  Runners cannot change society, but 
our good example can raise the awareness of those who follow.

Mark Sanders               the Grass Valley Group   Sierra Slowpokes
mks@gvgspd.gvg.tek.com     ph: 916-478-3632         Running Club