Publicly Promoting Your Outdoor Passion

A few days ago I got one of those cutesy e-mails from a friend with all sorts of funny pictures attached.   You’ve heard the old statement, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”   In this case two of the pictures spoke quite loudly to me as they were pictures of mailboxes obviously used by sportsmen.   I have no idea who took the pictures or where the mailboxes are located, but I figured they were worth passing along for a few smiles.

Pistolmailbox_1

When it comes to promoting our passions I suppose there are two schools of thought.   On one hand there is they guy or gal who leaves no doubt about the fact they enjoy the outdoors.   It might be a mailbox (such as the ones shown) very conspicuous at the end of the driveway or it can be a more subtle indication elsewhere in the yard – such as an archery target, a camouflaged four-wheeler, a boat, or some other “tool of the trade” for the sportsmen.
Fishmailbox
On the other hand there is quite an opposite school of thought.   This sportsman may be very proud of his outdoor passion, but they won’t put it on public display.   Why?   Some folks believe that to promote you’re a sportsman is to only invite trouble in the form of thievery.   I know of a few sportsmen who are so paranoid (?) or should I call it careful that they will actually cut the mailing labels off their hunting and fishing magazines before they go to the recycler.   To these folks parking a boat in the front yard is akin to showing your hand in a poker game.   It’s nobody else’s business as to what other valuable equipment might be hidden inside the home or the garage.

For several years I, too, have struggled with how I hold myself open to the public.   Even though I am very proud of my sportsman heritage and want to show off this pride…I don’t want to be foolhardy, either, and dangle some carrots in front of would-be thieves.   My guns, my fishing equipment, everything I own that is used to enjoy the outdoors has some very personal value to me…or else I wouldn’t keep it.

I’ve tried to strike a balance between letting the public know I am a sportsman and trying to keep some of my toys secure and hidden.   Obviously when you blog about the outdoors it is not much different than having a mailbox at the end of your driveway in the shape of a pistol.   Your privacy is a bit more open to the public.

Yet, as sportsmen we owe it to ourselves to keep our equipment secure – not only for security reasons but also for safety sake.   One of the best things you can do is invite a police officer over to your home for an evaluation.   Maybe it’s a friend whose off-duty or maybe you have contacted your local sheriff’s office for a home crime prevention inspection.   You’d be amazed at some of the little things you can do to foil a burglar.   These professionals know how thieves work and think…and if you property is important to you they can lend some great suggestions to lessen your chance of being so vulnerable.

There’s really no reason that as sportsmen we need to be so secretive about our passions.   Put them on public display in some fashion and celebrate them.   Whether you hunt, fish or camp there’s a certain pride that goes along with pursuing those pastimes that should not be stifled because of some potential fear.   I want people to know that a sportsman lives at my residence; I just don’t want to do it foolishly so some other guy thinks he might enjoy using my equipment or outdoor toys more then me.

© 2005 Jim Braaten.  All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.